Originally named Centerville, the first Post Office at the mouth of the Stillaguamish River was established in 1870.  In 1877, D.O. Pearson opened the town's first general store, built a wharf, and, as Postmaster, renamed the town Stanwood after his wife, Clara Stanwood Pearson.

Early Stanwood area settlers logged, cleared, and diked the river delta in order to farm.  Two large lumber mills operated on the river until the 1930s.  Their lumber products were shipped by steamboat and by the notably temperamental one mile long H & H Railway, which carried goods between the waterfront and the Great Northern Railroad station.

Photo by Anne Daletski 

The D.O. Pearson House & Museum offers a wonderfully comprehensive perspective of our area.  The Stanwood Area Historical Society's 34 page booklet titled "River Rail and Road" provides details of our special little river town.   

Visit www.sahs-fncc.org for more history information and museum hours.