Celebrating Milt Swanson and the Conservation of Coal Creek
Photo courtesy of Bob Cerelli
By Elaine Duncan, Save Coal Creek Steering Committee Member
On Saturday, March 29th, the Save Coal Creek Steering Committee held its second annual birthday party for Milt Swanson, handing out slices of cake and scavenger hunt clues to hikers at King County Parks’ Red Town Trailhead. Milt, who would have been 107, spent much of his life living across the street on property recently acquired by the City of Bellevue as part of its Coal Creek Natural Area.
Birthday Party Attendees:
Back row (L to R): Peter Marshall, David Kappler, Sally Lawrence, Idris Boyd, Russ Segner, Bob Boyd, Mike Intlekofer, Steve Williams, Tom Anderson Front: Dana Gaddy with Ruth Swanson Parrott (Milt Swanson’s 102-year-old sister)
Photo courtesy of Bob Cerelli.
Milt is well known locally as the founder of the Newcastle Historical Society. He was the third generation in his family to work for local coal mining companies. Some of his collection of mining tools, used over 100 years of mining at Coal Creek, were on display at the birthday event.
Joining a life-sized stand-up figure of Milt was his younger sister, Ruth Swanson Parrott, 102, who attended the event with five family members. King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci—who was instrumental in securing a $9+ million Conservation Futures grant from the county to help fund the purchase—also attended, along with Curtis Kukal, the Bellevue Parks ranger at Lewis Creek Park.
Ruth Parrott with a cut-out of her brother, Milt Swanson. Photo courtesy of Bob Cerelli.
King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci. Photo courtesy of Bob Cerelli.
Save Coal Creek started this event last year to draw attention to the impending development of the Swanson property and continued it this year as a celebration of the property's purchase.
It was a very good day—mud and all!
SCC Steering Committee member Steve Williams. Photo courtesy of Tom Anderson.
Photo courtesy of Tom Anderson.
SCC Steering Committee member Tom Anderson. Photo courtesy of Tom Anderson.
Scavenger hunt fun! Photo courtesy of Tom Anderson.
SCC Steering Committee member and IATC Board member David Kappler. Photo courtesy of Tom Anderson.
Vicki Heck and Sally Lawrence serving cake. Photo courtesy of Bob Cerelli.
Learn more about the history of the Save Coal Creek campaign here.