Big Foot Valley is bigger than we thought. Here is Part 2.

HOMEPAGE THE CLAYTON and DEER PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY About The Society EMAIL LINKS INTERNET LINKS NEWSLETTERS ISSUE # 1 ISSUE # 2 ISSUE # 3 ISSUE # 4 ISSUE # 5 ISSUE # 6 ISSUE # 7 ISSUE # 8 ISSUE # 9 ISSUE # 10 ISSUE # 11 ISSUE # 12 ISSUE # 13 ISSUE # 14 ISSUE # 15 ISSUE # 16 ISSUE # 17 ISSUE # 18 ISSUE # 19 ISSUE # 20 ISSUE # 21 ISSUE # 22 The Society's Copyright Policy Historical Society Publications The Old Clayton School DPHS Boxing 1945 - 1949 DPHS Boxing Pictures Homesteading At Clayton Washington Stepping To The Side: A Dynamite Primer Deer Parks Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Atlas Missile Album Atlas Missile Schematics AN EAGLE HAS LANDED AN EAGLE 2 A STAR IS BORN A STAR CONT. ARCADIA ORCHARD BAMONTES' INLAND NORTHWEST BAMONTES' SPOKANE CDA ETC BAMONTES' SPOKANE COUNTY BAMONTE MYSTERIES BARNS ARE NOBLE BARNS ARE BEAUTIFUL  BIG FOOT VALLEY BIG FOOT WILDERNESS BIG FOOT BY PETE COFFIN CDPHS HAPPENINGS CDPHS MUSEUM ARTIFACTS #1 CDPHS MUSEUM ARTIFACTS #2 CHURCHS OF THE WILD WEST CLAYTON  1 CLAYTON  2 CLAYTON  3 CLAYTON  4 CLAYTON  5 CLAYTON  6 FAMILIES CLAYTON  7 C--DP--LL--VETS CLAYTON BAKERS   " KING PT 1   " KING PT-2 KING -- DEL   " KING PT 3   " KING WWII   " KING KINGREY CARMEN & MARLENE KING KING OF THE HILL CLAYTON STELTING CLAYTON - ALLEN'S SIDING CLAYTON B.S. CLAYTON  CENSUS R. L. POLK CLAYTON FAIR CLAYTON FAIR 2 CLAYTON  GETTMANS CLAYTON'S  WB&L CLAYTON'S  WB&L 2 CLAYTON WINTER 1948 - 1949 CLAYTON DAY CLAYTON DAY 2 CLAYTON GRANGE CLAYTON  CLASS PICS #1 CLASS # 2 CLASS # 3 CLASS  #4 CLASS GRAD PICS CLASS ASSORT D.P. 1 CLASS ASSORT D.P. 2 CLASS ASSORT D.P. 3 DPHS GRAD.PICS. 1913 - 1943 DPHS GRAD. PICS. 1944 - D.P. 1937 ALBUM D.P. 1942 ALBUM D.P. 1943 ALBUM D.P. 1946 ALBUM D.P. 08 - 09 STATE CHAMPS DEER PARK #1 DEER PARK # 2 DEER PARK # 3 DP ABBOTT FAMILY DP  ETTA MAY BENNETT 1 DP ETTA MAY 2 DP ETTA MAY 3 DP ETTA MAY 4 DP HIGH REUNIONS DP  HODGES DP LAWRENCE ZIMMERER LZ 1 DP LZ 2 DPLZ 3 DP LZ 4 DP LZ 5 DP OLSEN DP SHAY LOCOMOTIVE  DP SETTLERS & FAIR FAMILY GATHERINGS FRED ASTAIR & ELENOR POWELL HERITAGE OF INDUSTRY HISTORIC BUILDINGS LENO PRESTINI 1 LENO 2 LENO 3 LOON LAKE # 1 LOON LAKE # 2 LOON LAKE #3 NORD #1 NORD # 2  NORD RAINY NORDS ROSIE ETC NORD & SWEET VIOLET PEEK AT THE PAST PERSONALITIES REGIONAL FAVORITES RESTORATION CLASSIC SCHOOLS PG-1 SCHOOLS PG-2 SCHOOLS PG-3 SPRINGDALE-HUNTERS STAGECOACH 1 STAGECOACH  2 SANCTUARIES OF THE 1800s SPOKANE HISTORY STEVENS COUNTY SUZZALLO LIB. Uof W  SUZZALLO STATUES TERRA COTTA TERRA COTTA 2  THEN & NOW   TRYSIL ZION 1 TRYSIL ZION 2 TRYSIL ZION. 3. TRYSIL ZION 4 TRYSIL ZION 5 TRYSIL ZION OLSONS TRYSIL EXPO 2008 # 1 VERA SPAULDING EPIC VINTAGE WILLIAMS VALLEY WILD ROSE PRAIRIE  WIND BASEBALL FRED WIND A BREEZE  WIND COWANS WIND COWAN OLDS WINDS OF SANTA ANNA ZIBELL FAMILY CONTACT WEBMASTER

Photo Gallery

The only known picture of the Big Foot Valley School. This picture was taken in the early 1940's before Harry Ness enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1942. The picture was taken looking west across the northern portion of Big Foot Valley.

A 2009 photograph of Harry Ness son of Emil Ness who purchased the N/2 of the SE/4 of Section 27 TWP29N-RGE41EWM in 1934. Harry graduated in the last Clayton High School class in 1936. Harry provided the only known picture of the location of the Big Foot Valley School. Photo by Pete Coffin.

An April 2009 picture of the old Big Foot Valley School House. Jack Lewis directed the photographer to this building and Harry Ness confirmed its identity. According to Harry his father skidded the abandoned school house to this location using a chain come-along a few feet a day. He then coverted the school to a chicken coop.

A photograph of Guy Davis's clay hauling dump truck probably taken in the early 1950's. This may be the Federal truck described in the narrative posted in the Clayton Burger restaurant. The child is most likely one of Guy's daughters. The car is perhaps a Nash in that in the 1950's Guy owned several cars of that brand.

This house still stands and is known as the Trullinger house. In the very earley 50s following the death of Walter Carmean followed shortly by Amy, Paul and Alice Peak along with Virgie and Marie moved onto the premises. Thus life was was made a bit easier as their oldest son Walter joined the Service not long after graduation in 1947.

Eddie Kingrey took this winning photo with The the old Sid Loomis, Clarence Nord barn in the foreground, the Eastern range of Big Foot Valley and the far Western range furthest in the distance.

New update. Front Row. Walter Klawunder, Harold Klawunder, Grace Kelso, Mildred Klawunder, Kenneth Kelso, Melvin Kelso, Earl Kelso. Middle Row. George Klawunder, Elizabeth Kelso (age 83), Sarah Kelso, Ed Kelso (Age 44). Top Row. Olive Kelso Klawunder, Eva Harloe, Harriet Kelso holding baby Weldon. This photo is the reslts of the marriage of Mr. George Klawunder & Olive Kelso taken in the year 1913. Obtained by our society from Charles Stewart, son of Burton Stewart, stalwart companion of Leno Prestini. Thank you Chuck for sharing this one of a kind photo.

This is a current picture taken by Mr. Chuck Stewart looking west from the old Ness property on Redman Road towards Jones Road. There is another taken by Peter Coffin to follow.

This is the Norman & Mildred Klawunder Warren family. Back Row. Mildred, Norm & oldest child Harold. Front Row. Baby Betty, Oldest Daughter Evelyn, K (Olive), Norma & Marie.

An unblemished view of Big Foot Valley and hidden from view of the mountain side lived two families. The Carmean's and the Peaks.

George and Olive Kelso early on

Here as the Bill Sebright picture depicts, carved out of the wilderness overlooking not only Big Foot Valley but the entire landscape of the foot hills of Mt. Spokane.

Tucked away is this old Lincoln Coupe, the pride and joy of Paul Peak. Almost as dependable as the 1935 Dodge family sedan. That Dodge could climb a mountain with Walter Peak at the wheel.

Bill Sebright, our Society President, visits with Mr. John Reiner, the owner of one of the parcels of land in this remote area. John took time out of his busy schedule to escort 3 Society members through a locked gate on a guided tour that had eluded us for decades. Here we see the view from the old Carmean place.

At the very end of civilization as we know it sits this long ago vacated homestead. A tangle of old fruit trees, once the home of a very close knit family. The Lindh, Nord, Scriven clan. The next photo below of this family is directly below circa 1950 at this very location.

The remains of the barn is all that is left as evidence of the life they lived, but the beauty of the the little green valley below tells you why they eked out a living in this little piece of Heaven.

Front row- L to R Carl Lindh, Ray Scriven, ?, Warren Nord. Standing- ?, Clarence Nord, Elva Bender, Con, Lindh, Norma Lindh, ?, ?, Don Lindh, ?, ?, Mr. and Mrs. Scriven, ?, ?.

Amazingly the Walter and Alice Peak house still stands, vacant for at least 50 years. This is the location where Paul and Alice (Carmean) Peak built their farm, raised three children, Marie, Vergie and the oldest Walter. On May 11, 2009, these apple trees were sending out buds and new signs of life.

Parked for more than a little while this 1949 Buick Roadmaster owned by the Peaks and shoved off to the side with a dozer when they blew the engine is the only manmade object that has stood the test of time. Photographed by Peter Coffin.

The backside of the Peak house appears to be quite sturdy. It doesn't seem impossible to raise this old house from the dead.

Surprisingly the road is still in very passable condition although an occasional washout makes a 4 wheel drive essential. Distance on a winding road is difficult to judge but an estimate from the locked steel gate to the Carmeans is about a mile. From there about another mile through rugged terrain to the Peak place, which is snuggled in a low lying gultch in the hills. Protection from the wind and blizzards was a priority over a view of the valley far below. The Carmeans being the parents of Mrs. Paul peak who tagged along much later.

Even though it partially collapsed, the well house remains.

Mr Peter Coffin furnished factual Government statistics regarding the registration dates of the Carmeans. Here is a life story of the Carmean family in a nutshell. In 1900 they lived in Sappe, Nebraska, 1910 Rangley, Colorado, 1920 Laws, California, 1930 in Clayton, WA, & 1933 Big Foot Valley. Paul Peak arrived sometime between 1933 and 1940 when he was registered on the ownership map. The Carmeans lived here until Walter passed away circa 1953 and Amy died soon after.

From the rear of the building you can count 15 logs. From the front there seems to 10 logs missing

From down in the valley near Clayton, this range of mountains looms in the distance. Known in the earlier years as Peaks Peak, ask ten people, recieve ten different answers. For this Website it will remain Peaks Peak until further notice.

Peter Coffin, being agile enough to peer under some of the ruins to observe very little rot in the timbers. This tends to make one wonder if a crew could manage to work a good heavy metal I beam through, put a front end loader on each end of the beam and gently start raising? Why couldn't it be propped up until the sway was no longer a sway, but perfectly level, reinforced, reroofed and restored. A determined person could have a weekend getaway.

Peter Coffin, unable to resist one more shot.

While gazing out from the outhouse, everything always looks a little rosier. An outhouse is also conducive to deep thinking. Such as, If it were in my hands, I do believe this grand mountain should be named, "Carmean Peak."

The stairs appears solid, it seems there is still a picture or mirror hanging on the wall and isn't that a stool or chair still standing?

This is Walter Peak, who graduated in 1947 from Deer Park High. Walter met and later married Susan.They were introduced by none other than the Webmaster, Robert A. Clouse. She was an absolute adorable, statuesque young lady. They lived their lives relying on and loving each other until Susan passed away a few years back.