When the DuPont Company purchased the land for the Powder Works plant they construction crews were housed in the tar paper shacks in 1906. I also recall that some men were living in box cars as well during the construction phase. These shacks were erected at and around the 1843 site of Fort Nisqually. A boarding house was across Sequalitchew Creek from the village and was for the bachelor’s. A well , which was probably associated with the boarding house is located approx 400m east of it.

The main entrance to the plant was via the road through Old Town. The road continued across the plant and to the beach just south of the mouth of the Sequalitchew. Along this beach were a Dance Hall, a smokehouse and a boat house (DuPont Company 1908). Old town was occupied until the village was built and was then torn down. Some houses remained until the 1920′s.

During the early 20′s the DuPont Company realized the need for a place for the Children of course with the help of the DuPont Women’s Club. The following is taken from a publication in 1920.

>Forty children, some of them as young as seven years, have learned to swim in the village of Dupont, Washington, during the past summer. Others who already could paddle about have perfected their swimming and diving form until now the powder village boasts a number of youthful experts in the aquatic art.

All this is the result of a playground enterprise made possible through the efforts of the Dupont Women’s Club, the Dupont Company, the City Council, and public spirited citizens. First proposed by the Women’s Club in the spring of 1919, the plan found instant favor. The Dupont Company set aside a five- acre plot for the purpose of making a park and playground, and the men of the community volunteered their services in clearing the land and constructing apparatus. The Dupont Company early recognized the disposition of the people of the village to help themselves and contributed funds which were used in building swings, slides, balancing pole and ladders, giant stride, sand pits, picnic tables, basketball courts, and other facilities. An outdoor stove of ample capacity for a community picnic is a feature that appeals to the men and women of the village. The finest feature is the pool in the construction of which the City Council came forward with a portion of the necessary funds. At the edge of this stands a drinking fountain given by Mr. Cox of the Dupont Company.

At the beginning of last season the Women’s Club, backed by the Company, employed a trained play leader, trusting to the public spirit of the citizens to see the project through. Funds for the work were collected by voluntary subscription entirely. No drive has been made, and every dollar represents the sentiment of an original enthusiast or a convert to the cause. As the park and playground now stands it represents an expenditure of approximately $2,000 in addition to the labor of the citizens.

From seventy-five to a hundred children have daily thronged the playground, and in addition to the regular program of story telling and games many special events have been planned. The closing celebration of the season was an all-day picnic at American l,ake, and a swimming tournament, in which all children of the village took part. Prizes were given for the various events, and the parents had the opportunity of seeing the progress made by the children during the summer.

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While on a hunt for the old Sequalitchew Creek swimming hole from the 1920′s.  The swimming hole was constructed ca. 1920 by the DuPont Company. It was used for swimming and fishing back then and Yes, there would actually be fish in the creek. They had built an array of decking, diving board, benches and even some changing houses. UPDATE: I went back a few weeks later and embarked on the changing house side of the hole. This was much tougher of a trek it is severly overgrown and the shoreline is almost all but impossible to get to. I couldn’t find any remains of the changing houses and the only sense of any evidence of people are survey tags and streamers left by ESM, and some other companies.

Sequalitchew Creek Today on the other side that dam sits the swimming hole

As suspected upon arriving at the location it is very very overgrown and no structures appear to exist during my investigation into the area. I’ll admit I didn’t stay long  as it was starting to rain and I was still a half mile from home at this point. So I snapped a bunch of pictures and tried place them against the old photo above. I received further confirmation later that night from a life long resident of Historic Village that I was infact at the swimming hole location. Infact he commented that, “the beavers have the marsh 2 ft higher than normal”. So this would explain why I couldn’t get to the other side of the swimming hole most likely.

Considering I didn’t see anything but 1 board sticking up out of the creek that is fed by the marsh outflow I highly suspect that the changing houses on the opposite shore are no longer there, but I will be going back to at least perhaps find where they were exactly for marking them via GPS.

This is the Sequalitchew Creek Dam Head as it stands today. This was created by the DuPont Co. in the early 20′s I believe to divert the water to the power house in the bottom part of the canyon. I have included the 1926 photo for reference. ¹ 

The Flume in 1926 - For more details visit the DuPont Museum

Current Photo 

Winter provides a new look at the creek. Center of image shows what remains.