This cabin, built by the descendants of a Hudson’s Bay Employee, was dismantled from its original lot and moved to this location on the Mountain Highway a long time ago. I had the pleasure of looking over the building last week and noted that the oversized red bricks that are on all that period’s buildings are also on this cabin’s fireplace. These bricks are found in Henry Murray’s house on 260th St. and in the officers quarter’s fireplaces at Fort Steilacoom. Thank you, Jessie Richards for pointing out the background on this building. I have chatted with Pierce County planning regarding its historic nature and they are researching it now.
For those of you who love history, Ralph Northover built this cabin, John McPhail’s (of the Puget Sound Agricultural Company) grandson. Ralph’s parents were John and Elizabeth (McPhail) Northover according to the 1910 census Ralph was born in 1891.
Pierce Prairie Post 
I would like to know what lot this cabin came from, because a very similar old cabin was owned by my grandfather over near harts lake and was called an old stage coach cabin. ???
What was your Grandfather’s name?
John Norman Engebretsen. He had two large parcels near Harts Lake. One was 120 acres on the Nisqually River, and the other adjoining Wilcox.
I am joyce Northover Gowin Daughter of Ralph Nrthover, I grew up in the log house Dad built, and this house is NOT the house. Joyce Northover Gowin
Joyce, you should join the “Descendents of Fort Nisqually Employees Association” group on Facebook, we have been discussing several potential Northover cabins, one that is still on the Northover property and fairly decrepit. I posted a photo of it there. Iw ill see if I can get it posted here too.
There is a lot of incorrect information here. Questions should have been asked and answered BEFORE being posted. Consequently, this is misleading on many levels. This is NOT Ralph Northover’s house, he is NOT the grandson of a McPhail, his Mother IS a Corcoran NOT a McPhail. The Northover house was NOT moved to Mountain Highway.
Thank you for your concern. We are apparently dealing with two different Ralph Northovers. Here is a link to the Washington State Digital Archives of the 1910 census showing the Ralph Northover I am referring to as a child of Elizabeth & John Northover and a neightbor of the Mounts who were descendants of John McLeod also from the Rocky Ridge/Muck Creek area. http://media.digitalarchives.wa.gov/WA.Media/jpeg/2A7D02D44E24AB2028F0BD01557AEABE_1.jpg
We have been discussing this house with other McPhail descendants on a Facebook group for HBC Descendants. What I would like to see is that we get some agreement on the origins of these two houses and can determine if there needs to be any move toward preservation or restoration.
I am referring to MY Grandfather Ralph F Northover, (son of John and Elizabeth) father of my mother Elizabeth (Betty) obviously someone has gave out the WRONG information. The house on Mountain Highway is NOT the Northover house! I spoke with the owner who has the property for sale. He informed me that that house has been in that location since the 1950’s. MY Grandparents STILL lived in their log house until they sold the property in the 1960’s. My Grandfather was a nephew to Jane McPhail. Joyce Northover Gowin is my mother’s sister, she has the same documents that I have, ask her! She lived in the log house. The house was moved down the hill from the property. AGAIN…there is a lot of incorrect information here!
Anytime you capitalize a word, you are shouting, and is considered by most to be quite rude communication.
BIG DEAL now I’m shouting!
Well, there’s nothing like a little controversy to ferret out the truth. I appreciate your input and hope you don’t get over stressed while we get the truth out here about the cabin. A couple of my sources are on vacation this week so I can’t touch base with them right now. Did you see the photo I added f the other cabin that is deteriorating on the old Northover section of the McPhail DLC? Do you know anything about it?
I would like to reply…To me capitalizing a word is not shouting, to me it is stating the fact. I replied to you and said I am a Northover and lived in the house Dad built and know a few facts, you were not interested in wheather I was a Northover or not. You just stated I should join the website. I would think being intouch with only surviving Northover left that you would have some questions.
Instead you are addiment about what you know.
We are not rude in communication, but you will not listen.
The house on the Mt. Highway has been there for 50 yrs.or more. And was used as several business We sold our house in the early 60″s and the lady that bought and lived in my Uncle Marcus Northovers place moved the house Dad built down to (her place) she was going to make it a place to sell antiques, but she became ill and passed away. So EVRYONE wanted to live in the log house but it sat till it is demolished, so sad. I am surprised it has not cought on fire. Who are your other sources? Since I am one of the only living Nothover, I would think that I would be the one to ask, because most infomation you have is incorect. I have some nieces and nephews, nephews that are Northovers, but they wouldn’t know only if they got information through some geneologey site. I am NOT being RUDE, onle trying to communicate.
Joyce NORTHOVER
Joyce, where was the cabin moved that you are speaking about? Even if ti is a “pile of rubble” it would be good to know where it was first located and then where ti was relocated. Your helpfuness is appreciated. You are correct that it is best that we get this accurate.
In 1963 or 1964 when we sold to Glen Ash and moved the address was Route 1 Box 390 Spanaway, WA. When the lady that bought my Uncle Marcus place and lived there, she moved our house it couldn’t have been a mile away. and there it is a plie of ruble as you say. Now the road to our house used to be the Northover road, but they changed to numbers which I believe is 36th st. I have not been there is years for it was to sad to go back to see it.
I guess they just tore down which USED to be a gas station there on the cornor of 260th St I believe. That was built by my Uncle Ted Swanson. They now have a light there . Marry McFadden used to live there I guess till they Tore it down to put that lite up. Right there at the bend in the road.My Grandma and Grandpa Swanson had the Mt. Road Tea house on the other side of the gas station, they served chicken dinners there and my Mother used to serve the people that came from Seattle and everywhere on the way to Mt. Rainier. Right down from the church. Betheny Lutheran. I guess there is a couple tiny buildings there that is from the Mt Road Tea house. Right there on the cornor. Now the land our house was built on is right to the end of the road, on the left side.WHICH USED TO BE Northover road, now 36th st. That is South East , They moved the house down about a mile SoWest as it sits. It is kinda hard to EXPLAIN, because of new houses, stop lights, Street numbers. It has all changed. I HOPE you can understand me.