History of Milltown, Washington
By Curt Cunningham

Milltown is located on the east edge of the Skagit River delta about 8 miles south of Mount Vernon in southwest Skagit county. Milltown began as a small settlement that developed around the shingle and sawmills which were established there. As fast as the land was cleared of the trees, farmers came in and turned the stump land into rich farmland. Milltown is on a slough of the Skagit River that was once called Douglas Slough (later it was renamed Tom Moore Slough). At Milltown there was a landing for canoes and steamers, and at the towns peak, 3 steamers would land there each week. By the 1880's Milltown was an established farming, fishing and lumber community. 

From 1875 to 1880 Jimmie Jones who was the grandson of Chief Sclebetaclut of the Upper Skagit carried the mail by canoe from Milltown to Ruby Creek. Jimmie Jones was born near Rockport about 1844 and passed away at Sauk which was a few miles downstream from Rockport on March 16, 1944. Lawremce Joe, an Upper Skagit said; "When I was a young boy, my grandfather, Jimmy Jones, who lived up near Sauk where Gorma Thompson used to live, used to haul freight in canoes from Milltown up to Marblemount."

"You had to learn how to build a good canoe if you wanted to stay in business, otherwise it would take a long time to get up the river. He made a living hauling freight. He told me when I was nine years old to go out and check the net and I was running from one end to the other trying to steer it. That's how I learned to power one of these things. This is called a river canoe. The big canoe is a salt water canoe. You use the salt water canoe where the water is not swift and the further you get up the river, you run into more of these."

"Now, you have canoe builders. It's just like buying a car; every canoe builder has a different model; he wants to get the most speed out of his canoe. It you ever found a canoe along the river, you could tell who made it. You could either tell it was from the Upper Skagit or up the Sauk River or Marblemount of any of the canoe makers. They all had different models just like different model cars. In the freight business, there were the regular canoe and the freight canoe. You could haul more freight, but you had to have somebody helping you, and that was usually a family project. My grand-father would have somebody else go along with him to pull the canoe up. After a while, he became "modern" and started using pike poles so he wouldn't have to sharpen his poles so much from wearing out on the rocks."

The Railroad Comes to Town

In 1890 the Great Northern railroad was busy building its line north from Everett and the tracks ran through the settlement on the slough. The settlement had enough people and potential business that the railroad built a depot there and called it Milltown. The town at its peak had; 4 lumber and shingle mills, 3 saloons, Mann's grocery store and post office, 2 hotels, a restaurant, dance hall, and a grade school on the hill to the east.  The Modern Woodmen of America also had a hall there.

There were over 200 people working in the mills and in the logging camps. The English Logging Co. was one of the biggest. The loggers and mill workers would all come in to town to spend their hard earned money which made the town a lively place.

The Milltown Murder

On Wednesday August 22, 1900 tragedy struck Milltown. Charles Bonser who was a merchant and shingle mill operator was murdered in cold blood and robbed of his money. His body was found the next day in a clump of brush with a broken skull. United States Deputy Marshal John Stringer brought the details of the story to Seattle the next day, arriving on the Great Northern coastline train. From him was obtained the following narrative of the crime;

"Wednesday night at about 8:45pm, Charles Bonser left his store at Milltown to go to a neighbors, less than a quarter of a mile away, for a pail of milk. He was the manager of the store at Milltown, operated in connection with a shingle mill owned by himself and his brother, George Bonser. Charles did not return and about midnight, his brother, becoming alarmed at his nonappearance, started out to make an investigation. He returned during the night after a fruitless endeavor to find any trace of the missing man."

"The following morning a search party was organized. George Bonser took the train and came to Stanwood, hoping to find trace of his brother there. The searchers scoured the woods surrounding the little hamlet of Milltown, and at 3 o'clock Thursday afternoon discovered the dead body of Charles Bonder lying hidden in a brush patch not more than 800 feet from his store. The man's head was bloody and the skull was evidently fractured. Near by the searchers picked up a club covered with blood and mats of hair."

"The body was taken to the store of the deceased and immediately the sheriff was notified of the crime. Mr. Stringer said that the authorities had reason to believe that one or more members of a band of tough characters lately arrived from the Fraser River fishing district were responsible for the crime. The story told to Mr. Stringer was that twelve men passed through Lynden a few days ago on their way from the Fraser. They looted the store of J. A. Taylor at Lynden, securing a suit of clothes, a watch and some money."

"They were traced to Mt. Vernon, where they were arrested early Wednesday afternoon. Taylor came to Mt. Vernon, hoping to recover his property. He failed to locate any of the plunder and seven of the men were placed on a southbound freight for Everett and Seattle. The theory is that the men may have stopped at Milltown, which is about eight miles this side of Mt. Vernon, and there murdered Bonser for his money."

A Perilous Trip

On April 4, 1902 W. W. Williams, of Milltown, told a tale about a very narrow escape from his ranch on the Skagit River. He said the Skagit is a very uncertain stream and on a bright, clear day, without warning, a mountain of water will rush along, taking everything before it. On one of those bright clear days as they were going about their business, when without warning the river had risen high over its banks and flooded the entire valley and threatened to sweep away his house and barns. All of his cattle drowned and his provisions were ruined. He then grabbed his wife and son and embarked in a small canoe to go down to the settlements.

At first everything went fair, but before he realized it the canoe was flying along at a very swift rate. He looked ahead and saw that a log jam had dammed the water up and caused it to sift through the mass of timber. He saw there was no way of escape on shore, as the banks arose abruptly from the water, affording no landing. He trembled as he looked ahead at the danger that awaited them. Drawing nearer, he saw a line of white foam on the surface of the stream and called out to his son to hold the canoe directly in the white line.

On they rushed faster and faster, drawing nearer and nearer to the log jam at every spurt as they bore swiftly down to their certain demise. As the canoe almost reached the jam it slackened speed and seemed to come to a stop and then started ahead again. The canoe with its now thoroughly aroused occupants rushed into the log jam along on the white line of foam. The canoe lurched to one side, then to the other side and suddenly jumped ahead through a narrow outlet and shot out from the log jam on the other side with a rush of speed that took their breath away. The paddle in the hands of the boy steering kept it steady and safely they glided out into the deep current. In a short time they reached their destination and were safely housed with friends.

“I, for my part, wouldn't try it over again for anything in the world," said Mr. Williams, "but the boy!—he would just as leave as not."

Tragedy Avoided

On June 6, 1902 Engineer J. C. Wright of Everett performed an act of heroism as his train was running full speed just south of Milltown, when he saved the life of a 3 year old girl. The little tot was playing on the track entirely oblivious of the approaching danger. The engineer blew the whistle, turned on the air brakes and reversed the engine, but saw it was impossible to stop the train in time to save the little child. Apparently becoming aroused from her play and seeing the engine coming, she started straight toward it without leaving the track. The engineer quickly left his cab and climbing down on the pilot, caught the little girl in his arms in time to save her from being cut to pieces.

Milltown in the 1910's

In 1914 Milltown was still a lumbering, fishing and farming center on the Great Northern railroad. There were 3 steamers which made stops there each week. The Milltown trading Co. operated the store and J. R. Marshall ran the saloon and poolroom. There were also 2 churches and a grade school on the hill.

By 1915 the fine stands of cedar and fir had been logged off and the last shingle mill closed its doors in 1925 when a fire destroyed the mill. After the mills were gone the town began its decline.

Muddy Roads Stop Murderers

At the beginning of 1920 the road between Stanwood and Mount Vernon was still a dirt road and during the wet season it was a sea of mud. This was to be discovered by a pair of bandits who had murdered a taxi driver in Everett. The story goes that 2 Stanwood boys aged 17 and 19 had decided they wanted to go to Mexico and fight with Poncho Villa so they would have a chance for some real excitement and luxury. They dreamed of endless pillage to obtain the riches they desired.

After devising a plan they set out for Mexico. The first step was to get a car. After hanging around the pool halls in Everett for a couple of days they called for a cab and told the driver to take them to Marysville. They persuaded the driver to take the Old Home Acres road which was unpaved and little traveled. When they were on this lonely road the driver was shot twice and robbed of $15. The criminals then drove the car to Florence. Their plan was to rob the grocery store there and steal some provisions for the trip south.

While they were on the road to Florence, fright overtook them. They dashed wildly thru the little town and finally were brought to a stop near Milltown by the muddy roads. At this point, their bravado seemed to have deserted them, for they abandoned the car. The boys walked to Mount Vernon, and from there proceeded to Bellingham where they were arrested.

Jilted Lover

On June 6, 1920 a jury returned a verdict for $1,000 in favor of Olaf Larson against Frida Johnson in an unusual breach of promise. The parties met in Butte, Montana, and in the spring of 1916 became engaged to be married, it was alleged, Mr. Larson was a painter and paperhanger and the defendant, then Frida Conrad, was a divorcee, owning a farm in Skagit county. The engagement continued until August, 1919, when, according to the plaintiff‘s story, Mrs. Conrad, without any notice to him, married Ben Johnson, a wealthy bachelor near Milltown. Mr. Larson then commenced his action for breach of promise to marry him and for recovery of money he had given her. The jury allowed him $1,000. It is said that there were very few cases on record where the man had sued and recovered from a woman in actions of this character.

The Coolidge-Dawes Caravan

On Monday November 3, 1924 G. O. P. boosters with their automobiles gathered at Milltown to meet the Coolidge-Dawes caravan of old friends of the president which started out from Plymouth, Vermont a few months prior on a tour of the country for the re-election of the president. It was hopes that 400 cars would arrive to form an escort to Bellingham to meet the Whatcom county boosters.

Fred B. Fulton. J. E. Trafton, C. C. Barnett and daughter, Miss Lucretia. Mr, and Mrs. A, I. Ferch and others joined the Skagit county caravan that drove from Mt, Vernon Monday afternoon and met the Coolidge-Dawes caravan at Milltown. They formed part of the escort for the caravan in its progress to Mt. Vernon, where a short meeting was held, addressed briefly by J. C. Herbsman, and a boyhood friend of President Calvin Coolidge told of the Coolidge the president's neighbors knew in Vermont and Massachusetts.

After this meeting the caravan proceeded to Bellingham. where the tour of 6,042 miles, commenced two months ago, ended. There were four cars in the caravan, with six old neighbors and friends of the president, and started from Plymouth, Vermont, the president’s birthplace. Leaving here with Mr. Fulton and Mr, Barnett, Col. Roland H. Hartley and Mrs, Hartley joined the caravan at Milltown and continued on with it to Bellingham, where Colonel Hartley closed his gubernatorial campaign.

The party was organized under the auspices of the Home Town Coolidge club of Plymouth, and had been making what was known as the Coolidge- Dawes Lincoln tour, following the route of the Lincoln highway from New York to San Francisco and the Pacific highway from San Francisco to Bellingham. Since the caravan left Plymouth Tuesday, September 7, it had been escorted by more than 100,000 automobiles, making an almost continuous line of motor cars from one city to another along the transcontinental highway.

As each state was reached the caravan was greeted at the state line and presented with a state flag, so that when it reached Bellingham there were seventeen state flags carried, representing Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Nevada, California, Oregon and Washington. In the caravan were six official cars, the leading motor cars occupied by the director and staff, three cars were set aside for the members of the press, and a big motor truck carried a reproduction of President Coolidge's birthplace.

One loud speaker amplifier was carried for reaching the people of large crowds. The tour was under direction of A. W. Jeffries, of Omaha, the delegate to the national convention who nominated General Charles A. Dawes for vice-president. John P. Cowens was caravan manager.

Milltown becomes a Ghost town

On December 3, 1925 the Victoria shingle mill at Milltown was destroyed by fire at a loss of $30,000 which was partly covered by insurance. The dry kiln and steam plant were saved. It is not known how the fire started, and it had gained considerable headway when it was discovered. The mill was owned by the English Logging Co. and the Suiattle Cedar Co. and had a daily output of 250,000 shingles.

By 1930 all the industries except the dairy farms were gone and all that was left was the churches. The Milltown School consolidated with Conway school in 1938 and the building was torn down.

By the 1950's the churches were gone and Milltown reverted to ghost town status with nothing left except for the old store building and some abandoned houses.