Misplaced Pages

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97-684: The Arlington Times began in 1888 as the Stillaguamish Times , published in Stanwood to the west of modern-day Arlington. Publisher George Morrill moved the printing plant to Haller City in 1890, becoming The Haller City Times , until moving into Arlington in 1894. It later absorbed the Haller City News , which had been published since 1879. On July 17, 1897, the newspaper was renamed to The Arlington Times . On November 7, 1918, The Times published an erroneous dispatch from

194-500: A mayor–council government . The city council's seven members and the mayor are elected to four-year terms in non-partisan elections. City councilmember Sid Roberts was elected mayor in 2021, replacing interim mayor Elizabeth Callaghan. The council conducts regular meetings twice per month at the Stanwood-Camano School District administrative offices. The city hall was built in 1939 and renovated in

291-427: A parade , and carnival rides. The Harvest Jubilee, held since 2007 in late September, includes fine art exhibitions, produce contests, and self-guided tours of local farms. Stanwood has eight public parks that have a combined 86 acres (35 ha) of public open and preserved space. The parks range from nature sanctuaries to neighborhood parks, playgrounds, sports fields, and boat launches . The city's largest park

388-557: A train station that opened in 2009. The Stillaguamish , a Coast Salish tribe, have inhabited the area around the Stillaguamish River delta for several thousand years. At the time of the Point Elliott Treaty in 1855 there was a Stillaguamish village at the mouth of the river consisting of three large potlatch houses with an estimated population of 250 people. There were several other villages around

485-587: A Norwegian Lutheran church in 1876, the first to be built in the Pacific Northwest, brought the area's first wave of Scandinavian immigrants. The townsite's plat was filed by W. R. Stockbridge in 1888, ahead of a failed attempt to petition the county commission for incorporation as a city. Stanwood suffered from a major fire on June 2, 1892, which destroyed the church and thirteen buildings and caused damages of approximately $ 26,100 (equivalent to $ 792,000 in 2023 dollars); several businesses and

582-766: A boat launch, natural habitats, and a demonstration farm when fully completed in the 2020s. Stanwood has one weekly newspaper , the Stanwood Camano News , which originated in 1903 as the Stanwood Tidings and later ran under the name of the Twin City News . The newspaper was acquired by the Pioneer News Group , publishers of the Mount Vernon-based Skagit Valley Herald , in 2015. At

679-483: A central part of many potlatches. From 1885 to 1951, the Government of Canada criminalized potlatches. However, the practice persisted underground despite the risk of government reprisals including mandatory jail sentences of at least two months; the practice has also been studied by many anthropologists . Since the practice was decriminalized in 1951, the potlatch has re-emerged in some communities. In many it

776-479: A city. Stanwood's businesses relocated a block away from the riverfront in the 1920s and 1930s after the main flow of the Stillaguamish River shifted to another slough . The change in the river rendered the wharf too shallow for steamboats and damaged dikes after several major floods. The Seattle and Montana Railroad (later absorbed into the Great Northern Railway ) was constructed through

873-626: A common feature of the peoples of the Interior and of the Subarctic adjoining the Northwest Coast, although mostly without the elaborate ritual and gift-giving economy of the coastal peoples (see Athabaskan potlatch ). A potlatch involves giving away or destroying wealth or valuable items in order to demonstrate a leader's wealth and power. Potlatches are also focused on the reaffirmation of family, clan, and international connections, and

970-540: A decades-long football rivalry between the two high schools. By the early 1950s, the competitiveness between merchants and citizens of both Stanwoods had softened and groups cooperated on events and various initiatives. A formal merger of the two cities was proposed in 1954 and placed on the April 30 ballot; Stanwood voted in favor of the merger, but it failed to reach a majority in East Stanwood. The high cost of

1067-496: A festival or dance, or to celebrate the same, or who shall assist in the celebration of same is guilty of a like offence, and shall be liable to the same punishment. In 1888, the anthropologist Franz Boas described the potlatch ban as a failure: The second reason for the discontent among the Indians is a law that was passed, some time ago, forbidding the celebrations of festivals. The so-called potlatch of all these tribes hinders

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1164-420: A general store and built a new steamboat wharf on the Stillaguamish River shortly after arriving. Pearson had arrived from Lowell, Massachusetts , in 1866; two of his sisters were among the original " Mercer Girls ". The surrounding area was cleared by loggers and managed using a series of levees along the Stillaguamish River before being opened for settlement by farmers and ranchers. The establishment of

1261-598: A gift-giving feast practiced by Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and the United States , among whom it is traditionally the primary governmental institution, legislative body, and economic system . This includes the Heiltsuk , Haida , Nuxalk , Tlingit , Makah , Tsimshian , Nuu-chah-nulth , Kwakwaka'wakw , and Coast Salish cultures. Potlatches are also

1358-439: A modern sewage treatment system, required by the state government before further expansion could occur, spurred leaders in both cities to place a second consolidation referendum before voters on March 8, 1960. The referendum was passed by an overwhelming majority of voters in both cities and the merged government immediately approved a $ 520,000 sewer installation contract. Development of a new suburban commercial center east of

1455-446: A nation. The House drew its identity from its ancestral founder, usually a mythical animal who descended to earth and removed his animal mask, thus becoming human. The mask became a family heirloom passed from father to son along with the name of the ancestor himself. This made him the leader of the numaym , considered the living incarnation of the founder. Only rich people could host a potlatch. Tribal slaves were not allowed to attend

1552-543: A number of titles that would be passed between numayma, usually to in-laws, which included feast names that gave one a role in the Winter Ceremonial. Aristocrats felt safe giving these titles to their out-marrying daughter's children because this daughter and her children would later be rejoined with her natal numaym and the titles returned with them. Any one individual might have several "seats" which allowed them to sit, in rank order, according to their title, as

1649-490: A potlatch and give gifts to the guests in attendance on behalf of the child. During this potlatch, the family would give the child their second name. Once the child reached about 12 years of age, they were expected to hold a potlatch of their own by giving out small gifts that they had collected to their family and people, at which point they would be able to receive their third name. For some cultures, such as Kwakwaka'wakw, elaborate and theatrical dances are performed reflecting

1746-409: A potlatch as a host or a guest. In some instances, it was possible to have multiple hosts at one potlatch ceremony (although when this occurred the hosts generally tended to be from the same family). If a member of a nation had suffered an injury or indignity, hosting a potlatch could help to heal their tarnished reputation (or "cover his shame", as anthropologist H. G. Barnett worded it). The potlatch

1843-548: A series of civic disputes highlighted the need for a city government. East Stanwood was eventually bisected by the Pacific Highway in the 1920s and connected to Stanwood and Camano Island by paved roads constructed a decade earlier. The "Twin City" maintained separate government facilities, schools, banks, sawmills, creameries, and frozen food plants. The school systems for the two cities were merged in 1944, ending

1940-409: A total population of 33,000 people. Stanwood was noted for its historically large Scandinavian population, particularly Norwegians , who settled in the region in the early 20th century. As late as 1949, over 60 percent of Stanwood residents were of Norwegian, Swedish, or Danish descent. By 2000, however, only 17.6 percent of residents identified themselves as having Scandinavian ancestry. As of

2037-437: Is Heritage Park, located in downtown and covering 44 acres (18 ha); it is shared with the school district and includes sports fields, walking trails, picnic areas, a dog park , and a skate park . Stanwood's nearest regional parks are Kayak Point County Park , which also includes an adjacent golf course , and Wenberg County Park on Lake Goodwin . In 2014, the city began development of new multi-million dollar parks at

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2134-521: Is also a center for glass artwork due to its proximity to the Pilchuck Glass School , founded in 1971 by a group of glassblowing artists led by Dale Chihuly . Stanwood also hosts several annual festivals and events that are organized by community groups and the city government. In February, the area hosts a glass treasure hunt and a birding festival to coincide with the migration of snow geese and other winter flocks. During

2231-531: Is contracted by the city government to Waste Management . Stanwood's nearest general hospital is the Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington. The city has two medical clinics operated by The Everett Clinic and Skagit Valley Hospital . The Stanwood General Hospital operated until 1943, and a replacement was planned in the late 1950s, but never built. Potlatch A potlatch is

2328-560: Is located 50 miles (80 km) north of Seattle , at the mouth of the Stillaguamish River near Camano Island . As of the 2020 census , its population is 7,705. The Stanwood area has been home to the Stillaguamish people for thousands of years, who originally had a village at the present site of Stanwood. The modern city of Stanwood was later founded in 1866 as Centerville , adopting its current name in 1877 after

2425-715: Is operated by a local retirement home and was funded by the Washington State Department of Transportation . Stanwood is served by a north–south railroad owned by BNSF Railway , which operates freight and passenger rail service to the city. Amtrak 's Cascades provides daily passenger rail service at Stanwood station in downtown Stanwood, continuing south to Seattle and north to Vancouver , British Columbia. The train station opened on November 21, 2009, restoring passenger rail service that had been discontinued in 1971. Electric power in Stanwood

2522-506: Is provided by the Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD), a consumer-owned public utility that serves all of Snohomish County and neighboring Camano Island. Cascade Natural Gas provides natural gas service to the city's residents and businesses, as part of its service area in northwestern Washington. Stanwood has two major broadband internet providers: Frontier and Wave Broadband ;

2619-595: Is still the bedrock of Indigenous governance, as in the Haida Nation , which has rooted its democracy in potlatch law. The word comes from the Chinook Jargon , meaning "to give away" or "a gift"; originally from the Nuu-chah-nulth word paɬaˑč , to make a ceremonial gift in a potlatch. A potlatch was held on the occasion of births, deaths, adoptions, weddings, and other major events. Typically

2716-478: Is used for housing, while 10 percent is zoned for commercial use and 7 percent for industrial uses. The urban growth area of Stanwood consists of an additional 425 acres (172 ha) outside city limits, including the unincorporated area of Northwest Stanwood . The city is located at the mouth of the Stillaguamish River , where it flows into Port Susan , an arm of the Puget Sound , and Skagit Bay ,

2813-736: The 10th legislative district along with Arlington, southwestern Skagit County, and the entirety of Island County . Stanwood is wholly part of the Snohomish County Council 's 1st district, which covers northern areas of the county. Stanwood's arts community is centered around the Stanwood–Camano Arts Guild, which organizes an annual spring art show and the Art by the Bay festival in the summer. The guild also programs public art at local businesses and public venues. Stanwood

2910-508: The 2010 census , there were 6,231 people, 2,388 households, and 1,541 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,209.6 inhabitants per square mile (853.1/km ). There were 2,584 housing units at an average density of 916.3 per square mile (353.8/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 89.7% White, 1.0% African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 2.6% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race were 7.0% of

3007-641: The Globe and Times , in March 2020 due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic . By April, furloughs and layoffs at Sound Publishing left both newspapers without any staff. This article about a Washington (state) newspaper is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Stanwood, Washington Stanwood is a city in Snohomish County , Washington , United States. The city

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3104-483: The Tulalip Indian Reservation , and Marysville . Public transportation in Stanwood is provided by Community Transit and Island Transit , the transit authorities of Snohomish and Island counties, respectively. Community Transit runs local bus service from Stanwood to Warm Beach , North Lakewood , and Smokey Point . On weekdays, it also runs express buses to Lynnwood City Center station ,

3201-552: The United Press Association announcing that the ongoing war had ceased and an armistice was to be signed later in the day. The dispatch was actually reporting on a temporary ceasefire while German delegates arrived in Paris to negotiate an armistice, which was reached five days later. The article triggered celebrations in the city, including the hoisting of a wooden coffin for Kaiser Wilhelm II , and continued into

3298-593: The United States Census Bureau , the city of Stanwood has a total area of 2.84 square miles (7.36 km ), of which 2.82 square miles (7.30 km ) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km ) is water. The city is at the northwestern corner of Snohomish County , and is considered part of the Seattle metropolitan area . It is 13 miles (21 km) west of its nearest neighboring town, Arlington , and 20 miles (32 km) north of Everett ,

3395-430: The county seat . The city is also 50 miles (80 km) north of Seattle and 17 miles (27 km) south of Mount Vernon . Stanwood's city limits are generally defined to the south by the Stillaguamish River; to the west by 104th Drive Northwest; to the north by 276th Street Northwest and 290th Street Northwest; and to the east by 68th Avenue Northwest. Approximately 59 percent of land within Stanwood city limits

3492-498: The county sheriff's office and its fire and emergency services to the North County Regional Fire Authority. The sheriff's office provides several deputies and officers, while the vehicles and uniforms are marked with the city logo. At the federal level, Stanwood is part of the 2nd congressional district , which is represented by Democrat Rick Larsen . At the state level, Stanwood is part of

3589-523: The 1960s and 2013, but remains too small to host city council meetings. The city has long-term plans to relocate the city hall out of the downtown flood zone to a property near Church Creek Park. The city government employs 28 people full-time and operates on a biennial budget with annual expenses of $ 16.2 million. The budget funds various departments run by the government, including water utilities, parks and recreation , development planning , and clerks. Stanwood also outsources its policing services to

3686-554: The Act read, Every Indian or other person who engages in or assists in celebrating the Indian festival known as the "Potlatch" or the Indian dance known as the "Tamanawas" is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not more than six nor less than two months in any gaol or other place of confinement; and, any Indian or other person who encourages, either directly or indirectly, an Indian or Indians to get up such

3783-534: The Christian tribes near Victoria have not given them up. Every present received at a potlatch has to be returned at another potlatch , and a man who would not give his feast in due time would be considered as not paying his debts. Therefore the law is not a good one, and can not be enforced without causing general discontent. Besides, the Government is unable to enforce it. The settlements are so numerous, and

3880-472: The Indian agencies so large, that there is nobody to prevent the Indians doing whatsoever they like. Eventually the potlatch law, as it became known, was amended to be more inclusive and address technicalities that had led to dismissals of prosecutions by the court. Legislation included guests who participated in the ceremony. The Indigenous people were too large to police and the law too difficult to enforce. Duncan Campbell Scott convinced Parliament to change

3977-839: The Kwakwaka'wakw around Fort Rupert on Vancouver Island in the period 1849 to 1925, a period of great social transition in which many aspects of the potlatch became exacerbated in reaction to efforts by the Canadian government to culturally assimilate First Nations communities into the dominant white culture. Prior to European colonization , gifts included storable food ( oolichan , or candlefish, oil or dried food), canoes , slaves , and ornamental "coppers" among aristocrats, but not resource-generating assets such as hunting, fishing and berrying territories. Coppers were sheets of beaten copper, shield-like in appearance; they were about two feet long, wider on top, cruciform frame and schematic face on

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4074-592: The Skagit River, and the Stillaguamish River. The Stanwood area was formed during the Pleistocene glaciation and was further shaped through the rise and fall of the sea level as well as sedimentary deposits from the Skagit and Stillaguamish rivers. Much of downtown Stanwood is located in a 100-year flood zone and is at risk of flooding from the Stillaguamish River, as well as the Skagit River. Much of

4171-457: The Stanwood area in 1891, but bypassed the town one mile (1.6 km) to the east, where it built a depot on ground that was less prone to flooding. Several businesses relocated to the area around the depot, including a bank and Washington state's first cooperative general store. Merchants in the old town boycotted the railroad and acquired a steamboat, the City of Stanwood , in 1893; the ship

4268-582: The Stillaguamish delta was reclaimed using a series of levees and dikes that were built in the 1870s and improved by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s and the city government in the 1990s. Some of the failure-prone dikes were later removed in the 2010s to restore habitat areas for native wildlife. Several civic buildings have also been relocated uphill from the downtown area to prevent floods from hampering

4365-457: The Tlingit nation to attend several potlatch ceremonies between 1980 and 1987 and observed several similarities and differences between traditional and contemporary potlatch ceremonies. Kan notes that there was a language gap during the ceremonies between the older members of the nation and the younger members of the nation (age fifty and younger) due to the fact that most of the younger members of

4462-414: The arrival of postmaster Daniel O. Pearson. It was platted in 1888 and incorporated as a city in 1903. The city was bypassed by the Great Northern Railway , which built a depot one mile (1.6 km) east that grew into its own separate town, incorporated in 1922 as East Stanwood . The two Stanwoods were civic rivals for several decades, until their governments were consolidated after a 1960 referendum

4559-405: The average family size was 3.22. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 31.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 14.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males. The median income for a household in

4656-402: The city began in the 1980s, centered around the relocated Stanwood High School campus. A 55-acre (22 ha) farm at the intersection of State Route 532 and 72nd Avenue Northwest was redeveloped into a $ 50 million shopping and entertainment center. The commercial center opened in 1995 and has 50 businesses, 10 restaurants, office buildings , a movie theater , and an arcade . The development

4753-485: The city rejected a bid by Wal-Mart to build a store in Stanwood after public outcry from supporters of downtown businesses. The high school campus was replaced with a new building in 2021 that cost $ 147.5 million to construct. At an adjacent 22-acre (8.9 ha) site is planned to be developed into a large residential complex with 444 apartments and 72 townhomes. The complex is also planned to incorporate retail, amenity spaces, and expanded wetlands. According to

4850-399: The city was $ 44,512, and the median income for a family was $ 52,996. Males had a median income of $ 40,457 versus $ 26,738 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,775. About 9.0% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 23.4% of those age 65 or over. Stanwood is a non-charter code city that operates under

4947-456: The city's vital functions. In 2020, the city government began construction of flood controls to redirect stormwater into the Stillaguamish River rather than the sloughs to prevent flooding. The project is expected to cost $ 11 million and take 10 years to complete over six phases. As of 2015 , Stanwood has an estimated workforce population of 4,644 and an unemployment rate of 4.1 percent. The most common occupations for Stanwood residents are in

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5044-678: The city's workers was approximately 27.5 minutes; 83.5 percent of commuters drove alone to their workplace, while 7.4 percent carpooled and 2.8 percent used public transit . The city's largest employers are the Stanwood-Camano School District and the Josephine Sunset Home, which provide approximately 550 and 303 jobs, respectively. One of the city's other large employers was the Twin City Foods frozen food processing plant, which packaged frozen vegetables and fruits until it ceased operations in 2017. The original plant

5141-414: The city. The population density was 1,995.4 people per square mile (768.9/km ). There were 1,508 housing units at an average density of 767.0 per square mile (295.6/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 91.56% White, 0.59% African American, 0.94% Native American, 1.10% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 2.52% from other races, and 3.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race were 4.97% of

5238-646: The contemporary Tlingit ceremonies. In his 1925 book The Gift , the French ethnologist Marcel Mauss used the term potlatch to refer to a whole set of exchange practices in tribal societies characterized by "total prestations", i.e., a system of gift giving with political, religious, kinship and economic implications. These societies' economies are marked by the competitive exchange of gifts, in which gift-givers seek to out-give their competitors so as to capture important political, kinship and religious roles. Other examples of this "potlatch type" of gift economy include

5335-542: The delta that totaled approximately 800 people, as well as graveyards that were later destroyed by settlers. The area at the mouth of the river is known as sdᶻəlgʷas , meaning strait or slough in Lushootseed . The area's first American expedition was led by George O. and G. L. Wilson, who were led by Snohomish guides on a canoe expedition up the Stillaguamish River in 1851 and reported on its economic potential. The first permanent American settlement at

5432-474: The early 20th century and were preserved by the city's residents. A portion of the eastern downtown was nearly destroyed in a two-alarm fire on August 27, 1997, which burned through three shops. Stanwood has two buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), which evaluates historic sites under private ownership. The D. O. Pearson House , was built in 1890 as the home of

5529-501: The education and health care sector, which employs 24.1 percent, followed by manufacturing (17.5%), retail (13.3%), and entertainment and food services (11.2%). Only 14 percent of employed residents work within Stanwood city limits, while the rest commute to other cities for work. The most common commuting destinations for Stanwood residents include Everett, with 15 percent of traffic, Seattle (8.5%), Mount Vernon (5%), Arlington (4.6%), and Marysville (4.5%). The average one-way commute for

5626-405: The former Hamilton lumber mill and Ovenell dairy farm, both located along the Stillaguamish River near downtown. The Hamilton site includes an iconic smokestack that is decorated during the holiday season and will be incorporated into the new park, which will include a boat launch and public dock. The 15-acre (6.1 ha) Ovenell site was cleared of its historic barn in 2017 and will include

5723-578: The founding Pearson family and was listed in 1973. It was acquired by the Stanwood Area Historical Society in 1975 and now serves as a pioneer museum. The city's other NRHP listing, the three-story Stanwood IOOF Public Hall , was built in 1903 for use by various fraternal organizations (including the International Order of Odd Fellows ) until it was acquired by the historical society in 1996. The IOOF building

5820-404: The gifts received and destroy even more wealth in a bigger and better bonfire, he and his people lost face and so his 'power' was diminished." Hierarchical relations within and between clans, villages, and nations, were observed and reinforced through the distribution or sometimes destruction of wealth, dance performances, and other ceremonies. The status of any given family is raised not by who has

5917-440: The host displayed and distributed wealth and made speeches. Besides the transfer of titles at a potlatch, the event was given "weight" by the distribution of other less important objects such as Chilkat blankets , animal skins (later Hudson Bay blankets) and ornamental "coppers". It is the distribution of large numbers of Hudson Bay blankets , and the destruction of valued coppers that first drew government attention (and censure) to

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6014-487: The hosts' genealogy and cultural wealth. Many of these dances are also sacred ceremonies of secret societies like the hamatsa, or display of family origin from supernatural creatures such as the dzunukwa . Chief O'wax̱a̱laga̱lis of the Kwagu'ł describes the potlatch in his famous speech to anthropologist Franz Boas , We will dance when our laws command us to dance, we will feast when our hearts desire to feast. Do we ask

6111-408: The human connection with the supernatural world. Potlatch also serves as a strict resource management regime, where coastal peoples discuss, negotiate, and affirm rights to and uses of specific territories and resources. Potlatches often involve music, dancing, singing, storytelling, making speeches, and often joking and games. The honouring of the supernatural and the recitation of oral histories are

6208-535: The introduction of mass-produced trade goods in the late 18th and earlier 19th centuries. Archaeological evidence for the potlatching ceremony is suggested from the ~1,000 year-old Pickupsticks site in interior Alaska. Tlingit funerals conducted alongside potlatches usually had a celebratory element to them. Potlatching was made illegal in Canada in 1884 in an amendment to the Indian Act , . To some extent, this

6305-509: The introduction of numerous diseases against which Indigenous peoples had no immunity, resulting in a massive population decline. Competition for the fixed number of potlatch titles grew as commoners began to seek titles from which they had previously been excluded by making their own remote or dubious claims validated by a potlatch. Aristocrats increased the size of their gifts in order to retain their titles and maintain social hierarchy. This resulted in massive inflation in gifting made possible by

6402-530: The latter also offers cable television. The city government provides water and water treatment to residents and businesses within a 10-square-mile (26 km ) service area that includes the entire city and some surrounding unincorporated areas. The city's water supply is sourced primarily from several wells that draw from an underground aquifer . Wastewater and stormwater are collected and treated at two treatment plants , built in 1963 and 2004. Solid waste and recycling collection within Stanwood

6499-411: The most resources, but by who distributes the most resources. The hosts demonstrate their wealth and prominence through giving away goods. Potlatch ceremonies were also used as coming-of-age rituals. When children were born, they would be given their first name at the time of their birth (which was usually associated with the location of their birthplace). About a year later, the child's family would hold

6596-542: The mouth of the Skagit River . To the west is Davis Slough , which separates Stanwood from Camano Island and forms the border between Snohomish and Island counties. Elevations in Stanwood range from 2 feet (0.61 m) above sea level near the Stillaguamish River to 190 feet (58 m) in the northeastern hills. The city is home to five creeks and drainage basins that flow into the Stillaguamish River and Puget Sound: Church Creek, Douglas Creek, Irvine Slough,

6693-412: The mouth of the Stillaguamish River was Centerville, a trading post established in 1866 by Robert Fulton on the south side of the river. Centerville gained a post office in 1870, and the settlement was moved to the north side of the river three years later. The post office was renamed to Stanwood in 1877 by its sixth postmaster Daniel O. Pearson, after his wife Clara 's maiden name; Pearson also ran

6790-443: The nation do not speak the Tlingit language. Kan also notes that unlike traditional potlatches, contemporary Tlingit potlatches are no longer obligatory, resulting in only about 30% of the adult tribal members opting to participate in the ceremonies that Kan attended between 1980 and 1987. Despite these differences, Kan stated that he believed that many of the essential elements and spirit of the traditional potlatch were still present in

6887-667: The night despite the dispatch being rescinded. A celebration was also held for the actual armistice days later with 3,000 residents and visitors who doubled the city's population. The newspaper was owned by the Marsh family until 1964, when it was sold to future state representative Simeon R. Wilson , owner and publisher of the Marysville Globe . Wilson sold The Times and Globe to Sun News in 1997. Sound Publishing acquired both newspapers from Sun News in 2007. Sound Publishing suspended printing of several newspapers, including

6984-539: The northern terminus of the Link light rail system, and peak-only service to the Boeing Everett Factory from a park-and-ride near Interstate 5. Island Transit provides service to Camano Island on two routes, as well as commuter service to Mount Vernon and Everett . A separate service, named Snow Goose Transit, debuted in 2022 and provides minibus service in Stanwood and parts of Camano Island. It

7081-439: The offence from criminal to summary, which meant "the agents, as justice of the peace, could try a case, convict, and sentence". Even so, except in a few small areas, the law was generally perceived as harsh and untenable. Even the Indian agents employed to enforce the legislation considered it unnecessary to prosecute, convinced instead that the potlatch would diminish as younger, educated, and more "advanced" Indians took over from

7178-401: The older Indians, who clung tenaciously to the custom. The potlatch ban was repealed in 1951. Sustaining the customs and culture of their ancestors, Indigenous people now openly hold potlatches to commit to the restoring of their ancestors' ways. Potlatches now occur frequently and increasingly more over the years as families reclaim their birthright. Anthropologist Sergei Kan was invited by

7275-400: The other hand, occurred for marriages and incorporating new people into the nation (i.e., the birth of a new member of the nation.) The potlatch, as an overarching term, is quite general, since some cultures have many words in their language for various specific types of gatherings. It is important to keep this variation in mind as most of our detailed knowledge of the potlatch was acquired from

7372-408: The population. There were 1,402 households, out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and

7469-443: The population. There were 2,388 households, of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.5% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

7566-543: The potlatch was practiced more in the winter seasons as historically the warmer months were for procuring wealth for the family, clan, or village, then coming home and sharing that with neighbors and friends. The event was hosted by a numaym , or ' House ', in Kwakwaka'wakw culture. A numaym was a complex cognatic kin group usually headed by aristocrats, but including commoners and occasional slaves. It had about one hundred members and several would be grouped together into

7663-428: The potlatch. On occasion, preserved food was also given as a gift during a potlatch ceremony. Gifts known as sta-bigs consisted of preserved food that was wrapped in a mat or contained in a storage basket. Dorothy Johansen describes the dynamic: "In the potlatch , the host in effect challenged a guest chieftain to exceed him in his 'power' to give away or to destroy goods. If the guest did not return 100 percent on

7760-660: The practices. In 1883 the department of Indian affairs received a petition from the Coast Tsimshian and Nisga’a Chiefs at Port Simpson, Kincolith, Green Ville "praying that the system of Potlatching as practiced by many Indian Tribes on the Coast of British Columbia may be put down” . Thus in 1884, the Indian Act was revised to include clauses banning the Potlatch and making it illegal to practice. Section 3 of

7857-419: The single families from accumulating wealth. It is the great desire of every chief and even of every man to collect a large amount of property, and then to give a great potlatch , a feast in which all is distributed among his friends, and, if possible, among the neighboring tribes. These feasts are so closely connected with the religious ideas of the natives, and regulate their mode of life to such an extent, that

7954-590: The summer months, the city organizes weekend concerts at various venues around downtown and hosts a farmers' market on Fridays from June to October. Stanwood's two late summer festivals, the Community Fair and Harvest Jubilee, are focused around the region's agricultural tradition. The Community Fair, held since 1932 in early August and billed as the "Best Lil' Fair in the West", draws 12,000 visitors annually and features 4-H presentations, livestock exhibitions,

8051-487: The time, the News had a weekly circulation of 2,200. Stanwood's public library is operated by the countywide Sno-Isle Libraries system and is housed in a 5,400-square-foot (500 m ) building. The city's first library was built in 1922 and replaced in 1970 with the modern building, which was expanded in 1986. The twin downtowns of Stanwood and East Stanwood have several blocks of historic buildings that date back to

8148-401: The top half. None of the copper used was ever of Indigenous metal. A copper was considered the equivalent of a slave. They were only ever owned by individual aristocrats, and never by numaym, hence could circulate between groups. Coppers began to be produced in large numbers after the colonization of Vancouver Island in 1849 when war and slavery were ended. The arrival of Europeans resulted in

8245-410: The town's liquor supply were saved by volunteers from the town's Good Templars lodge, who had been at a regular meeting. By the end of the decade, the town had rebuilt its main street and gained a weekly newspaper, cannery , horse racing track , creamery , and a shingle mill. Stanwood was officially incorporated on October 19, 1903, a month after the town's men voted 74–16 in favor of becoming

8342-551: The various First Nations groups which inhabited the region along the coast, a variety of differences existed in regards to practises relating to the potlatch ceremony. Each nation, community, and sometimes clan maintained its own way of practicing the potlatch with diverse presentation and meaning. The Tlingit and Kwakiutl nations of the Pacific Northwest, for example, held potlatch ceremonies for different occasions. The Tlingit potlatches occurred for succession (the granting of tribal titles or land) and funerals. The Kwakiutl potlatches, on

8439-419: The white man, 'Do as the Indian does'? No, we do not. Why, then, will you ask us, 'Do as the white man does'? It is a strict law that bids us to dance. It is a strict law that bids us to distribute our property among our friends and neighbors. It is a good law. Let the white man observe his law; we shall observe ours. And now, if you are come to forbid us to dance, begone; if not, you will be welcome to us. Among

8536-432: Was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.18. The median age in the city was 35.9 years. 28.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 21.3% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female. As of the 2000 census , there were 3,923 people, 1,402 households, and 957 families residing in

8633-454: Was approved by voters. The city was historically home to several food processing plants, which were its largest employers, and was mainly populated by Scandinavians . Since the 1990s, Stanwood has grown into a bedroom community for Seattle and Everett and has annexed uphill areas that were developed into suburban subdivisions . Stanwood is primarily served by State Route 532 , which connects Camano Island to Interstate 5 , and also has

8730-503: Was at the urging of missionaries and government agents who considered it "a worse than useless custom" that was seen as wasteful, unproductive, and contrary to 'civilized values' of accumulation. The Potlatch was seen as a key target in assimilation policies and agendas. Missionary William Duncan wrote in 1875 that the potlatch was "by far the most formidable of all obstacles in the way of Indians becoming Christians, or even civilized". Sectors of native communities themselves also opposed

8827-558: Was destroyed in an accidental fire on April 28, 1996, causing $ 50 million in damage and leaving 111 full-time workers unemployed until a new plant opened the following July. Stanwood is among the smallest cities in Snohomish County, with a population of 7,705 people as of the 2020 census . By 2035, the city and its surrounding urban growth area is expected to have a population of 11,085. The greater Stanwood area, which includes Camano Island and other nearby communities, has

8924-580: Was eventually awarded to other bids in Everett before being cancelled entirely in 2008. Stanwood is located on State Route 532 , an east–west highway connecting Camano Island to Interstate 5 east of Stanwood. The city is also served by two other major highways: Pioneer Highway, historically part of State Route 530 and the Pacific Highway ( U.S. Route 99 ), which continues north to Conway and east towards Silvana and Arlington ; and Marine Drive, which continues south to Florence , Warm Beach ,

9021-415: Was later expanded to include multi-story condominiums and upscale apartments with ground-floor retail space. The area surrounding the center was developed into suburban subdivisions , contributing to a doubling of the city's population to nearly 4,000 people by 2000. The subdivisions were annexed by the city government in the early 2000s, despite testimony from citizens against further growth. In 2005,

9118-491: Was lost after catching fire on Port Susan the following year. A short railroad, known as the Hall and Hall Railway , was constructed in 1904 between the depot and downtown Stanwood and would operate until 1938. The community around the depot was platted in 1906 as "East Stanwood", but initially relied on a commercial club to govern in lieu of a formal town government. East Stanwood was incorporated on February 7, 1922, after

9215-641: Was reopened in 2003 as the Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center and now serves as a museum, community center, and events venue. Public schools in Stanwood are operated by the Stanwood-Camano School District , which covers the city and neighboring communities, including Camano Island, Lake Ketchum , and Warm Beach . The district had an enrollment of approximately 4,554 students in 2014 and has eleven total schools, including one high school , two middle schools, and four elementary schools located in Stanwood. The old high school, opened in 1971,

9312-523: Was replaced in 2021 by a new, three-story building on the existing campus to accommodate the area's growing population. Stanwood's nearest post-secondary education institutions are Skagit Valley College , located in Mount Vernon , and Everett Community College , located in northern Everett. In 2006, the city offered 480 acres (190 ha) near Interstate 5 to the state government for a potential four-year university campus. The university project

9409-415: Was the occasion on which titles associated with masks and other objects were "fastened on" to a new office holder. Two kinds of titles were transferred on these occasions. Firstly, each numaym had a number of named positions of ranked "seats" (which gave them a seat at potlatches) transferred within itself. These ranked titles granted rights to hunting, fishing and berrying territories. Secondly, there were

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