It is with special thanks to Allen Miller, local historian, and the City of Duvall, Department of Public Works for the information provided in this article.
Excerpts from the Duvall Citizen newspaper:
Tuesday, November 7, 1911: King County Commissioners granted Roy Comegys, of the Cherry Valley Townsite Co., a light and water franchise for Duvall. They expect to have light and water in by January 1, 1912. (This must be a mis-print as it would leave less than two months to complete the work. I'm guessing it should read 1913, Miller).
Another entry in 1912 mentions work continuing on the well and a dynamo (A dynamo is an electrical generator that produces direct current with the use of a commutator) being located for the light plant. The article mentions a reservoir and the city water to be pumped from a well, not using river water. Prior to the city furnishing water the citizens packed water by the bucketful from the river if they didn't have a spring on their property.
In mid-July 1912 the newspaper mentions that they are still driving the well and that night work is being attempted.
Third week of July, 1912, Lon Brown had the 2nd finger of his right hand taken off at the first joint while working at the well when he reached out to steady the ropes as the bucket was being lowered and his hand was drawn into the pulley.
July 27, 1912: Reports the well nearly completed and trenches for the water mains were being dug.
August 3, 1912: Water mains were being unloaded along streets and trenches dug, protected at night by red lanterns.
September 7, 1912: The electric light plant at the Smith Mill is running and the lights were turned on for the first time on Thursday night.
September 3, 1912. The Forest Inn had lights shining from every room.
October 5, 1912: Dynamite was reported being used to get the town well through the hardpan.
November 2, 1912: Duvall Light & Water Company announced they are ready to enter into contracts for the furnishing of water. A free connection to the mains is offered through November 10th, 1912; thereafter the regular connection charge will be due.
A wood storage tank was located on the hill in 1916. The tank was installed by the Duvall Light and Water Company. This tank was replaced with two steel tanks in 1946. This is the location the tanks once stood. Both cement foundations of the steel tanks remain visible and well defined.
The City of Duvall established a water department in 1924 when it took over ownership and operation of Duvall Light and Water Company; the system in place at the time. The steel storage tanks went into service in 1946. Both steel tanks were purchased from the United States government and were World War II surplus items. They were 28 feet in diameter, 12 feet tall, and each stored 55,000 gallons of water. The tanks were filled with water taken out of the Taylor Landing’s well via a pump, and then when full the pump would be turned off and the tanks gravity fed the City. At this time, the City was mostly developed west of Fourth Avenue. These were the only properties the storage tanks would serve.
The steel tanks were taken out of service in 1988, and removed in 2000. The City of Duvall Public Works department has maintained this site since 1924. Currently, Public Works spends very little time maintaining the location, because it is not needed for storage any longer. Public Works employees seasonally cut back blackberries and maintain access to the old tank pads. According to one Public Works report, it is highly likely that there are still wood pipes buried in the ground in the tract road up to the old tank site.
Today, water management is complex and carefully managed by the City of Duvall's Public Works department. For more information: visit link
2013 marks the 100th anniversary for the well in Taylors Landing. Until June 11, 1998, this well was used to fill both the wood and steel tanks, and provide Duvall residents and businesses with decades of clean water. After the well was owned by the City of Duvall in 1924, there was no charge to access the well's water. King County stated that "the well, north of the Woodinville-Duvall Road bridge is in the 100-year floodplain of the Snoqualmie River, and the water doesn't meet state health requirements for testing or safeguards". Subsequently, the City was forced to cap the well on June 11, 1998 for liability reasons.
Also about the Duvall Centennial celebration 1913 - 2013. the area that has become known as Duvall was historically the home of the Snoqualmie Native American tribe. A little north of Duvall, and in the years just before Duvall, there was the logging community of Cherry Valley, which was just the beginning. On January 6, 1913 Duvall was incorporated as a city by its rugged pioneer citizens. Several of the buildings that once were in Cherry Valley were moved to Duvall, and still stand today. The center of the present-day town was located on a hillside homesteaded by Francis and James Duvall, loggers who arrived in 1871. At that time, logging and farming were the driving economic forces in Duvall which utilized the Snoqualmie River and railroad for transportation. Since the late 20th century, the City’s pastoral appeal has been drawing residents who commute to jobs in aeronautics and technology in nearby communities. Duvall’s Historic corridor has helped to define an artistic movement that has been evolving since the 1970’s.