Gig Harbor in Pierce County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

The Historic Finholm District

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 2, 2021

1. The Historic Finholm District Marker

Inscription.

The head of the bay business district included a post office, livery stable, general store, and real estate office. Around 1907, Swedish Captain Axel Uddenberg built his home and opened a meat market near this site. "Front Street", now North Harborview, was a hub for early business development in the community. Axel built a portion of the existing store building and the adjacent building that became the new post office in 1929. Young Johnny Finholm, son of Swedish immigrants from Finland, worked for Axel and later bought the store which he renamed Finholm's Market in 1932. He (far right [on mural]) and his brother Ed, who became a partner co-owner (far left [on mural]) are pictured here circa 1935. The store was operated by the Finholms until 1979. The buildings were sold and repurchased by Monte Hester and his wife, Teddi (daughter of Johnny Finholm) in 2001.

In honor of the contributions to Gig Harbor by the Finholm brothers and their families, and for the purpose of preserving the character of the town's historic Finholm District, the Hesters restored the building and commissioned the mural in 2015.

Erected 2015

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

by Monte and Teddi Finholm Hester.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1907.

Location. 47° 20.336′ N, 122° 35.435′ W. Marker is in Gig Harbor, Washington, in Pierce County. It is on Harborview Drive north of Burnham Drive, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8812 North Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor WA 98332, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Puget Sound Region

and in Greater Seattle.

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,

in the Inside Passage,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Our First Downtown (within shouting distance of this marker); Two of Our Best on Mount Everest (within shouting distance of this marker);

The Historic Finholm District Marker and Mural image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 2, 2021

2. The Historic Finholm District Marker and Mural

"Memory Vessel" (within shouting distance of this marker); A Pioneering Woman (within shouting distance of this marker); Heart of the Harbor (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Sehmel Family, Pioneers of the Gig Harbor Peninsula (approx. 0.2 miles away); Peninsula Light Co. (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Salmon Life Cycle (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gig Harbor.

Also see . . .
1. John and Edward Finholm (Harbor History, 2012). (Submitted on August 19, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. Finholm's Market. (Submitted on August 19, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

The Historic Finholm District Mural image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 2, 2021

3. The Historic Finholm District Mural

Finholm's Market image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 2, 2021

4. Finholm's Market

Credits. This page was last revised on August 19, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 19, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 755 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 19, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.