Introduction:  George Edwards worked for a shrt while before moving to the Yelm Prairie where he lived for more than three decades.  Below is an account of his voyage from England to the Pacific Northwest.
George Edwards:  Coming to the Northwest by Sea
Twenty-five year old George Edwards (1824-June 24, 1894) sat among the rowers, his eyes [...]

Sturdy Pioneer of Thurston County PASSES TO FINAL REST Sketch of His Experience in Early Days
James Longmire, one of the oldest pioneers of the state and the proprietor of the Longmire springs, died at 4:15 Wednesday afternoon at the residence of his daughter in law, Mrs. Jackson Longmire, in Tacoma. He had been very sick [...]

As I am one of the pioneers of Washington, in her territorial days, I will fall in line with the many who have already written, and attempt a description of our trip across the plains, and subsequent events. It may not be out of place to remind the newcomers of today that they have little [...]

Eyewitness Accounts
Introduction: Charles Wilkes led a mapping expedition through the Northwest in 1841. He traveled from Fort Nisqually to the Chehalis River and recorded these scenes of the prairie:
“…Our route lay through the most beautiful park scenery with the prairies here and there breaking through the magnificent pines. . . .took our departure exclaiming at [...]

Traveling the Oregon Trial and the Naches Pass

Introduction: Several pioneers, in addition to James Longmire, wrote accounts of their trip west. From here you will be able to access their accounts of the route through the Nachess Pass and other hardships they encountered on the way. (Spellings are from the originals)
The Naches Pass – Lucille [...]

An Early Environmental Debate Over the Destruction of Prairie in Pierce County

Introduction: Today the Prairie around Yelm is different in it’s plant life than it was in the mid 19th century. There are a variety of reasons for this change. One factor was the grazing of cattle, horses, and sheep on the prairie. The impact [...]

Farming in Yelm

The ever so going town of Yelm as of today seems to be an expanding bedroom community. Very little people know of the Yelm that once was the “Berry Capital of Washington“.
Yelm has seen its varieties of agricultural products, worker, and hard times but those times have come and gone. The jump start [...]

  A Short History of Yelm
The history of Yelm’s post office capsulizes the creation of the community. With the exception of a period of time between November 1880 and May 1881 (when mail was delivered to Tenino), Yelm Prairie has had a post office. It was first named Yelm on August 18, 1858, nice months [...]

WASHINGTON SUPERINTENDENCY
 
Office Puyallup Agency,
Olympia, Washington Territory, September 6, 1865
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following annual report of the condition of the Indian tribes under my charge as an Indian agent: I take pleasure in referring to decide the improvement of their condition within the last year. Many of these people are [...]

A Rural Picnic – Washington Standard, June 17, 1871
A Rural Picnic – The picnic goers of Yelm and Chambers’ Prairies had a pleasant time last Saturday, the tenth, at the Pattison Springs, near Chambers’ Prairie, where they found fields of sweet ripe wild strawberries.  Some people have a prejudice against native picked strawberries, and the [...]