Trimble House (1847)

This house is owned by the Pioneer Washington Restoration Foundation but is available for touring through the state park.

Built in 1847 by John D. Trimble, a local merchant, the house is unique in being directly donated to the Pioneer Washington Restoration Foundation by his descendants. As a result, the house’s furnishings were owned by the family themselves, and tours depict three generations of their family.

Prior to its donation to the Foundation in 1980, six generations of the Trimble family called it home, starting with John P. Trimble. John was born in Tennessee in 1816, and moved to Washington with his wife, Adelia, in 1840. He owned and operated Trimble and Johnson Mercantile in Washington, and records suggest some of the original window treatments and other decorative elements were purchased through the store. John also served as county judge from 1846 to 1854.

Ten heirs of John P. Trimble donated the house, with furniture that had been used in the house for generations, to the Foundation in 1980. Among the restorations made was the detached kitchen in back. The wallpaper was reproduced by its original manufacturer after the original pattern was discovered behind years of plaster.