A Brief History

It was 1840 when a man named Headley set up a small sawmill on 25 acres of timbered land in an area called Summit Grove.

Observing the horse and wagon travelers that came through the area, Mr. Headley constructed some buildings and offered wagon repair and livestock feed, but what travelers in those days appreciated most was the “eat house”, a welcome stop to rest, catch up on the news of the day, and of course, eat.

In the early 1900’s, the Curtis family purchased 15 of the 25 acres, opening what they called “Fountain and Barbecue”—an eight chair cafe. With the arrival of the horseless carriage, they were the first to install a single gas pump, which remained standing into the 1980’s.

Of historical note, Summit Grove gained the distinction of being one of the “very first” restaurants in the State of Washington.