The Ames family has an early connection to the Snoqualmie Valley, particularly around Ames Lake (named after them).
In the early 1900s, John Ames settled in the area, a few decades after the first homesteaders arrived in the community that would become Tolt (now Carnation).
When Ames Lake was an undeveloped pond
When John Ames lived in the Valley, Ames Lake was still an undeveloped natural pond. The surrounding hills and riverbanks were sparsely settled. Travel depended almost entirely on trails, wagon roads, and the river itself.
Ames saw a chance to build a small local business. The rural-yet-accessible location near the Snoqualmie and Tolt Rivers gave him both homestead potential and a business opportunity.
Ames’ cable ferry across the Snoqualmie River
Recognizing the need for a river crossing before modern roads, Ames established a cable ferry across the Snoqualmie River and provided lodging for travelers and visitors at his resort hotel, the “Blue Front,” where he hosted paying guests.
A community around the lake
John Ames created early attention to a part of the Snoqualmie Valley that might otherwise have remained undeveloped for many years. He helped set the stage for what would become a community around the lake.