Keeler’s Corner in Lynnwood. Thrasher’s Corner in Bothell. Murphy’s Corner in Everett.
Snohomish County history advocates want your help researching these historic crossroads and others. They believe there are about 25 notable corners throughout the county, but aren’t entirely certain. They need a hand unearthing old pictures and stories.
“As time goes by I don’t want those unique stories to go away because we didn’t document them,” said Wendy Becker, the county’s economic and cultural development officer.
The Snohomish County Historic Preservation Commission and the Snohomish County Arts Commission are driving the effort. They’re especially interested in stories that mark places of cultural significance, whether of local, state or even national importance. The goal is to use the materials in a guide.
Helpful information would include: What do you know about the corners in your neighborhood, and what makes them more than places where roads meet?
Keeler’s Corner gets its name from a family that operated a filling station on Highway 99 and 164th Street SW in Lynnwood. The 1920s-era gas pumps still stand there and the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Murphy’s Corner, at the intersection of the Bothell-Everett Highway and 132 Street SE, is the site of Robert Murphy’s old grocery.
Thrasher’s Corner is where Lyman and Freda Thrasher set up a grocery, service station, auto-repair garage that they ran from the late 1920s until retirement in the late 1950s. The area remained largely rural until the first stoplight was installed in 1980.
Other corners named after families include Holmes Corner, the current site of Edmonds-Woodway High School, and Osborn Corner at 132nd Street SE and Seattle Hill Road.
Email Wendy Becker your corner lore and photos at wendy.becker@snoco.org.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
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