In the middle of the 19th century, those who ventured several miles up the tree-lined Snohomish River looked upon a wilderness that is now Monroe. They also found the friendly remnants of the native population living where three valleys with rich bottomland come together, set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cascade Mountains. Over the years, settlers arrived to farm the land and harvest the bountiful timber. Although a settlement called Park Place existed early on, there was no real town to serve the area until the coming of the railroad in 1893. Relocated to be nearer the railroad, the...