The Skykomish River Valley was first settled by europeans in the 1860s and 1870s. These early settlers were attracted to the area for its abundance of trees for logging and rich,arable land for farming and ranching. The Great Northern Railroad was working its way across the Cascades and down the Skykomish River Valley. Park Place, the first settlement in the valley, was established in 1889 at the foot of Reformatory Hill, near the anticiapted location of the railroad right-of-way. It included a general store, post office building and a few homes.
John Vanasdlen, owner of the general store at Park Place, applied to the U.S. Postal Service for a post office and official name. At that time, the Postal Service was not accepting two-word names, so Vanasdlen chose "Monroe," after President James Monroe. The railroad right-of-way was finally established a few years later, but at the settlement of Tye City (near the current location of Downtown Monroe), more than a mile away. So Vanasdlen moved, buildings and all, to the Tye City location. By 1900,the new location had acquired the permanent name "Monroe."
Monroe was incorporated in 1902 with 325 citizens. The population swelled to nearly 2,000 over the next seven years, due, in part, to the location of two new employers in the Monroe area. With the encouragement and support of the newly formed Monroe Commercial Club, the Pacific Coast Condensed Milk Company (Carnation) and the new Washington State Reformatory opened for business. (The smokestack near Travler's Park is a remnant of the Carnation Plant.)
These two companies, along with the booming growth of new businesses along Main Street, provided a solid economic base upon which to build a viable community and to attract new residents. By 1910, a new brick building on East Main was completed to house City Hall, the Fire House, and the city's new library (now the home of the Monroe Historical Society).
Between 1910 and 1980, the population of Monroe experienced little change. The completion of SR2 and SR 522 linked Monroe to the metropolitan areas of Everett and Seattle. Like its first decade, Monroe is now experiencing a second period of rapid growth. Like those early residents, people are drawn to Monroe because of its economic opportunities, natural beauty, "small town" atmosphere.
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