Elk Plain was once all a great prairie. It got its name from herds of Elk that grazed there. The natives who lived in the area kept the land open for grazing by regularly burning the grass at the proper time to destroy trees and shrubs. Because of the excellent grasses, it was used by the first white settlers of the Hudson Bay Company as pasture for its subsidiary, the Puget Sound Agricultural Company. Horses, cows, pigs and sheep were grazed in the place they called Elk Plain, across the Muck prairie which is now part of Ft. Lewis, and around the Lacamas area extending toward the original site of Fort Nisqually. The employees who tended the herds lived in Elk Plain and Rocky Ridge along Muck Creek. Other settlers were supposed to stay out of the area until the lands were formally purchased from the Puget Sound Agricultural Company. After a long, drawn out court battle over the sale price which ended in 1867. Washington Territory and Pierce County paid a total of $750,000 for the land in 1869 and the area was officially opened for settlers.
Horse paths and wagon trails connected the early settlements. A sawmill was located at about 240th Street and the Beattie house was shared with some of the single laborers. Other pioneer families were Okfen, Wright, Moe, Theil, Rohr, Ehlers, Fisher, Kinsman and Fuchs. Many of their descendants are well-known and still live in the area.
In 1892, the Pierce County Commissioners created an Elk Plain School District on land donated by S.E. “Amos” Moe. They built a two-room wooden schoolhouse on the site where Elk Plain Elementary sits today. Two more rooms were added in 1935 by the WPA, but the entire building was razed in 1937 and replaced by the historic brick building we see today. In May of 1949, the Elk Plain school became part of the consolidated Bethel School District. Offices, a multipurpose room and more classrooms were added in construction projects in 1953, 1960, 1965, 1979 and 1980. In 1991, most of those additions were demolished and the new Elk Plain School of Choice was constructed, leaving the 1937 historic brick building intact, but with upgraded electrical and heating systems.
In 1901, the Elk Plain Café was built as a gas station and roadside café. Cabins were added in back for weary tourists traveling to the mountain, a trip which took several days by horse or stagecoach. At that time the route ran south from there toward Webster Road toward Benston, Kapowsin and Eatonville. Few years later, the section of the Mountain Highway to the Eatonville Cut-Off (352nd) was built. Most of the “National Park Highway” remained a dirt road until passage of a county-wide bond issue in 1926. It was paved to Mt. Rainier by 1927, facilitating day trips to the mountain by automobile.
The Tacoma Eastern Railway, a division of the Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul Railroad ran their rail line through the area in 1907. It was part of a project to build a line from Frederickson toward the Pacific Ocean via McKenna. The original choice for the depot name was Aubrey, in honor of a pioneer Aubrey Dean, but a former railway brakeman, Henry Kinsman suggested to the President of the Tacoma Eastern, Mr. Bagley, that the name would be too easily confused with the Auburn depot. Mr. Bagely knew a store owner in the area named Loveland and gave the local depot that name. Shortly afterward, the county school superintendent changed the name of District #80 to Loveland.
Condemnation of local properties for the construction of the military reservation began in 1917. This inspired many residents to seek an organization in which they could band together in mutual support. The prices being paid to the land owners were not sufficient to re-establish their residences and farms in other locations. Experienced landowners could offer tips and assistance to those not yet bought out. This resulted in the formation of the Loveland Grange #782 in 1921.
The grange held its meetings in the Elk Plain School which used kerosene lamps for light. That led the grange to promote a community meeting which became the beginning of the Loveland Mutual Light Company. Loveland Mutual was managed by Art Crate, who also traveled the area reading the electric meters; well-known for his gift of gab, Art knew a lot about everyone. The Bethel football stadium lights were part of Art Crate’s efforts; after his death, the school district honored him by naming their stadium Art Crate Field. In 1971, the mutual’s interests were sold to what is now Tacoma Public Utilities.
About a year after the grange started, the lecturer learned why the voting precinct and school were named Elk Plain. He designated Morton Bower to research the history of the area. After learning the significance of the older name from pioneer Adam Benston, the grange name was changed in 1927 to Elk Plain #782; they also urged the school superintendent to change the school district back to the name Elk Plain. Elk Plain District #80 merged with the Kirby School District and later, in 1949, consolidated into Bethel School District #403.
The land for Elk Plain Grange #782 was acquired from the Daniels Brothers and built on the current site in the late 40’s. John Tibbitts Sr., Paul Walk, and Jacob Kanton acquired the materials to start the building. The grange held weekly dances to help pay off their bills.
In 1917, a local landmark called “The Firs” was built. It had a rustic look, constructed of Douglas Fir timbers. Large social events such as Mother’s Day Teas, annual banquets for groups such as the Tacoma News Tribune carriers and evening dances took place there. It was operated until arson destroyed it in 1974. The tall fir entry poles remain at the gate to the property.
Fire District 7 operated an all volunteer department in a cinder block building across from the Elk Plain school from the late 1950’s to 1969. The siren that called for volunteers could be heard more than 2 miles away.
Over the years several stores were operated in Elk Plain. First was the Elk Plain Café in 1901. The Thistle Dew, a roadside store and café on the Mountain Highway near 240th Street, was built by Delbert Louden in 1924 and operated through the 50’s. Ben Kuper ran Kuper’s Korner across the highway from the elementary school from the 40’s through the 60’s. He sold groceries to local homes and travelers, but all the school children knew he had a great stock of candy if they could somehow safely cross the state highway. Woody Essarey operated Woody’s Market from the late 40’s, until O’Neil’s built a modern concrete block store near the grange in 1971. After 20 years, O’Neil’s succumbed to a larger Fred Meyer Market Place store around 1996. The Fred Meyer was part of a large shopping complex named Bethel Station on the corner of 224th Street (Muck-Kapowsin Rd.) and the Mountain Highway (SR7). That corner was known locally as Kuhn’s Corner and was formerly home to a mink and chicken ranch.
The Elk Plain area has always been served by the Spanaway Post Office. Due to local population growth, they built a new post office next to the Elk Plain Grange in 1997, closing the historic “Fir Road” in the process. Post Office Officials in Washington D.C. upset local residents and local post office officials when they designated the new post office “Bethel Station” after the nearby shopping center and school district which covers 221 square miles and several different communities.
About one-half mile north of the elementary school on 22nd Avenue (Thiel-Duddleston Road) the Kanton family operated Loveland Packing from the 1940’s through the 70’s. It was a slaughterhouse for local farmers bringing their farm animals to market. The Kanton’s moved to the area in 1921, living in a house built by Amos Moe in 1904. That historic house had to be torn down in 2004 because of drug lab contamination.
Frank Ferroco operated the tavern near 232nd Street for many years, currently called Lee’s. It apparently has been the location of a local “watering hole” since before prohibition in 1920. Other notable early businesses in the area included the Eagle Garage, across the highway from the train depot. Lincoln Construction located its offices on that site in the late 1960’s. The Elk Plain Community Church was originally located on the Mountain Highway across from the grange, but was moved east of Bethel High School around 1970. Bethany Lutheran Church, located near Muck Creek in the Rocky Ridge area was originally organized through meetings held in 1898 at the Elk Plain School.
The Castle family sold a large piece of property at the corner of Muck Kapowsin Road (224th) and George Brown Road (38th Ave.) to the newly formed Bethel school district in 1949. It became the site of the new Bethel High School in 1952.
With the advent of affordable automobiles, the train depot building went out of service. It was purchased and moved directly across the mountain highway when the railroad tracks were raised to an overpass in the 1950’s.
In 2001, an Elk Plain Resident’s Association was formed at the advent of the Graham Community Plan to help gather citizen input to the rapid development of local farms to urban density housing. They have guided local improvements such as traffic signals, Mountain Highway safety corridor issues and the placement of community road signs on the state highway, SR7, to designate the area to travelers they are passing through Elk Plain.
(The Elk Plain Residents Association disbanded for lack of participation by 2004.)
References:
History of Pierce County, Vol 1-3, W.H. Bonney, copyright 1927
A Pictorial History of Pierce County, Vol. 4, copyright 1992
Postmarked Washington: Pierce County, Guy Reed Ramsey, Washington State Historical Society, copyright 1981.
Bethel School District #403, An Illustrated History, Carol E. Neufeld, copyright 1999.
A Light on the Prairie, Don Goddard, copyright 19__. (History of Bethany Lutheran Church)
Newspaper Archives:
Tacoma News Tribune
The Tacoma Public Library Northwest Room
Helpful resident contributors:
Marilyn (Okfen) Goddard, Ferdie Kanton, Barbara (Dorfner) Ford, Virginia Wright, Dale & Noreen Tibbitts, Anne (Tibbitts) Reitzug, Dale & Noreen Tibbitts, Betty (Theil) Kronos, Mary Comstock, Bob Kuper
Pierce Prairie Post 
Thank you so much for this history! It answers all our questions about the history of Ellk Plain which we have driven through many times but didn’t notice until recently. the Bollmans, DuPont
Excellent account of the history of Elk Plain. I am currently doing research on Henry Kinsman and his wife Elizabeth Alice “Lizzie” Truitt. Which source above was used for Henry’s suggestion to not go with the depot name Aubrey? Also, I would like to share additional info that I have collected on the couple and find out more too.
The source was an article by Chester Thompson who the Elementary School is named after. He was the historian for the Elk Plain Grange. The document came from the current grange operators, the Bryants. Mary Bryant is a great resource as well as several folks at the Spaanway Historical Society that will have their picnic July 20 at noon at the Prairie House Museum. You can contact me in the evening and on weekends at the phone listed on the news contact page.
Thank you so much for making this page! I grew up in Elk Plain from 1988 to 2001. I was trying to research our haunted home and came across this, which has lots of wonderful histroy.
I am curious which home. I know of at least one Elk Plain home that is historically haunted.
Woody Esarey was my grandfather. My parents lived in a house right by his old store that they claim was haunted. It was on the same side of the highway as the old Woody’s Market – opposite of O’Niels. I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s in that area, went to Elk Plain Elementary when they had the big wood red playshed – those were the days!!
Chad, Your Uncle Ken and I were Good Friends in School.
Did Your Grandfather build a store across the Mt. Highway from the old store?
Which Family Member is Your Parent?
Kenny’s little sister Mary is my mother. Sadly, he passed away last year.
Grandpa Woody did build a store across the Mt Highway – they sold it to O’Niels about 1975.
Chad, your grandparents, Woody and Margaret Esarey were wonderful caring people
I remember that between the brick building built in 1937 and the play shed their was a wooden structure . Was that the first school built? At the time I went to Elk Plain, (1961-1968 ) it housed the special needs classes and the music room as we called it . It was a long one story building about 50 ft by 32 ft. I know it was very old at the time I attended classes at Elk Plain . It would fit the two room first school. I know it was there until I left at grade 6 in 68 to Junior High School . I can remember in the 1965 earthquake the building lost all of it’s brick chimneys .
Changing the subject ; I remember the Flying saucer lights they had in each classroom . They had great big bulbs in them and the Janitor would save them when they burnt out . We would take the huge bulbs and cover with paper Mache and then break the bulb inside . Then we would paint them . Also the big coffee cans we would save at home and at school we would cut the bottoms out and take the tin cylinders and make a totem pole face on them with paper Mache. Then paint them . Then we would stack them to make up each face on the totem pole .
My teachers were Mrs. Lindstrom 1st. Mrs. Stevens, 2nd. Mrs. Skolvolt 3rd.Trophie Kanton 4th. Mr. Robinson,5th. Mr. Lopez, 6th.
My greatest memory was Mrs. Stevens. She lived on the corner of 22 ave and 208th st . Not far from the Theil homestead . I would always go over and visit her and her husband . In the daylight basement she had a piano and she would play and we would sing songs .
I remember the packing house over on 22nd which we called the back road . Dad would take us over there while he worked on their trucks . We played out back and there was a pond up on the back hill we would catch frogs . They had a big smoke house and would open up the big double doors to reveal chains and chains of smoked pepperoni . And yes we got to eat some.
It was great growing up in the town of Elk plain . Everyone knew one another and everything we did together . Everyone watched out for one another and knew where we were supposed to be . I remember when I strayed a little to far as a kid and I would get asked where is your mom . Then the dreaded phone call . I have your kid . LOL At eight o’clock every night the firehouse whistle would blow . Santa on the fire truck at Christmas and The Schmidts that owned the cabinet shop by the bridge would put up life size Rudolph the red nose reindeer and Santa’s sleigh on his cabinet shop with it’s nose a glow . Our neighbors . The Hagen’s, Ockfen’s, Burghardt’s, Dain’s , Schmidt’s, Chum’s , Hodge’s. Doolittle’s, Greenlaw’s . It seemed back then we lived so far away from civilization and now as we speak it’s being molded into the new Elk Plain . But less we forget the quiet nights when there were hardly any cars on Mt HI way in the evening and Sunday everything closed at noon . People would stop and visit and the dance at the Grange hall every Saturday night seemed a perfect norm.
Hi Arthur, I remember most of that too! What a great area to grow up in!
I had Mrs. Wright for second grade. Darrel Steig and I got a lot of swats in front of the class for not doing our home work. (Ha! I bet they don’t do that any more)
I had Mrs. Walker in the 3rd grade. Her class room was in that really old building you were talking about. I remember it smelled old and kind of awful. I had Mr. Robinson for fifth grade also. He was a fun teacher!
Emmett Esmond
I so miss the Elk Plain Cafe! What a great place to stop and grab a bite on a Sunday afternoon when out for a drive to Mount Rainier! Their biscuits and gravy were to die for, of which the recipe was a family secret according to Anne Castle, and never written down! It was a sad day for my family when they closed their doors for good. I know they call it progress, but it is a shame to see Elk Plain go by the way side, so much local history and charm is gone. We moved from Graham to Parkland and both area’s have changed so much, and not all for the good I hate to say. I miss the good old days!
My cousin Chris Esarey worked at the Café for years – It was the best breakfast ever!!
The comment about the railroad being raised over the highway (route 7) was in the late 30s or early 40s. I was born in 1931 and live on what is now 208th and I remember when traffic was detoured by our home. I also would Play on that tressel when in grammar school.
Alice (Dorfner) White
Thank you Alice!
(Marianne Scott Lincoln – Christian Miller’s Granddaughter)
Gowning up lived close by The Elks plain Grange was a weekend gathering for our age group a place to meet the neighbors a rental spot for the weekend from 1968 -1970 I did go to bethel high School at this time!
I remember that good old
day feeling. Elk Plain has certainly change.