This series highlights locations in Skagit County. These communities were formed in the early 1870's remaining up until the 1920's. Many of the names still appear on maps. A few have buildings remaining in use today. These communities and many others can be found on https:/www.skagitcounty.net/Maps/iMap/?mapjs=hist
When logging began along the Samish, the river as it left the hills spread out into so many forks and sloughs across the delta that there was no mouth with sufficient water to float the logs. In the 1880s the loggers cleared out one of the channels. It went past Allen, blocking off other sloughs to make it the main stream down which logs were driven on the "splash," the minor flood created when wooden dams on the upper river were opened. (This was an old logger's trick, developed in the Maine woods.)
Allen became a minor trading center with the opening of a road to Avon and the location of the Allen-Roray Shingle Mill there in 1903. The school had only one room until 1906 when it was replaced by a new two-room building. The old school building was used for church services until a church was built and dedicated in 1915. Allen became a station on the Interurban in 1912
Bill Watkinson built a dance hall and roller rink in 1907; Grange meetings were also held there. There was a store in town but no saloon, the only community of any size other than Avon which was consistently dry. With the coming of automobiles and the improvement of roads the importance of Allen declined but it has remained a rural center.
Cache was hidden with permission of the Pastor. The church was expanded in 1981. The original Grange is located east of this location at 16920 Allen West Road. The original fire station, now a home, is located across the street from GC5NRXC.
More information available at Skagit County Historical Museum in La Conner.
Congratulations mizdirection on the FTF - 1 hr 2 minutes after published per my time frames.