Talk:John Frank Stevens

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John Frank Stevens discovered Stevens Pass? When, in the 1890s? That's hard to believe. Didn't Isaac Stevens send railroad survey crews through the pass in the 1850s? Isn't the pass named for Isaac Stevens? Sources for this information? Pfly 18:59, 30 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Actually, I found this information in the book Puget's Sound; it seems true.

Stevens Pass question
From the text of the article, it's difficult to figure out if he discovered Stevens Pass. It's obvious it was named after him, but I'm not sure if the article is saying he discovered it too. Thanks--Omarcheeseboro (talk) 16:28, 23 January 2009 (UTC)

JF Stevens did indeed discover the pass named after him. Several books on the subject of the pass do indeed give him credit. One book, "The Great Northern Railway, A Pictoral Study," by Wood, Pacific Fast Mail publisher, 1979, is a good reference.SDP45 20:27, 15 March 200p (PDT)

I do not believe that Stevens Pass was "discovered" by John Frank Stevens. I will agree that he discovered the best route to take a railroad bed through, but the pass itself was used by the indigenous tribes in the area for centuries before the arrival of the white man. Thereafter it was used by many a settler/traveler making his way from Central to Western Washington accross the Cascade Range. Having grown up in a small town about 40 miles East of Stevens Pass and living all my life in this State, I was taught that the pass was named after Isaac Stevens, a strong advocate for the settlement of Washington and the first Territorial Governor of Washington Territory. I strongly suspect that your reference source is flawed. I'll continue to use the statements from the Washington State History textbooks that I studied in public school. Sorry, but that was many years ago and I do not recall who published them although I do remember two of my teacher's names. Thanks! User JimboBear Not intended as an edit, but as a comment on the talk page. JimboBear —Preceding unsigned comment added by JimboBear (talk • contribs) 04:36, 15 August 2010 (UTC)

-- "Noting its relationship with a low crest in the mountains, he (John Stevens) sent (Charles Fredrick Beals) Haskell to make the survey. The latter carved "Stevens Pass" on a cedar tree in the heavy forest, and thus the engineer's name was to be perpetuated in the Cascades" Quote from: Ralph W. Hidy and Muriel E. Hidy, John Frank Stevens: Great Northern Engineer, 1969 Foot noted: Daniel C. Haskell, ed., On Reconnaissance For the Great Northern: Letters of C. F. B. Haskell, 1889-1891,28;Stevens Recallections