Dash Point History

Dash Point began its gradual growth as a community not long after the turn of the century.Over the first couple of decades land was purchased from the natives by settlers who then developed their respective areas of land into a small community that grew over the century. Some of these people were Churchill, Arthur, Menzies and Wallace/Roots.

Most of the activity of the first decade on Dash Point involved the amusement and sports of picnickers from Tacoma. It was a simple matter to rent row boats from the Foss Launch Company of to catch one of the small launches owned by McDowell to make an afternoon visit or even an overnight or weekend visit.

A view of the early dwellings along Dash Point.

James Churchill, First Resident of Dash Point

In 1907, James Churchill, one of the Dash Point View Addition owners, became the first resident of the point. He and his wife, Linna, came from Minnesota. He was the local real estate agent, apparently for all four of the land developments on Dash Point. He was also a justice of the peace and often called mayor of Dash Point.He built a grocery store and a dance hall on the point.

James Churchill

Churchill's store on Dash Point

In 1912 a U.S. Post Office was added to Churchill's store. Although his wife Linna was the postmistress, it was usually James who sorted the mail and distributed it when the "Foss Lillian #9" brought it to Dash Point.

Other Early Dash Point Residents

Richard P. Milne, superintendent of the composing room of the Tacoma Ledger, was the first to build a house on Dash Point in 1907. Another early resident was Louis Eberhardt who was quite a young man with a young family. He had retired at an early age, having been successful in several real estate ventures. The Eberhardts moved to Tacoma from California and began coming to Dash Point in 1909. They built their home next to the Milne home around 1915. In 1909 J.W. Hillis and his wife Lydia came to Dash Point. John had varied careers and ended up as a real estate entrepeneaur in Tacoma.

J.W. Hillis, wife Lydia and their two daughters.

J.W. Hillis in his later years.

Dash Point Improvement Club is Organized

The Dash Point Social and Improvement Club was organized and registered on Sept. 4. 1907. The first officers and trustees were Roy Thompson, H.R. Cox, Richard P. Milne, J. W. Wood, E.J. Pannell and F.U. Main. The first meeting was held in Churchill's store. Dues the first years were $5 per year. In 1912 a new clubhouse, which included a dance hall, was built on property that was originally deeded to the Improvement Club for the purpose of a park. This provided Dash Point residents a place to gather and organize, relax, celebrate, and complain. It was the center of important meetings not only for the club itself, but for the county meetings pertaining to the destiny of the area as well.

The ladies enjoy themselves at Dash Point beach in the waves.

Life on Dash Point, Early 1900s

There were no roads to Dash Point unless one traveled across country on foot or by horse to the dirt roads that went through Julia's Gulch to the top of Dash Point hill. This is most likely the road now known as Browns Point Boulevard. It was, however, a dirt road and dirt roads in the Pacific Northwest at that time were usually impassable especially in the fall and winter months.

The Dash Point water fountain.

The water supply for Dash Point came from two wells located near the beach where today's park and parking lot are located. One well, which had a board fence around it, was for domestic purposes and served six to eight families. The other was a horse well which was in a swampy area that had murky, brackish water in it and was infested with mosquitoes.