By Chelsea Royer
I grew up in an early twentieth-century, Craftsman style house. When my parents purchased the house, it was in rough enough shape that my mom felt concerned she’d never feel at home. My brother and I never had trouble feeling at home – all we saw were opportunities to play, hide, and build forts. It seemed there was no end to the tidbits of history and secrets the house could hold.
Whether it was a hidden fort behind a kitchen cabinet, an unknown space behind a wall my dad opened, or skeleton keys discovered behind the banister, there was always something new to find.
We were fortunate enough to have neighbors old enough to tell stories about our house.
At one point it was a duplex (which explains the random kitchen on the second floor as well as evidence to indicate missing or newer walls), at another it sat in our neighbors sunken garden (yes, our house had been relocated), and at its earliest, the house was owned and built by Reuben H. Fleet.
Many houses in Montesano are graced with historical plaques. We discovered one day that though our house was missing the plaque itself, the history once written on it was preserved in a pamphlet we’d received from the Chehalis Valley Historical Museum. Our next door neighbors owned the “Whitney House,” down the street was the “Hubble House” and it just so happened our home was the “Fleet House.”
Fleet is a local last name well known yet overlooked. From Fleet Street to the Fleet Park, it’s an old name settled into the very foundations of the town.
The name first settled in America in 1607 as Captain Henry Fleet sailed across the Atlantic to the city of Jamestown. The stubborn fortitude that led to journey and survival in a new land was passed down generation after generation and Reuben Fleet was no exception.
“He was dynamic in everything he did. Reuben had a great mind and terrific energy. Time meant nothing. His most inspired ideas often came in the middle of the night. And he would always act immediately to bring his ideas to fruition,” described a historical note.
David W. Fleet, Reuben’s father, was the founder of the City of Aberdeen, naming it after his military preparatory school in Virginia. He eventually became the Montesano City Engineer, County Auditor, and City Clerk. Reuben and his sister began their childhood in the City of Montesano where, at age seven, Reuben would often sneak off to teach himself how to swim in the Wynoochee River. He would eventually follow in his father’s footsteps, becoming a political leader in his hometown, real estate expert, and strong voice in the logging industry.
During the eighth grade, Reuben scored second highest in Grays Harbor County on his state exams. The first place belonged to a girl named Elizabeth Girton, daughter of the Aberdeen Herald publisher. Competitive and driven as he was, it’s no surprise that in 1908, Reuben married the smartest girl around. It was at this point, Reuben built the “Honeymoon Bungalow” – my parents’ home. With beautiful hardwood floors, wood trim and molding throughout the downstairs, and mural tiles in the fireplace, Reuben ensured the home had a caring touch.
Sadly, Reuben’s commitment was stronger to his career than it was to his marriage. Reuben went on to become a Washington State Representative, Army Major, and the head of the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation (CAC). According to historical references, CAC became the “world leader in military training planes, built seaplanes in larger numbers than all other flying boat builders combined, and…landplane bombers for World War II were produced in greater quantity than any other American Aircraft….”
Though he was a lucrative businessman and stellar military leader, Reuben wound up divorced from his first two wives. He was determined to conquer the world and it left little time for family though he would always provide for them financially.
Today, San Diego, California benefits from the work of Reuben Fleet in the form of a Science Center named after him. Montesano benefits from the park dedicated to Reuben’s parents. My family benefits from his “honeymoon bungalow” where they have lived over 18 years and raised seven children. The history of our home was a mystery that slowly unraveled over the years and kept us interested and searching for answers.
Do you live in an older house? What’s the story your home is trying to tell you? Visit your local library or historical museum and see what treasures you can find.
Further reading: “Reuben Fleet and the Story of Consolidated Aircarft” by William Wagner, copyright 1976
Photos courtesy Keith Peterson.
