Old Blewett Pass Highway: January 2010

Sunday, January 31, 2010

You can left click on the top picture to read what it says. Note the second car in the roadway. The bottom picture was taken from a post card dated 1923. You can left click on it as well.

The Sleepy Hollow Cabin Camp

This dwelling was a landmark on the old highway for many years. Located on Peshastin Creek, the Sleepy Hollow cabin was a not a log cabin, but rather, a rough sawn slab house. This unique home was owned by Jewel Sinclair from 1949 to 1962. Not seen in the photo is the garage which was constructed from the timbers taken from the Blewett Stamp Mill when it was torn down. The Sleepy Hollow Camp also had 3 small cabins behind it. The cabin had a small gift shop in the front where one could buy postcards, polished rocks and other souvenirs. There was also a guest book for visitors to sign. The Sleepy Hollow cabin was torn down many years ago however, the garage still remains.

Blewett Pass Highway Time Line

1860 Gold discovered in Peshastin Creek
1874 First quartz claim staked along Peshastin Creek
1878 Stamp mill constructed and shacks built at Peshastin Mining Camp
1890's Peshastin Mining Camp now has a hotel, general store, post office, 2 saloons, stamp mill and miner shacks
1891 Wagon road built between Mountian Home and Peshastin Mining Camp
1892 Blewett Mining Co buys major interest in Peshastin Mines
1893 Town officially named Blewett
1897 US Geological Survey names wagon rd "Blewett Pass"
1898 Road to Peshastin completed with stage lines running 3 times a week
1905 Blewett stamp mill closes
1905 First automobile crosses Snowqualmie Pass
1912 Sunset Hwy construction begins
1915 Sunset Hwy section between Seattle and Ellensburg opened
1922 Sunset Hwy rerouted over Blewett Pass
1924 Blewett Pass Hwy section completed
1925 Blewett Pass Hwy paved
1956 Blewett Pass Hwy realigned and rebuilt thru Swauk Pass (current US 97)
1991 Blewett Pass renamed Swauk Pass by WSDOT
1992 Swauk Pass changed back to Blewett Pass by State and Federal Boards
1999 TV cameras installed by WSDOT at Blewett summit

If you have information you would like to share, questions or comments, please email me at: rumblefish351@aim.com