Railway association seeking photos of 1950s Arlington businesses

ARLINGTON — Members of the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association are seeking photos and information on Arlington industries served by the railroad in the 1950s.

Kent Sullivan, amateur railroad historian and member of the association, said that he has found a number of photos from pre-World War II through working with the Stillaguamish Valley Pioneer Museum and the Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society.

Additionally, Sullivan, a Kirkland resident, said he'd like to find more photos of 1950s-era businesses. So far, he's compiled a short list of businesses and their locations through his research.

Those businesses include the Snohomish County Dairymen's Association (later known as Glacier Cold Storage south of Lebanon Street); Standard Oil Co. distributor (208 S. West Street); Shell Oil Co. distributor (104 S. Olympic Ave.); a shed used by Massar Lumber Co. to receive loads (near Shell Oil); Murphy Feed & Seed Co. (202 N. Olympic Avenue); Washington Co-Op Farmers Association (222 N. Olympic Ave.); Hunter & Sons Feed & Seed (104 E. Third Street) and Arlington Feed & Farm Supply (440 N. Olympic Avenue).

Sullivan said that he'd encourage families or residents who may have photos of these Arlington businesses and landmarks to contact Myrtle at the Pioneer Museum by calling 360-435-7289.

The Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association's 2,000 members help preserve the history of the railway company, which helped construct the United States' first transcontinental highway in the 1800s.

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