The Mystery House – Toppenish, WA
Posted by: 
beagle39z
N 46° 22.464 W 120° 18.814
10T E 706605 N 5139154
Called the Mystery House because even today some details about its origin and use are not known, the house was built south of town near where Highway 97 now runs.
Waymark Code: WMERKA
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 07/01/2012
Views: 2
The mural was painted by Robert Walton and is located on the former, now vacant, NAPA Auto Parts building on West First St & S. Beech St.
In many ways, “The Old Mystery House” is still – a mystery. Was the old gabled house built for Chief White Swan? There are those who say “yes”, while others report in the negative.
Was father Wilbur’s carpentry class at Fort Simcoe also the builders of the three-gabled home? But Father Wilbur left the fort in the early 1880’s.
The mystery house, weathered and still standing on the Old Goldendale Road about six miles southwest of Toppenish, was built in the late 1880’s. In 1881, Bill Edgar took over the Jock Morgan property at Big Springs about two miles from where Toppenish is now located. Edgar recalled that his house and the one they called the Government House were the only two houses visible as the stagecoach from The Dalles and Goldendale topped the last ridge and started its descent to the valley floor.
According to research, the house had to be built after the arrival of Northern Pacific Railroad in 1885. It was not the old stage stop as it burned down in 1828.
The name of Charlie Newell also surfaced. However, Newell did not come to Toppenish to live until 1901. He built the old wooden Toppenish Hotel in 1902.
Later, land leveling in the area of the old house showed signs of old corrals and rotten timber and parts of harness were uncovered in 1907 and 1908. The Gossard and Waddington families were known to have resided there. Although some information seems to be accurate, much of “the Mystery House” is still a – mystery.
City: Toppenish
Location Name: former, now vacant, NAPA Auto Parts building on West First St & S. Beech St.
Artist: Robert Walton
Media: House paint on wood panels over stucco
Date: Not listed
Relevant Web Site: Not listed
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