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OlympicExplorer
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PostTue Jan 22, 2019 7:25 pm 
I was wondering if anyone knows much about the farmland located at the upper end of Palo Alto Road, south of Sequim. Doing some quick research on here, it seems the Schmith Farm was one of the larger homesteads up there. Just last weekend, I was coming down FS Rd 28 and took a slight left onto Palo Alto Rd. This small spur of Palo Alto was roughly paved and less traveled than the parallel FS Rd 28. Off the spur road you could see an overgrown field with apple trees. According to my map, this area would be right around "Schmith Knob". I assume this is private property? or is it considered National Forest land? As I drove by this open area I noticed a trail cut into the field. Anyone know about this area? Any old homestead structures present? I am always eager to learn about the history and the people who once pioneered this area. The open valley down the road (2 sharp 90 degree turns) has some interesting cabins that are still standing. I appreciate anyone who might be able to share some insight.

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reststep
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PostThu Jan 24, 2019 7:20 pm 
I don't have any information on the farms up there but have you seen the ship bollard in that one yard? If I remember right I think it is beyond the farm where the 90 degree turns are. I have always wondered what the story is behind that.

"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
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Anne Elk
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PostThu Jan 24, 2019 10:03 pm 
It won't help with historic data, but one place you could start for current info on any of the areas you mentioned would be the Clallam County Assessor's website parcel search tool.

"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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OlympicExplorer
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PostFri Jan 25, 2019 4:53 pm 
I decided to check out the Clallam County parcel map and the US Forest Service's current map of the area. It looks like the area I am referring to is just a few feet from "Schmith Knob". The property is showing to be on USFS land, but the shaded area including Schmith Knob is shaded grey: meaning non-federal land.........??? Still a little confusing. I did see that the entire Valley at the 90 degree turns are "Zoned" excluded land from the USFS. If you use Google Maps "satellite view", you can clearly see this abandoned field I am speaking of. It is just west of FS road 28.

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Bazetech
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PostFri Jan 25, 2019 4:58 pm 
We live in Sequim, and go up Palo Alto all the time on our way into the Olympics. We have walked into the field and it looks like an old homested. But we didn't see any buildings. There is a stream that runs down the middle. Nice piece of property.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ~Mark Twain
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OlympicExplorer
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PostFri Jan 25, 2019 4:59 pm 
reststep, I have not seen the bollard you are talking about. Sounds interesting. Many things in that Valley have caught my attention over the years.......... early pioneer cabins, antique farm equipment, and old cars.

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JonnyQuest
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PostFri Jan 25, 2019 5:07 pm 
OlympicExplorer wrote:
I have not seen the bollard you are talking about
If you're driving "up valley", the bollard is in the property between Jimmy Come Lately Rd and Don Schmith Rd. It's on the west end of the grass field that's next to Palo Alto, and fairly easy to see when driving.

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Gregory
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PostSat Jan 26, 2019 8:30 am 
OlympicExplorer wrote:
I was wondering if anyone knows much about the farmland located at the upper end of Palo Alto Road, south of Sequim. Doing some quick research on here, it seems the Schmith Farm was one of the larger homesteads up there. Just last weekend, I was coming down FS Rd 28 and took a slight left onto Palo Alto Rd. This small spur of Palo Alto was roughly paved and less traveled than the parallel FS Rd 28. Off the spur road you could see an overgrown field with apple trees. According to my map, this area would be right around "Schmith Knob". I assume this is private property? or is it considered National Forest land? As I drove by this open area I noticed a trail cut into the field. Anyone know about this area? Any old homestead structures present? I am always eager to learn about the history and the people who once pioneered this area. The open valley down the road (2 sharp 90 degree turns) has some interesting cabins that are still standing. I appreciate anyone who might be able to share some insight.
I would butter up this man if possible. He knows the answers.....He may be partial to the apples you found though.......Read some of his older stuff. http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/author/pat-neal/

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OlympicExplorer
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PostSun Jan 27, 2019 11:08 am 
Gregory wrote:
OlympicExplorer wrote:
I was wondering if anyone knows much about the farmland located at the upper end of Palo Alto Road, south of Sequim. Doing some quick research on here, it seems the Schmith Farm was one of the larger homesteads up there. Just last weekend, I was coming down FS Rd 28 and took a slight left onto Palo Alto Rd. This small spur of Palo Alto was roughly paved and less traveled than the parallel FS Rd 28. Off the spur road you could see an overgrown field with apple trees. According to my map, this area would be right around "Schmith Knob". I assume this is private property? or is it considered National Forest land? As I drove by this open area I noticed a trail cut into the field. Anyone know about this area? Any old homestead structures present? I am always eager to learn about the history and the people who once pioneered this area. The open valley down the road (2 sharp 90 degree turns) has some interesting cabins that are still standing. I appreciate anyone who might be able to share some insight.
I would butter up this man if possible. He knows the answers.....He may be partial to the apples you found though.......Read some of his older stuff. http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/author/pat-neal/
I looked into the link you provided me. Pat Neal seems like someone who is very familiar with the Olympic Peninsula. I see he has an email provided on Peninsula Daily News. I think I might shoot him an email and see what he has to say about my questions. I did some internet exploring of my own and discovered an article relating to Schmith Knob. Someone wrote a column about their experience working at the Louella Guard Station back in the early 30's. They mentioned a meadow where Schmith Knob is located. The meadow belonged to "Old Man Schmith" and his cabin was located at the north side of the meadow/field. I noticed there is a road named, Don Schmith nearby. Is this named after him or someone else in the Schmith Family? Hopefully I can get some answers through Pat Neal or someone he knows. Learning about the local history and people who settled the land really intrigues me.

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Gregory
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PostThu Feb 07, 2019 6:04 am 
Pat lived up there for years and knows the answers you seek. He can be a cantankerous old bleep but has a heart of gold. He worked for the National parks documenting the Olympic peninsula history as it pertained to the parks also. Book a trip down the Hoh river fishing with him He is a character and a history buffs dream come true.

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RodF
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PostSun Mar 29, 2020 10:20 pm 
The book Jimmy Come Lately: History of Clallam County contains dozens of essays on many of our pioneer families, including several on Palo Alto Road who were neighbors of, and mention, the Schmith family.

"of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir "the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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trestle
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PostMon Mar 30, 2020 9:25 pm 
Bottom right, the Schmith Cabin. Taken from the Jimmy Come Lately book noted above.
Schmith Cabin
Schmith Cabin

"Life favors the prepared." - Edna Mode
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