(photo by Tony Sirgedas)
                                                                                                                                            

     December 16, 2006: Tony says, "Here's a picture from Saturday evening. The electricity may have been out, but Rainier still lit everything up right at sunset."

     December 20, 2006: Tony's comment, "Great, just when we thought we'd seen it all this fall." There was a small earthquake four miles south south west of Morton at 9:55 p.m. Wednesday, December 20. Read about quakes and more at the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network - All about earthquakes and geologic hazards of the Pacific Northwest  http://www.pnsn.org/recenteqs/Quakes/uw12210555.htm

     December 18, 2006: The time Eatonville lost power Thursday, December 14, was marked by the clock at Key Bank. The clock stayed at this time for about fifty-six and a half hours until power was restored about midnight Sunday. Power was on and off at intervals beginning around 6 p.m. and finally stayed on after several attempts.

     The historic wigwam burner lies crumpled and beyond repair after the fierce windstorm blew down the iconic monster. Except for the mill pond in the foreground, the old burner was the only remaining reminder of Eatonville's logging boom days when the lumber company was in full operation. Townspeople mourn the loss of this relic of days gone by.
     Eatonville's burner was one of only a few in the state and perhaps a little over a handful in the nation. Plans were underway by the historical society and town to attempt restoration of the antique burner. The burner had been heavily damaged during the last wind storm. It was also the home for pigeons and other birds which now have lost their man-made habitat.

Before the Fall...

                                                                     (photo by Tony Sirgedas)

     Tony Sirgedas took this photo of the old Wigwam burner in June 2006. A previous windstorm this year had done considerable damage to the structure which had stood watch over the town for at least sixty years or longer. In the foreground is the mill pond, home to beaver, otter and other assorted wildlife. 

    Douglas firs measuring between one-hundred-thirty to one-hundred fifty feet hit this home on the hilltop area. The hilltop received a lot of storm damage with trees down and lines dangling all around the site.

     Eatonville and environs have experienced two "fifty year events" in approximately six weeks. The storm which roared through town December 14 knocked out power for such a long period of time most residents couldn't remember how long it has been since the town was in such a blackout. Most remember the Inauguration Day Storm over ten years ago as the last longtime power outage.