Slow start, here goes

Mercer Slough, Bellevue Washington..

Matt + Kids + relatively flat trails + historical home = miles of fun

Alastor, marching ahead, now jogging ahead, stops suddenly, "Warning, Warning! Quick Sand!!"

Matt, "lets take a closer look" "wait, no, this is slow mud, not quick sand".

Owen, runs forward, finds a sign (historical signage). "Get the information, get this information, we need this information!!"

Eva, reads the information, "according to this, the lumber industry shut down around 1920"

Matt, "what do you think could have caused the lumber industry to shut down?"

Eva, "the great depression or a war or something.."

Matt, "sounds good to me, lets check out the house" (for a bathroom)..

Anne, our tour guide at the Winters House, Anne answered our question about the lumber industry.

Anne, "well, the lumber industry dissolved as a result of several factors, one was the economy (yeah Eva), another was the

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks

in Ballard. The locks were created to connect two bodies of water. One was connected to the water that the lumber yard depended on.. So, when they opened the locks, the water here in Bellevue dropped, thus eliminating the steam ships passage to the lumber area. WE could still grow trees, but the boats can't move about freely enough to move them."