After 14 years at the Northwest Railway Museum, North Bend resident Cristy Lake is stepping into a new role as full-time Executive Director of the Snoqualmie Valley Museum. Beginning June 1, 2025, she will lead the organization through a period of growth and broader regional engagement.
The transition is a meaningful one, both professionally and personally. “It is bittersweet stepping into the role of full-time Executive Director at Snoqualmie Valley Museum,” Lake said. “Both museums are such amazing organizations that bring a rich history to our community. I love working at both museums deeply. I am sad to be leaving the Northwest Railway Museum because it tells an important story, provides a unique experience to 100s of thousands of visitors each year, and has been a home for so long. That being said, I am so excited to be able to work at Snoqualmie Valley Museum and really put in the time and passion to bring it up to the next level that it deserves to be, that our community needs it to be.”
Lake joined the Northwest Railway Museum in 2011 and held roles including Volunteer Coordinator, Collections Registrar, and Deputy Director. She helped guide the museum toward long-term sustainability by redesigning large-scale events, restructuring exhibits, and creating foundational documents such as the Collection Management Policy and Interpretive Plan. She also supported development efforts at the Railway History Campus. Lake has also worked part-time at the Snoqualmie Valley Museum for the past 19 years.
Reflecting on her professional growth, Lake expressed appreciation for the many people who helped guide her career. “It is a huge honor to step into the role, and I am so thankful to the many mentors I have had over the last 20 years to help grow my skill set to be able to step up to this position,” she said. Among those mentors, she gave special thanks to Richard Anderson. “Richard Anderson, the Executive Director at the Northwest Railway Museum, has provided so much leadership role modeling, advice, and feedback these last 14 years.”
Lake’s connection to the Valley runs deep. Her family arrived in the area around 1935, when her great-grandparents left Colorado during the Great Depression to start over. They operated a small dairy on the Issaquah-Hobart Road. One morning, while preparing to milk cows, they heard a knock at the door. Standing there was nine-year-old George Weyerhaeuser, recently released by kidnappers and dropped off on a forest service road half a mile from their farm. Her great-grandparents took him in, fed him, and gave him dry shoes before helping to reunite him with his family in Tacoma. In appreciation, the Weyerhaeusers offered her great-grandfather a job at the Snoqualmie Falls mill, and the family relocated to nearby mill housing.
Lake’s grandmother, who was seven when they moved to Snoqualmie Falls, remained in the area even after the rest of her family relocated to Enumclaw. She had close friendships with Snoqualmie Tribe families and passed down an appreciation for local history and tribal heritage. “She deeply appreciated history and the importance of the Snoqualmie Tribe and made sure to instill that passion in her family,” Lake said.
Her grandparents’ love of genealogy and historical storytelling left a lasting impression. “Between my grandparents and parents, I can’t remember a time that I wasn’t surrounded by discussions of the past, the importance of learning from it, and sharing the stories of those who have come before us.”
Lake vividly remembers the summer of 1989, when the statehood centennial and the platting anniversaries of North Bend and Snoqualmie were celebrated. During Alpine Days, her mother pulled her aside to share the Weyerhaeuser story, explaining its impact and the need for discretion due to family sensitivity.
Later that weekend, her grandparents took her to Dairy Queen and pointed out a poster showing Snoqualmie Tribe members at the base of the Falls, telling her about the tribe’s creation story. “She then told me the story while looking out the window at Mount Si. I listened very carefully and memorized it and then got to have my ice cream,” Lake recalled.
A tragic car accident when she was 12 killed her grandmother and left her grandfather seriously injured. Lake spent the next several years visiting him regularly after school, working on local community projects and listening to stories about the wars he served in, tales passed down from his great-grandfather, and recollections of the Valley’s past. “All of these continued to grow my interest in history,” she said.
In high school, Lake began volunteering at the Snoqualmie Valley Museum. After college, she returned to the museum as a volunteer, which quickly led to an internship and a part-time job. “Through the work, I developed a stronger understanding of the importance of preservation.”
She also became involved with ArtsLive, a local concert series run by women who had been friends with her grandmother. “I got to learn more about her and their histories,” she said.
In 2021, Lake received the Jim Ellis Spirit Award from the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust for her preservation work throughout the region. The award recognized her contributions to the Heritage Area Advisory Committee, her leadership during the closure of the Bellingham Railway Museum, and her broader efforts in safeguarding local history. “I am greatly honored to receive this award as a representative of the countless hours our local heritage community puts into stewarding our collective past,” she said.
As Executive Director of the Snoqualmie Valley Museum, Lake is focused on increasing engagement, building partnerships, expanding fundraising, and introducing new programming. A biweekly story time begins this summer, along with additional history talks and a presence at many Valley festivals. The museum plans to expand its newsletters, apply for grants, host after-hours events, and explore walking tours and field trips.
“In July, a new book, Images of America: Snoqualmie Valley, will be published. Additional books will follow in the coming years,” she said. The museum’s gift shop is being revamped with a new selection of history-themed merchandise, and high school internship opportunities are also in development.
The museum is also partnering with other historical societies across the Valley to increase outreach and resource sharing. With the help of a King County Doors Open Facilities grant, all of the museum’s storage areas will soon be fully climate-controlled, enabling the organization to help preserve collections from the lower Valley as well.
Lake hopes to eventually bring consistent, curriculum-based programming into local schools. “Through partnership, we can provide enough manpower to cover nine elementary schools with a consistent curriculum offering.”
She emphasized the critical role of volunteers and staff in sustaining both the Snoqualmie Valley Museum and the Northwest Railway Museum. “Non-profits in general and museums specifically cannot do the vital work they do without the support of a team of people who give their time and talent to the community,” she said. “Each person in a non-profit brings something to the table. In return, you can build a sense of place for yourself and others, help care for an essential fabric of society and have the reward of giving back. It is all about serving the mission.”
The Snoqualmie Valley Museum is located at 320 Bendigo Blvd S in North Bend and is open Thursday through Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Northwest Railway Museum continues its work this summer, including the restoration of the Snoqualmie Depot boardwalk and dormer windows, development of the Roundhouse Exhibit Gallery, and preparations for the annual Day Out With Thomas event in July.
As both institutions look ahead, Lake hopes the community will continue to take part, whether through volunteering, donating, visiting, or simply sharing stories that shape the region. She believes that preserving local history is a shared responsibility.
“What beats sharing our collective history and operating an actual train?” she said. With her deep roots in the Valley and a commitment to collaboration, Lake steps into her new role, focused on ensuring that both museums remain vibrant, accessible, and meaningful to future generations.
Comments
This is an excellent post. Clearly the Museum will be in good hands with Christy at the helm.