WHO IS JULIA? 

JULIA’S GULCH TAKES ITS NAME FROM JULIA STANEY HUGHES, A PUYALLUP-KICKITAT TRIBAL MEMBER WHO OWNED THE LAND AND LIVED ON A FLOAT HOUSE ON HYLEBOS CREEK BELOW THE GULCH.

HENRY FOSS REMEMBERS HER AS “AN EXCEPTIONAL PERSON ON THE TACOMA WATERFRONT”.  SHE LIVED ON THE FLOAT HOUSE WITH HER HUSBAND, CALLED FRENCHY.  THE HOUSE WAS ADRIFT AT HIGH WATER, BUT WAS HIGH AND DRY WHEN THE TIDE WENT OUT.  FOSS REMEMBERS A “SMALL CREEK” THAT BROUGHT FRESH WATER DOWN BUT FOR FOOD AND SUSTENANCE HER HUSBAND WOULD ROW TO THE FOSS DOCK AT 400 DOCK STREET IN ORDER TO TIE UP AND GO INTO TOWN FOR SUPPLIES.

WHEN PROGRESS ARRIVED JULIA SOLD HER PROPERTY AND MOVED TO FOX ISLAND WITH FRENCHY.

IN A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE WRITTEN IN 1965 HENRY FOSS WRITES: “JULIA STANDS OUT AS NOT ONLY A FRIENDLY AND KINDLY PERSON, BUT ALSO AS ONE WHO POSSESSED FORTITUDE, LOYALTY AND HONESTY.  I AM VERY HAPPY THEREFORE TO KNOW THAT THE NAME “JULIA’S GULCH” HAS CONTINUED TO BEAR HER NAME THESE PAST 60 YEARS.”

THE 32 ACRE GULCH HAD BEEN SLATED TO BE DEVELOPED INTO 52 RESIDENTIAL HOMESITES BUT BEFORE THIS WAS DONE THE PORT, THE CITY AND SCHNITZER STEEL INDUSTRIES PURCHASED IT AND HANDED IT OVER TO THE CASCADE LAND CONSERVANCY IN A STEWARDSHIP AGREEMENT.

THE GULCH, HOME TO MANY BIRD SPECIES AND AN IMPORTANT CORRIDOR FOR WILDLIFE, HAS UNFORTUNATELY BEEN DISTURBED BY HUMANS AND OVER RUN BY INVASIVE PLANTS.  A GROUP CALLING THEMSELVES THE “FRIENDS OF JULIA’S GULCH” HAVE COME TOGETHER TO RESTORE THIS GREEN SPACE.