One of the ballots used in the vote to incorporate the town. Special thanks to the Marysville Historical Society.
We’ve made it to the distant year of 1876; Marysville is nothing more than a trading post, the Tulalip reservation, and the Comeford family. If someone were to tell James P. Comeford that his trading post would become a town with nearly 80,000 people, he’d be blown away. Mind you, by the 1870’s census a town with 70k would put it in the top 20 most populated towns in the United States.
So how did Marysville develop for its first 50 years? Well, in 1885 the town was platted by Comeford. That more or less means the town was officially laid out and planned for what goes where. Then by 1891 they called a roll call of all eligible voters. 76 people were able to vote and decide the future of the town. For example on their ballots listed Mayor, Treasurer, Councilmen, and if they should incorporate. The answer to the latter was yes with a 52 to 16, and Mark Swinnerton becoming the first Mayor with 56 votes. Fun detail about the ballot, it was actually a recycled 1880’s ballot with titles like congressman and governor crossed out and replaced with the respective local positions. We actually know who all 76 voters were, and their professions! Fun fact, only one voter was retired, a 69 year old by the name of Authur Quinn whose legal occupation was “leisure.” Another interesting detail is Fred Creese who was a "musician.” It’s nice to know this town has always had that creative and artistic heart even back when only 400 people lived in it! So our modern musicians are nothing out of place for Marysville.
One thing to note for the town at this point was how important logging was. It’s the reason the town got started and kept going. Lumber built the homes of not just Marysville, but towns all across the west coast as trees were chopped down here and shipped off to Seattle and California. At the same time our lumber and ports were starting up and booming, so was Everett’s. As one can imagine Everett won out and became the major city of the county. Some folks even suggested renaming the town to “North Everett” because of this! I for one am glad they didn’t rename, as it has allowed Marysville to grow into its own beautiful community and identity.
As the turn of the century came around Marysville kept growing and growing. Soon it became a family town, but one folks could enjoy.. It was common for the lumber workers on Saturday to come into town and quote, “spend their money on the delights of town.” By 1901 the city hall was built, at a cost of $2000 or $78,852.47 in today's cost. Later that decade running water came to town in 1905. That same year a petition for milk cows to “run freely on the streets of town during the day” was brought up. A silly notion by today's standards but a valid one for the rural farming town.
As you can see things grew, changed, and improved for town slowly. By 1926 it was a modern town and a small city. Join us next week as we cover from 1926 to 1976! We’ll meet some interesting folks, and see our not too distant past.