Every place has a history, unless it was born yesterday. Histories of places plod along in a measured way — but sometimes not so measured. Through the years, Marysville’s history of running with opportunity or bending to formidable forces has made the town what it is today.

Until the freeway came through, Marysville citizens didn’t need to travel to Everett for groceries, clothing, tools, building supplies or whatever. The town was so self-sufficient that when I asked a 1962 class of thirty sixth-graders how many had ever been to Seattle, less than a third raised their hands.

But sometimes history suffers a convulsion. Change that would normally take decades to complete happens in a dizzying rush. In the chaos of sudden change, the measured march of progress turns into a frantic grasp for survival. That’s what’s happening now in case you haven’t noticed.

Change must be expected but the magnitude or results of change can’t be anticipated. When 19th Century sternwheeler captain, Joshua Green, dropped his boat’s ramp onto Marysville’s landing, he couldn’t have envisioned the place being converted to Waterfront Park. Nor could Marysville predict that it would become a bedroom community for commuters with jobs as far as fifty miles away.

Spokane is a classic example of civic re-invention. It pulled itself up by its bootstraps after the collapse of nearby mining undermined its economy. And again after the demise of white pine mills that manufactured window frames for the nation. Again after its wheat mills were bypassed when grain was shipped to the coast. After four railroad maintenance yards were closed when locomotives switched from steam to diesel. After four WWII military facilities shut down. After auto-freight depots closed when truckers began routing themselves directly from shipper to receiver. After the downtown commercial core fell victim to suburban malls. In fact, re-invention became Spokane’s enduring industry.

Just so, Marysville adjusted after loggers turned its environs into a stump-stewn moonscape and moved on. Local farmers re-invented stump-ranches into dairy pastures and strawberry fields. A vanished fleet of gill-netters and purse-seiners that once listed Marysville as home port has disappeared. Home-town clothiers shut down under the pressure of mall merchants.

Banks and credit played a smaller role in that economy. Loggers and fishermen dealt in cash because loans weren’t available to anyone working a dangerous occupation. Instead of home mortgages, they took part of each week’s paycheck to the lumberyard to buy materials for modest pay-as-you-build homes. Many of Marysville’s older homes were owner-built by those loggers and fishermen. Today’s seniors were raised in those houses.

Mills and log dumps had their day and closed. Marysville entrepreneurs became early entrants in the pleasure boat business. Johnson Boats, Reinell, Bayliner, Glasply, Livingston. It is difficult to find a Marysville family that didn’t draw wages from a boat-builder at one time or other. But not anymore.

Through the 1960’s, Marysville’s wider reputation hinged on pies served at the Village Restaurant which at that time was situated on State Street a block or two south of Totem Middle School. Not only did it serve world-class pies but it was sited on Marysville’s main drag which was a link in the main highway connecting Seattle with Canada. Even so, traffic on that route was light enough to permit citizens to wander freely across. Two lanes with hit-and-miss curbs, gutters and sidewalks.

When Department of Transportation pile drivers began probing the flats between Everett and Marysville for secure footing, local laborers began looking forward to the soon-to-be freeway as a commuter’s dream. Jobs, shopping and entertainment lured Marysville residents to Everett and beyond. People to the south looked to Marysville for inexpensive housing. Cross-currents of comings and goings re-invented Marysville as a bedroom community. Shops and casinos to the west of I-5 hope to re-invent Marysville in terms of retailing and leisure activities.

Watch as Marysville once again re-invents itself in ways large and small—emphasis on the small. Smaller homes are selling faster than large homes. Small cars are out-selling guzzlers. Small vacations are replacing grand adventures. Small lists of needs are replacing huge lists of wants. All because small paychecks are replacing big paychecks.

Predictions are always chancy but here are some no-brainers for the New Year: Shops selling necessities will do much better than shops selling non-essentials. Medical services that address illness and injury will do better than elective surgery or personal trainers. Top-dollar restaurants will lose clientele to casual dining and home cooking. Sales of durables will continue to plummet. Consumers will put off replacement of big-ticket items which is good news for repair shops. Shoe-repair, alterations, appliance repair and car-repair shops should thrive. Thrift shops are already becoming the hot choice for teen-shoppers. Rooftop solar panels will become commonplace. Little electric cars will take care of all but highway travel. More people will step forward to help others.

A blessed Christmas and a re-invented New Year to all.

Comments may be addressed to: rgraef@verizon.net.