Historic Preservation Day tour to uncover Puyallup’s hidden histories

Not many people know that Puyallup holds a spot in the 2008 “Guinness Book of World Records” for being the home of the world’s largest flea, found in a beaver’s nest.

Others don’t know that the historical significance of the frame holding up the vine at Pioneer Park represents two cabins that used to reside there.

In honor of National Preservation Month in May, the city of Puyallup is partnering with Puyallup Historical Society members and other volunteers to make those histories known again on Community Historic Preservation Day on Saturday (May 20).

Volunteers will be handing out maps created by the city that “will provide the opportunity for those who wish to take walking, running, biking or driving tours to historic sites in the community,” said Andy Anderson, historian at the Puyallup Historical Society at Meeker Mansion.

The tour makes 14 stops at important historical sights in the city, including the Puyallup Fish Hatchery, the Puyallup War Memorial Center and Meeker Mansion. Some storefronts and buildings will have old pictures displayed in their windows, so those who pass by can see what the property used to look like before 1948.

“When you go to Trackside Pizza, you’ll be able to see the three-story hotel that used to be there,” Anderson said. “There are some gems.”

The event is meant to recognize how much Puyallup has changed, and to think about how the city might look in the future.

“The goal is to get people thinking about history of the community and what is or isn’t still here,” Anderson said.

The city of Puyallup has had a role in historic preservation for years with the creation of the Puyallup Design Review and Historic Preservation Board in 2011, and adopted the Historic Preservation Plan in 2016, which in part protects historical sites in Puyallup.

“The goal is to get the word out about the local historic register and making people aware of what we have here,” said Kendall Wals, Puyallup city planner involved with creating the tour map.

“I think we ought to be taking our hats off and commemorate people that came before us,” added Terry Maves, a member of the South Hill Historical Society.

A booth will be open between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at Pioneer Park, 330 S Meridian, where the maps will be distributed. Ezra Meeker’s parade wagon, which was built around 1905, will be on display. Puyallup trivia, coloring pages and a trunk of kids clothes for dress-up will be available.

This story was originally published May 16, 2017 at 10:19 AM with the headline "Historic Preservation Day tour to uncover Puyallup’s hidden histories."