by Julie Collison May 17, 2024It isn’t often that we get the opportunity to do something that will leave a legacy for ourchildren. 2 years ago, the Parkland Community had just that. News from our countycouncil representative, Jani Hitchin, came to the folks attending the ScandinavianCultural Center meeting that the Parkland School was being considered…
Category: History
History of the communtiy
Historical road from Nisqually to Spanueh Station
Historical information on Spanaway, Spanueh Station of the Puget Sound Agricultural Company, and native uses of the area Testimony for the Hearings Examiner on Pierce County Village, April 29, 2024 To local Indians, the area was referred to as “spáduwe” – “where [camas or fern] roots are plentiful”.[1] Multiple tribes used the area for hunting…
Rally to save Parkland School, March 9
We need to keep our visibility of our effort going! We haven’t rallied for awhile. Plus, PLU is having a Track invitational that will bring extra traffic to Parkland. WHEN: Meet at 9:30 AMWHERE: Parkland Transit Center 121st St S and Pacific Ave S.BRING: Wear red, bring a yard sign if you have one, or other rally…
Immediate need for saving Parkland School
By Gayle Carlson The Parkland Community Assn. (PCA) is raising funds to purchase the school from Pacific Lutheran University (PLU). Our goal is for the building to become a community center for youths, families, and seniors. In November the PCA made a $25,000 deposit into escrow as required by the Purchase and Sales Agreement. We…
Donate now, a matching donation is available
Right now, if you donate to the Parkland School purchase, your donation will be matched by a local philanthropist. Please give to the cause so Parkland can reopen this building as a community services center. PLU has generously offered to lower the purchase price by $350,000, if the PCA can raise another $500,000 toward the…
Opinion: Linda Carlson, Parkland
TO: Parkland Community Association FR: Linda Carlson, Parkland School student, 1956-1963 I am a Parkland School graduate and a member of a family that has been in Parkland and associated with Parkland School since the early 1930s, so almost 90 years. I am writing regarding the value of the Parkland School structure and its grounds…
After your polar plunge, try a first day hike
Washington State Parks have a new tradition, First Day Hikes. Besides being a great way to get some exercise, the parks provide staff led a self-guided tours with some history of the park. As well as the history, you can get a pin, showing you participated. Go to the link and look for a park…
Garfield Street Fair absence sprouts alternative
In 2023, the Garfield Street Fair in Parkland is not happening. So the newly established Parkland Community Association took matters and the date, as an opportunity to talk about how much the community could benefit from a new community center in the form of the old Parkland School building at a rally August 19, 2023….
You know it as Eastgate Road, but…
By Marianne Lincoln One of my favorite annual events is taking the tour of Fort Lewis put on by the Nisqually Tribe. Amazing history, great snacks and good company. Although the tour enters and exits from a normally locked gate on the reservation, much of the driving is along Eastgate Road. It is called that…
Spanaway Cemetery cleanup May 24
Four congregations of youth from local churches are coming to the historic Spanaway cemetery this year on May 24th, to clean up prior to the Memorial Day Weekend. They’ll be arriving at the Cemetery at different times between 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Some youth and leaders will be arriving in the evening between 5 p.m….
115th birthday for Parkland School @ Keithly Middle School
May 20th, Saturday, 12-3pm, Keithley Middle School. Hot dogs, cake, fresh fruit, entertainment and fun! All are invited. Everyone belongs here. Come celebrate the Parkland of today, past and future! Clink link for more info https://fb.me/e/2nn64lJBT
May 20 – Parkland School 115th Birthday Party
PARKLAND — On Saturday, May 20th, the Parkland Community Association is hosting a Birthday Party for the Parkland School, to celebrate the history of the community. When:Saturday, May 20th from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. Where: Keithley Middle School, 12324 12th Ave S, Parkland, WA 98444 What: There will be door prizes, food, live music…
A road called Muck-Kapowsin
By Marianne Lincoln It all started with Muck-Kapowsin Road. It isn’t called that anymore, it has a number like most other roads in Pierce County. It is now 224th Street. It runs from Elk Plain at the Mountain Highway through Graham and Thrift and on to a housing development called “The Country.” Roads in the…
Parkland Community Assn. March 28
The 501(c)(3) status arrived in March 2023 and the Parkland Community Assn. (PCA) is now fully operational. The next meeting for the organization will be Tuesday, March 28, 6 p.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church hall. The Parkland Community Assn. began last May with a group that formed to Save the Historic Parkland School (1908)…
It is not contentious, it is now a transaction. Parkland Community is working on the purchase of the Parkland School from PLU.
There is no longer a controversy, the parties are talking and working on agreements. The new, updated Parkland Community Association and PLU have met on several occasions. Agreements and funding are being diligently worked on. An engineering report has been created and a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation has granted the funds…
Graham Historical Society, Feb. 28
By Marianne Lincoln Graham has history, lots of history, actually. You can find some of it on page F-10 of the Graham Community Plan. Other bits and pieces are in small books and hard to find, out-of-print books like In the Shadow of the Mountain, by Andy Anderson. Others have not yet been written, but…
PLU opens a window for Parkland School in letter to Council
Pacific Lutheran University President Allan Belton opened a window of opportunity to the community who wants to save the Parkland School. In a letter to members of the Pierce County Council, he noted that the property is being made available for the purchase price of $2.85 million if the community can find a buyer within…
Balallan, Scotland gave Spanaway its start
By Marianne Lincoln, with notes from Steve Anderson Balallan, a small community on the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides islands of Scotland was the birth place of John Montgomery in 1819. His family were farmers. He grew up among sheep, cattle and crops with plenty of room to play, but no education to make…
1846 list of local indigneous working for Fort Nisqually
The Puget Sound Agricultual Company extended across much of Pierce County’s prairie lands. Until 1846, it was considered British Land and was embattled in court through 1869, when it finally was paid and officially transferred. This is why so many 1850 Donation Land Claims were not surveyed until 1871 in the area. From Steve Anderson,…
PLU responds about the Parkland School
Pacific Lutheran University has added an article to their website about the Parkland School, also referred to was East Campus. This is copied from their web comments on 6-25-22. East Campus / Parkland School Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Pacific Lutheran University is committed to the long-term health and vitality of Parkland, Washington. We’re proud of…