What was it like to enter Issaquah by train 100 years ago? Soon, Issaquah residents and visitors will be able to find out first hand. On Tuesday July 31, the Issaquah Valley Trolley (a project of the Issaquah History Museums) is holding an Open House to share information with the public about the historic trolley car #519, which will celebrate its first run in Issaquah by the end of the year. The event will take place at the historic Issaquah Depot (150 1st Avenue NE) from 7:00PM to 8:30PM. The event is free to the public. Refreshments will be served.
Trolley car #519 was built in 1925 and originally ran in Lisbon, Portugal. The Issaquah History Museums acquired it in 2003 and recently sent it to Iowa to be refurbished. The car is scheduled to return to Issaquah by September. When fully operational, the car will run on the tracks from the Issaquah Depot Museum to the East Fork of Issaquah Creek. Riders will experience what it was like to come into town by rail while the conductor shares stories about Issaquah’s past.
The Open House will feature displays and videos about car #519 and the history of the Issaquah Valley Trolley project, as well as speakers and a question and answer forum. Additional information will be available for volunteers interested in becoming streetcar operators, conductors, and maintenance staff.
Please contact Issaquah Valley Trolley Project organizers for more information on this event, or to learn about volunteer opportunities (425-391-8186 or trolley@issaquahhistory.org).
