John Ames came to Tolt in the early 1900s. John Ames’ son Arthur was killed while working on the railroad. His father named Ames Lake in his honor.
In those days, there was no electricity or running water in the area. Most families simply journeyed here for the day or camped here for the weekend.
Ames built a home for his family across the Snoqualmie River from the Tolt River, now Tolt – McDonald Park. A trail from the Ames home over the hill connected to the road to Redmond. The trail was eventually widened into a good road.
Traveling across the Snoqualmie river
Ames built a ferry, which ran on a cable. He charged a small fee to carry passengers and wagons across the river. This was a popular way for the people of the Tolt community to travel: across the river by ferry and over the hill.
Ames built another building, separate from their home. He called it “The Blue Front” and took in paying guests. He drove a hack to Seattle, stopping at the Deller Hotel to tell visitors about the great fishing and hiking in the Tolt area. It wasn’t long before he convinced people to come and spend a week at his resort hotel.
