On December 7, the Tollgate Farmstead Project in North Bend was honored with the 2023 John D. Spellman Award for Historic Preservation in the Restoration category, given by the King County Executive.
This award celebrates the work done to revive the Tollgate Farm area, making it useful for local farmers and the community. This involved fixing up the old house and rebuilding the barn.
The John D. Spellman Awards are given yearly by the King County Executive to recognize outstanding work in historic preservation. John D. Spellman, the first King County Executive and Washington State’s 18th governor, started the County’s Historic Preservation Program in 1980.
Mayor-Elect Mary Miller opened the awards ceremony with a welcoming speech. Attendees included King County Historic Preservation, Si View Metropolitan Parks District, North Bend councilmembers and city staff, other King County elected officials, the SnoValley Chamber of Commerce, current and former Landmarks commissioners, the Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum, and others.
Community support through capital bond measures and grants like the Washington State Heritage Capital Projects Grant and King County 4 Culture Saving Landmarks Grant has backed Tollgate Park improvements. These funds helped turn the farmhouse into a community space. The park aligns with the City of North Bend’s Parks Element in its Comprehensive Plan.
This success is due to teamwork with Si View Metropolitan Park District, which looks after and organizes activities in city areas like this 410-acre historic farm. To learn more about the Tollgate Farmstead Project, visit www.siviewpark.org/tollgate.phtml.
