Category: history

In 1999, the Town of Steilacoom submitted a Statements of Qualifications to design the railroad crossing that separates the parking lot from the beach.

Prehistoric Era (10,000+ years ago)
The Chambers Creek area has a rich archaeological record showing diverse hunter-gatherer occupation dating back approximately 10,000 years. More recently, the Steilacoom people established their main village, called Ste!le’lqub, at the mouth of Chambers Bay, with settlements extending up both sides of Chambers Creek.

Indigenous Heritage
The Puget Salish-speaking Steilacoom people shared the same language with the nearby Puyallup and Nisqually tribes. The villagers sustained themselves by fishing the creek and bay for salmon, herring, flounder, cod, and perch, while also harvesting shellfish, plants, berries, and acorns, and hunting bear, elk, deer, and waterfowl. The Steilacoom Tribe continues to exist today, led by tribal citizens and their Steilacoom Tribal Council.

European Settlement (1830s)
The Hudson’s Bay Company was responsible for bringing the first known European settlers to the area in the 1830s.. The British trading company established a post at the mouth of nearby Sequalitchew Creek and began acquiring land through the newly established Puget Sound Agricultural Company. They also built more permanent structures that became part of British Fort Nisqually. .

Railroad Era (1890s)
A transformative period came with the arrival of the Tacoma-Steilacoom Railroad in the early 1890s, shortly after Washington became a state. This rail line was essentially a steam-powered streetcar that ran 12 miles along either side of Chambers Creek Canyon from Tacoma to Steilacoom (population 250 at the time), where city folk would recreate in Steilacoom’s hotels and shops. The area between the Nisqually and Puyallup rivers, including Steilacoom village on Chambers Creek, was the center of regional activity.

this post was created by Kagi Research Assistant. The sources and output can be found at https://kagi.com/assistant/a58fa9a0-7e3e-4c6b-b300-c84b24787d53.