Gig Harbor in Pierce County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)
The Sehmel Family, Pioneers of the Gig Harbor Peninsula
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 2, 2021
1. The Sehmel Family, Pioneers of the Gig Harbor Peninsula Marker
pioneers of the Gig Harbor Peninsula
[photo of the Sehmel house]
W.L.C. Henry Sehmel homesteaded in the Rosedale area in 1884. In 1887, Henry married Dora Gummert. Dora made her way to Tacoma from Germany with a promise of marriage from Henry. They had never met, so Dora wrote Henry that he would recognize her at the end of her journey because she would have his last letter in her hand.
The Sehmels farmed their homestead and worked in the logging industry. Henry was a blacksmith by trade, a beneficial service to a growing community. Henry was considered a pioneer in the development of Rosedale and was elected Pierce County road supervisor for District 3 in 1904. Dora served as a midwife among the neighbors and boarded the teachers of the early Booster School.
Henry and Dora Sehmel had four children, Karl, Adolph, Ernest, and Elsa. Henry died at the age of 81 in 1938. Dora followed in 1949 at the age of 89. Adolph and his wife Verna built a home near his parents and had three children: Doris, Elva, and Donald. Donald, his wife Mary Ellen, and their sons Kurt, William, and Christian maintained the homestead until 2002 when it was purchased for the creation of Sehmel Homestead Park, which opened for the community in
this page online
Erected by Harbor History Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1884.
Location. 47° 20.243′ N, 122° 35.6′ W. Marker is in Gig Harbor, Washington, in Pierce County. Marker is at the Harbor History Museum entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4121 Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor WA 98332, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Peninsula Light Co. (within shouting distance of this marker); Heart of the Harbor (within shouting distance of this marker); A Living History: the S'Homamish (within shouting distance of this marker); The Salmon Life Cycle (within shouting distance of this marker); Community Spirit (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Austin Estuary (about 400 feet away); "Memory Vessel" (about 700 feet away); Two of Our Best on Mount Everest (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gig Harbor.
Also see . . .
1. Sehmel Homestead Park. (Submitted on August 19, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Sehmel Homestead Park. (Submitted on August 19, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. Henry Sehmel (1857-1938) (Harbor History Museum Blog, 2015)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 2, 2021
2. The Sehmel Family, Pioneers of the Gig Harbor Peninsula Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 19, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 19, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 545 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 19, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
