Not too far east of Snoqualmie Pass, just 90 minutes east of Seattle, is the small, historic town of Roslyn. The 19th century town of 900 has a four block business district, whose century old exteriors look largely unchanged from the time the city was founded to mine a significant coal deposit nearby.
Roslyn was founded as a 'company town' by the Northern Pacific Railway. The ready access to coal so close to their rail line was extremely serendipitous. The company built over 500 houses, as well as community centers, to support the mining and support operations. It is estimated that over 80% of the coal remains in the nearby deposits, but the gradual replacement of steam locomotives to diesel powered locomotives eventually made the mines unprofitable. By 1963 operations had ceased.
There is enough of the small town / old town feel that make it a tourist draw. It is also a great filming location for productions seeking a readily available, postcard view of a 19th century western town. The business district has been featured in the 90s TV series "Northern Exposure" as well as the more recent "Man in the High Castle."
A significant amount of the town's population departed as the coal operations wound down, but today there is a healthy business environment here. The nearby development of the 6400 acre Suncadia resort community with 2000 residential units and over 500 home sites has certainly been an important economic factor for the continued success of the town's businesses.
The nature of providing a workforce for the mines in the 1880s brought an incredibly diverse group of laborers to the town. This is reflected in the small cemetery just outside of town. There are 26 sections of distinct ethnic groups.
