Puyallup: The Generous People

Leaving south Tacoma this evening, I’m headed back to Interstate 5 and north for home in Renton. I’m anxious, it’s been a busy weekend and I still have things to do to get ready for work on Monday. It should be about a 45 minute drive...

“Duh... it’s summertime, what was I thinking?” Every-one’s headed north this Sunday evening, back to the Seattle megalopolis after a weekend escape.

I get off the freeway ASAP at the next exit opting for the back way home, River Road into Puyallup, then up the valley on Hwy 167 to Renton. Most likely I won’t save any time but the drive should be easy. The shadows are long just before sunset. I'll enjoy some great views along the way.

I’m in the shadows now and notice there's almost zero traffic. The sun is still lighting up Mt. Rainier (at 14,410 feet) after 8:00 pm in the background. (This photo doesn’t do it justice.) There are several places along this route where the mountain looks so huge, the illusion is you’re going to drive right up to the base.

I talked about early settlement in the Pacific Northwest in a former post July 8, 2011,
It’s all about the land. Puy-al-lup [pyoo-al-uhp] is one of these places where settlement began in the 1850’s. Ezra Meeker married Eliza Jane Sumner in 1851 and in 1852 with a newborn son Marian, came across the Oregon Trail by ox cart for a donation land claim to the Puget Sound area. They settled in Puyallup in 1862, where Meeker grew hops for making beer and made a fortune at it.

Ezra Meeker lived to be 98 years old (so beer can't be all that bad!). He was very active for numerous worthy causes to the very end of his life. Also, my X's grandmother ran a retirement home at the Meeker Mansion for several year's before it was designated a Historical Landmark.

Puyallup, translated from the native Salish language to English means, The Generous People, and they were and still are!