Innis Arden History, Mrs. Cecil M. (June) Swanson

The first time I saw Innis Arden or had even heard of it was on a beautiful clear day in the month of May, 1946. We were out for a Sunday drive looking for new territory to explore and there we were at the entrance to this new development. Wide open spaces of scenic land, which I understand was at one time part of the Boeing Estate. Driving down the empty, winding roads all one could see was lovely unobstructed views of the Sound and the Olympic Mountains, breathtaking and serene. At the time there were only three houses finished in the area. One belonged to Mr. Charles Taylor, who after all these years, is still a resident.

It didn't take us long to decide that this was the place where we wanted to build our home and raise our family, so back to the land office and negotiations to purchase a lot, which we did. It was about six months before we started construction, but many times we came to picnic and enjoy this lovely place so close to the city, but so far removed from the noise and confusion of city life. We still feel this way today, after twenty-five years, despite the growth and progress around us. Many times we saw deer, raccoon, coyotes, quail, pheasants and many other kinds of birds and animals. In fact, we still do. Just two weeks ago I was greeted in my garden by two baby coyotes and last evening we saw a mother raccoon and two of her strip-faced babies. Many years ago, after we had lived here a short time, we even had a big black bear for a guest, but he ambled away and we never saw him again. We picked gallons of wild blackberries and, as older residents will agree, there were masses of beautiful white Dogwood blossoms in the Spring.

By the time we moved into our nearly completed house in the Spring of 1947, there were two or three more houses under construction. It was so quiet at first that the sound of a car passing was a novelty. Our first Winter here was one of the coldest we have ever had with temperatures dropping to eight degrees above and snow that seemed endless. There were no sanding trucks covering the hills in here in those days and one might as well have been living in the far North. Getting out of here was a problem but it was a Winter Wonderland and we loved every minute of it and still do. It is hard to believe that such a lovely untouched area has grown to be a very heavily populated community with approximately five hundred homes. However, with the large lots they plotted, the green ravines still intact, the friendly people, we still find it a great place to live and I feel that most of the other residents living here now will agree with us.