Stevenson in Skamania County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

"Stump Lifter" Elected First Mayor

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 12, 2020

1. "Stump Lifter" Elected First Mayor Marker

Caption: Dr. Avary stands in from of the Avary building - 1914.

Inscription. The February, 1903, edition of the Skamania County Pioneer heralded the arrival of Dr. Thomas Carr Avary from Atlanta, Georgia who "proposed to practice the profession of medicine and to become permanently identified with Stevenson and Skamania County."
In December of 1907, Stevenson voted to incorporate and Dr. Avary became the first mayor. The Pioneer stated that Dr. Avary was elected because, "by his own hands, the doctor helped clear land equal to 20 town lots, the stump land now crowned by the sanatorium, a skillful practitioner and stump-lifter.
In the 1920's, Dr. Avary operated a clinic upstairs while the Stevenson Post Office and Alexander Drug Store occupied the lower or street level.
Ella Murray, Stevenson resident for 98 years, described the Avary Building as the "most elegant in town" for its gabled architecture, characteristic of the early 1900's

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Government & Politics.

Location. 45° 41.623′ N, 121° 53.001′ W. Marker is in Stevenson, Washington, in Skamania County. It is on 2nd Street, aka Lewis and Clark Highway (Washington Route 14) near Russell Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 198 2nd Street, Stevenson WA 98648, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Columbia River Gorge

and in Southwest Washington State.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast,

in the Pacific Northwest,

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Cascade Range,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Stevenson Washington (within shouting distance of this marker); "White Lightning" In The Back Alley (within shouting distance of this marker); Great Depression Threatens Bank (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Steamboats Docked at Stevenson (about 800 feet away); "The Great Shoote" (approx. 0.2 miles away); Bretz Floods (approx. 0.2 miles away); Wind Mountain (approx. ¼ mile away); Gatekeepers of the Columbia (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Stevenson.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 12, 2020

2. "Stump Lifter" Elected First Mayor Marker

Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, August 6, 2011

3. "Stump Lifter" Elected First Mayor Marker

Marker is on the middle beam at the entrance.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 10, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 18, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 424 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 18, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 3. submitted on June 7, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia.