Two Interpretations of the Name Enumclaw

"Home of Evil Spirits"

"Years ago a band of warriors were camping at the base of the mountain when they heard a very loud, rattling noise, like a crash of thunder which seemed to come from the interior of the mountain.  The Indians were very frightened by the sound, thinking that evil spirits had their confines there, and afterwards called the mountain "Enumclaw".  It means "a loud, rattling noise, or thunder" which the Indians dreaded.  ~ from "King County History", Bagley, Vol. 1

"The God of Thunder"

"Enumclaw" receives its name from a nearby mountain of that name.   It is the English attempt at the real Indian (language) which is something like "Eenumcla".  This name was given by the Indians to the mountain and the whole region round about.  The name signifies "The God of Thunder".  The God had his throne in this mountain where he had reigned supreme from the beginning.  "he had killed many with the roar of this voice and the glance of his eye (thunder being the voice and lightning the glance of his eye)".  This continued from the beginning until he met the God of the Cayuse, when there was a battle in which the God of thunder was subdued and shorn of his power, and since then has killed none, though he is able to make the earth tremble when he speaks. ~ from Enumclaw Fair Association, "King County Courier" (an Enumclaw paper) Sept. 19-21, 1901

Enumclaw Timeline

1850 ~ Allen Porter, 1st pioneer settler on plateau (Osceola @ White River)
1853 ~ 1st pioneers over the Naches Trail
1879 ~ Frank & Mary Stevenson settle on homestead
1884 ~ Frank Stevenson plats townsites
1885 ~ Enumclaw gets a name
1888 ~ Enumclaw gets a railroad station
1890 ~ Land cleared to be Griffin Avenue
1893 ~ Farmers' Picnic established west of town (membership costs $1.00)
1899 ~ Co-Operative Creamery established
1900 ~ Enumclaw population, 483
1900 ~ Courier newspaper established
1900 ~ 1st King County Fair
1902 ~ Telephone & water services, and volunteer fire department established
1910 ~ J.J. Smith Grammar & High School erected
1913 ~ Enumclaw Incorporated as a city
1921 ~ Municipal Building (city hall) built
1921 ~ 3-story High School on Porter Street erected
1929 ~ Naches Pass highway opened
1935 ~ Pete's Pool swimming begins
1938 ~ Sales Pavilion established
1949 ~ Enumclaw Memorial Hospital established
1957 ~ Enumclaw population, 3,070
1958 ~ Crystal Mountain Ski development
2013 ~ Enumclaw celebrates 100 years of incorporation

The Museum

The Enumclaw Plateau Historical Society was formed and chartered in 1995, and through a grant purchased a large two-story building constructed by the Masons from local timber in 1909 for their lodge. The building had earlier been sold by the Masons to the Episcopal Diocese and then to EPHS. The building was in fine condition but has been undergoing restoration and a small addition to accommodate an elevator, artifact storage, meeting area and additional museum space.

Early Enumclaw Photos