[Schroder]

Article in the Herald about this documentary series: Rail tycoon who spurred ‘Pittsburgh of the West’ finally gets spotlight

[Pyrites]

Rockefeller did just fine. Everett WA, as in Everett Rockefeller. Avery ID, as in Avery Rockefeller. I’d bet a rail buff could list more.

[CC]

"He has since faded from modern memory." Well he does have Jim Hill mountain. And the Iron Goat trail. This description of the documentary suggests it's basically a hagiography. There must have been another side to him. On the Iron Goat one of the interpretive signs says he was referred to as: "The one-eyed, scraggly-bearded, sonovabitch of Western railroading."

[Riverside Laker]

Everett has a small park named Jim Hill Park. Never heard of Everett Rockefeller. Everett was named after Everett Colby though.

[Malachai Constant]

His son built Maryhill Castle and Stonehenge in the Columbia Gorge. He planed to populate it with Romanian Peasants he imported. Most of them ran off when they saw the place.

[CC]

[Malachai Constant]

I stand corrected. He also is the origin of the old saying, “What in Sam Hill” for a nutty statement.

[Pyrites]

[yorknl]

Amtrak's Seattle/Portland - Chicago train, which uses the former GN line most of the way from Seattle to Fargo, is still named the Empire Builder. I doubt many passengers or even Amtrak crew could tell you the Empire Builder's actual name though.

[Anne Elk]

I've traveled on the Empire Builder several times; it's a great trip and so relaxing if you get your own little compartment. My favorite part was coming into western WA and recognizing the mountains around Index after coming through the tunnel early in the morning. Thanks for posting about the film Schroder, I look forward to watching it.

[HitTheTrail]

Burke Hill appartments, Wenatchee Built in 1930, it was once the high-end rental building in Wenatchee. The concrete framework was reinforced with steel. It was the city’s largest apartment house at the time, a 1930 Wenatchee World advertisement said. The Burke Hill was named after Judge Joseph Burke and railroad pioneer James Hill, who played key roles in the creation of Wenatchee. It cost $230,000 to build and cost $85 a month to rent on the top floor, an October 1930 Wenatchee World article reported. The developer had plans for the building to be “strictly modern,” the article said. The building was furnished with refrigerators and radio hookups at the time.

Burke Hill appartments, Wenatchee now.

[treeswarper]

That railroad hauled a lot of Scandihoovians out here. Family lore has it that our Scandihoovians immigrated with plans to settle in Minnesota, but all the good land was taken. They continued west, using the train and ended up growing wheat in the eastern part of WA. I'm betting this is a common story.

[Dick B]

That scenario fit our family well except raising wheat. My maternal great grandmother was Norskie. My grandmother came west from Minnesota. My paternal grandfather's parents were Swedes and settled in Wisconsin or Michigan. Story goes that they changed their name from Nickleson to Nickles with the thought they would fit in better. I understand my grandfather rode the rails to Central WA. and raised a family in Plain. His transportation west had to have been on the Great Northern, but don't know for sure. Too much family history has disappeared over the years.

[jinx'sboy]

[Malachai Constant]

My Scandinavian ancestors landed in Minnesota then moved out to Ballard that too is a common story. Ya sure ya betcha, uffda