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Noel V. Bourasaw, editor 810 Central Ave., Sedro-Woolley, Washington, 98284 Home of the Tarheel Stomp Mortimer Cook slept here & named the town Bug
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Pete Beletsky and his stump

Residence in a stump       One of Mother Goose's old women solved th4e housing problem by living n a shoe. And then, of course, there was the crooked pedestrian who walked a crooked mile and after a sequence of crooked adventures died happily with a a crooked cat in a crooked house. And, oh yes, so was the mouse.
      But a story on our own front page the other day, with a picture, was the first time ever we heard of anybody living in a stump as a solution to the housing problem, which is what Peter Bilecki of Sedro-Woolley is doing. It appears that Pete simply would not be stumped and so now he is, but you know very well what me mean.
      Cedar is beautiful wood and moreover it is virtually timeless, so rot-resistant it is and moths give it a wide berth and we fancy that Mr. Bilecki had these advantages in mind when he chose a sizable cedar stump and emulated the woodpecker, an eminently sensible bird in most respects.

Any time, any amount, please help build our travel and research fund for what promises to be a very busy 2011, traveling to mine resources from California to Washington and maybe beyond. Depth of research determined by the level of aid from readers. Because of our recent illness, our research fund is completely bare. See many examples of how you can aid our project and help us continue for another ten years. And subscriptions to our optional Subscribers Online Magazine (launched 2000) by donation too. Thank you. We recently visited our newest sponsor, Plumeria Bay, which is based in Birdsview, just a short walk away from the Royal family's famous Stumpranch, and is your source for the finest down comforters, pillows, featherbeds and duvet covers and bed linens. Order directly from their website and learn more about this intriguing local business.

      We have heard of a man who built a house out of cedar and there seemed to be something in the essence of the wood that discouraged paint, but the tenant of the fragrant cedar stump confronts no such problem. For the weathering of a cedar stump is one of the dark woman's dearest formulas and the tenant has a silver house in the wildwood.
      Oh, one can think of many advantages of living in a cedar stump, nor is the saving of money the chiefest of them. To reside in a cedar stump, with a half dozen good books to read — one of them Walden, — would so effectually educate a man that presently few, if any of the urgent, exaggerated, terrifying and perplexing problems of this worried old world any longer would stump him. The wild rabbit would come to his doorway, the deer to his spring.

• Original 1948 Courier-Times story about Pete Beletsky, the Stumphouse Man.
  
• Follow-up article from Portland.
  
• Reader Joanne Brawley's corrections of the original 1948 story and her personal memories of her friend.
  
• Portal section with all links for the history of Northern State Hospital from its planning to opening to closing. It has been our best-read story for the past five years, more than double the readers of any other story on the site.
  

See this Journal Timeline website of local, state, national, international events for years of the pioneer period. Did you enjoy this story? Remember, as with all our features, this story is a draft and will evolve as we discover more information and photos. This process continues until we eventually compile a book about Northwest history. Can you help? Remember; we welcome correction & criticism. Please report any broken links or files that do not open and we will send you the correct link. With more than 700 features, we depend on your report. Thank you. Read about how you can order CDs that include our photo features from the first five years of our Subscribers Edition. Perfect for gifts. You can click the donation button to contribute to the rising costs of this site. See many examples of how you can aid our project and help us continue for another ten years. You can also subscribe to our optional Subscribers-Paid Journal magazine online, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in September 2010, with exclusive stories, in-depth research and photos that are shared with our subscribers first. You can go here to read the preview edition to see examples of our in-depth research or read how and why to subscribe. You can read the history websites about our prime sponsors Would you like information about how to join them in advertising? Our newest sponsor, Plumeria Bay, is based in Birdsview, just a short walk away from the Royal family's famous Stumpranch, and is your source for the finest down comforters, pillows, featherbeds andduvet covers and bed linens. Order directly from their website and learn more about this intriguing local business. Oliver-Hammer Clothes Shop at 817 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, 90 years continually in business. Peace and quiet at the Alpine RV Park, just north of Marblemount on Hwy 20, day, week or month, perfect for hunting or fishing Park your RV or pitch a tent by the Skagit River, just a short drive from Winthrop or Sedro-Woolley — doubling in size for RVs and camping in 2011. Joy's Sedro-Woolley Bakery-Cafe at 823 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley. Check out Sedro-Woolley First section for links to all stories and reasons to shop here first or make this your destination on your visit or vacation. Are you looking to buy or sell a historic property, business or residence? We may be able to assist. Email us for details.

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