“It’s all about the railroad” applies as much to Palmer and Kanaskat as dozens of other mining and milling towns brought to life in east King County. In 1888, the Northern Pacific opened a new rail line through Stampede Pass, down the Green River which gave rise to Lester, Maywood, and a host of stations along the way. George Whitehouse lost his homestead at Maywood so relocated his family to Kanaskat. There he worked in area coal mines as did his son and grandson, both named Tom. When a direct route to Auburn, called the Palmer cutoff was built in 1900 the Palmer station featured an ornate Victorian rail station, water tanks, bunkhouse, passing tracks, and connections to Selleck and points further north. The new station provided an important hub as Palmer and Kanaskat prospered for some time.
After King County completed the Kanaskat Bridge over the Green River in 1918, George’s grandson Tom Whitehouse built a new home for his bride, Katie in 1921. Three years later he built this store and gas station across the street, which later became his family’s home. The store sold groceries and other items campers might need. Its location overlooking a gorgeous bend in the Green River caused travelers to stop if for nothing more than the view. Whitehouse also owned a tavern 1/4 mile away in Palmer, close to the railroad tracks which gave birth to both towns. The building which housed the store and gas station still stands and today is home to Whitehouse’s grandson, Joe Cerne and his family. Additional research for this column was provided by another grandson, Tom Cerne. This King County Assessor photo is dated April 1, 1940 and comes courtesy of the Maple Valley Historical Society.
