Ravensdale Reflections, by Barbara Nilson

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 Review: Ravensdale Reflections: An Oral History, by Barbara Nilson (2004), privately published, undated.

In a recent Genealogy Chat, Michele Mattoon, who grew up in Black Diamond, mentioned the book Ravensdale Reflections,  of which I had never heard. It is no longer in print, but Abe Books had a copy. The town of Ravensdale, originally 'Leary' has a rich history beginning before Washington Statehood. 



Mine Tragedy

This historic photo shows the crowd waiting at the top of the shaft as the bodies are brought out after the Ravensdale mine explosion November 15, 1915, that killed 31 men. (Renton Historical Society collection).




Ravensdale History

Ravensdale inhabitants asked the Renton author Barbara Nilson to write a book about them and their history, which took her some years of interviews, site visits and extensive research and photographs. There is an interview with the author here: Local icon reflects on a life of travel and history writing.

In an article she wrote for the Voice of the Valley July 25, 2006, she sums up the history,

The Homestead Act of 1863 and the completion of the Northern Pacific Railway from the East Coast in 1882 brought immigrants from Wales, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Slovenia, Austria, and Yugoslavia seeking land of their own. Many of them were miners in the “old country” and worked their way across the U.S., settling in the rich coal area of Ravensdale, just down the road from 4-Corners or Summit as it was formerly named.[1]



 


Oral Histories 

The oral histories are wonderful. If you have families named Benedetti, Shimmel, Boos, Collins, Donnelly, Dziedzic, Pausheck, Flobert, Garrett, Gauthier, Havenicht, Holly, Collecchi, Johnson, Bidenour, Lapinski, Goldsbary, Brown, Pichinini, McBroom, Litras, Markus, Mattioda, Mola, Morgan, Matson, Ney, Parolini, Poleskie, Preedy, Uppers, Primozich, Radtke, Burgess, Rose, Saftich, Stephanovich, Schwab, Hamerly, Toman, Trublood, Kobe, Urabek, Diekman, Eckes from this area, you may want to find this book or borrow my copy. The King County Library System holds a copy: https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S82C457587

At the back of this volume, find sections on miners of the McKay mine, baseball, the Ravensdale section of the 1911-1912 Polk Directory, the 1920 US Census and so much more.


Ravensdale Cemetery

Very important for South King County Genealogical Society, there is a history of the Ravensdale Cemetery, a list of those known to be buried there on page 203, and mention of "a reserved section in the cemetery...kept for the African-Americans with no known permanent markers." [2] Some of those may have been miners killed in Franklin.

One of the shattered sarcophaguses protruding from a looted grave. (Photo: Bob Dobson.) The cemetery is located at 26759 SE 272nd St. Ravensdale.

We would love to collaborate with the homeowners who live around this historic cemetery, and with the Maple Valley Historical Society or Black Diamond Historical Society, or both to get this cemetery cleaned up and recorded. Please get in touch with us at info@skcgs.org if you are interested. 

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 1. https://blackdiamondhistory.wordpress.com/2020/07/25/immigrants-flock-to-coal-rich-ravensdale-revel-in-georgetown/

2. https://blackdiamondhistory.wordpress.com/2014/11/17/ravensdale-cemetery-where-miners-muckers-and-timbermen-sleep/


Valorie Zimmerman


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