Mary Olson Farm (King County Landmark and National Register Historic Site) Mission Statement: The Olson Farm is a unique 60-acre farmstead dating from 1879 and located on a sloped and wooded site along the Green River in Auburn, Washington. It presents an intact assembly of rural buildings, a site shaped by agriculture, and a stream ecology with indigenous salmon runs. Through preservation of the buildings and historic site features and stewardship of nature, the Olson Farm will foster understanding of its specific heritage, distinct environment, and the economic reality of a family farm. Particular emphasis is placed on natural history and ecology of the farm site, showing how the environment has shaped and been shaped by the cultures and people who have lived there. Olson Farm will welcome teachers and students for tours, workshops and other learning experiences. It will provide community entertainment through educational tours, festivals and special events, and a quiet retreat for walks and picnics. Facts: Barn (built in 1879) Smokehouse (built in 1920s) Farmhouse (built in 1902) Garage (built in 1920s) Weaving Shed (built in 1920s) Ice House (built in 1920s) Outhouse (built in 1920s) The Olson Farm is owned by the City of Auburn. The Parks and Recreation Department manages the site. It is being restored through a lease agreement with the White River Valley Museum. Patricia Cosgrove, museum director, oversees the farm’s development and will manage it as a living history site once open to the public. Mary and Alfred Olson: - Swedish immigrants married in 1883. Mary’s last name was Anderson. - In 1879 they purchased the site from Halvor and Juliana Nelson, it had previously been the site of a lumber mill. - Had 2 children, Alfred (1887 – 1980) and Anna (1885 – 1971). - In addition to farming the Olson’s had a grist-mill (powered by the stream) and raised hops, and the women wove rag rugs to sell at JC Penny’s in Auburn. Remarriage: After Alfred died, Mary’s brother (John Anderson) lived with her on the farm until her marriage to Eric Magnus Johnson in 1895. Johnson died in 1935. Harry Tracy: In 1902 the notorious outlaw Harry Tracy took the family captive on the hill behind the barn while Magnus Johnson was sent to Tacoma to get a gun for him. Tracy escaped the Oregon Penitentiary precipitating a two-month manhunt until he was cornered and shot himself. Tracy was the last of the horseback outlaws, and is featured in a movie and many books. Utilities: Until the 1970s the house had no electricity. Lighting was by carbide gas. A wood stove was used for heating and cooking. Water was piped to the house from a spring on the hillside. The outhouse was in the orchard. City Purchase Farm: In the 1970s the second cousins, the Jameson’s came to live on the farm. During that time it was rented to John Anderson who modified the barn and added many fences for horses. He started to modernize the house. The City of Auburn purchased the farm from the Jameson’s in 1994 with Conservation Futures funding. Questions: Call Patricia Cosgrove at 253 288-7437.