In 1854, four Donation Land Claims were taken out at what would later become Orting.  Daniel Varner’s claim was the site of most of the Town of Orting.  Adjoining his claim on the westerly side was the Henry and Margaret Whitesell claim, which lies within today’s city limits, as does the next westerly claim of Thomas Headley. Adjoining them again to the west was the Daniel Lane family claim bordered by the Puyallup River at the fork.

     The following year in October, the Indians went on the warpath and the settlers fled to fort Steilacoom for protection. Only the Lane and Whitesell families returned to their claims after the war.

     For several years, the early families of the Orting area had to go to Steilacoom for their supplies and to have their grain ground, a trip taking several days.  The roads were mere trails and it was common practice to carry tools in the wagons to chop away fallen trees.  Although the beginnings of the Sumner-Orting road were made in 1865, no bridge was built over the river until 1877, the same year the railroad built its lines through Orting to the coal mines at Wilkeson.

     With the railroad coming in, the operation of the mines, and the plentiful timber for logging, the settlers began to trickle into the area.  The introduction of hops as a valley crop caused many to turn their fields into hop growing, and the settlers began to prosper.

     Daniel Varner’s land lay unclaimed for several years.  When it was sold to a man named George Gunson, he too abandoned it, and it was referred to as, “The abandoned claim of George Gunson."

     But, about 1880, Frederick E. Eldredge, a graduate attorney, came to Orting to teach school.  Although everyone else was superstitious about taking over an abandoned claim, he knew the law and saw an opportunity to take over a good piece of property.  He filed a contest of the Gunson claim in court…and won.  Soon after, he filed a townsite plat and the town of Orting was born with Eldredge as its first mayor.

     While Eldredge was busy developing a town site, the farmers were also busy growing hops, and often could not find enough workers to do the picking.  Thomas Lee, a farmer, and Eldredge got their heads together.  Eldredge wanted to populate his town and Lee needed workers.  They knew of a group of German immigrants who were working for the Spreckles Sugar Company in the Sandwich Islands.  At the close of their contracts they had been promised passage to the west coast.

     Lee talked to Henry Grimm, the Company’s bargaining agent, and Eldredge composed a lengthy letter promoting his townsite and the surrounding area.  Their efforts proved successful, for the immigrants came bag and baggage.  After working through the hop season, many of them took their savings and earnings, and bought land from Eldredge.

     In 1887, the Cascade Division of the railroad completed its lines through Orting to Tacoma, and people began flocking to the new area. The town grew and prospered by leaps and bounds, but not for long!

     The hops began to fail, and the railroad was troubled by strikes.  Hard times again set in and many who were wealthy and excited about Orting becoming an important city now found themselves poverty stricken and discouraged.  Never again (until the 1990s) has Orting seen a population growth of such proportions as it did for those too few years.

     The town was incorporated under the name of town of Orting, not just Orting, on April 22, 1889, under the Territory of Washington a few months before Washington became a state.

Population by decade: 

1. 1890, 623;
2. 1900, 728;
3. 1910, 799;
4. 1920, 972; 
5. 1930, 1,109;
   
6. 1940, 1,211; 
7. 1950, 1,211; 
8. 1960, 1,520; 
9. 1970, 1,643; 
10. 1980, 1,807, 
11. 1990, 2,106;
12.  today, 5,560.

Altitude: 197 feet above sea level.

July 1887:  First trans-continental railroad came over the Cascades through Orting to Tacoma.

 1888:  St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company formed and bought land near Orting.  Provided employment for those of Orting as well as other nearby communities.

Early day industries:  sawmills, shingle mills, lumbering operations, bucket manufacturing factory, broom factory, creamery, six saloons, a brewery, grocery and merchandise stores, bank, millinery shop, photography gallery, drug stores, hotels, post office. hardware store, funeral parlor, butcher shop, shoe making shop, newspaper (Orting Oracle), railroad round house for several engines, hop warehouse, depot and a cannery.  

First School, 1871; second school, 1879; third school, 1891 (Grades 1 through 6 attended this school until 1929 when the new grade school was built); high school built in 1951.
City Government;  One mayor, five councilmember's.

Incorporated:  April 22, 1889 as “Town of Orting.”  I believe it was 1980 or 1981 when it became the “City of Orting.”

Town Hall Built:  1925

Early Church Services:  Methodist (2), Baptist, Christian, Congregational, Lutheran and Catholic.

Early Organizations:  Masons, Odd Fellows, Good Templars, Ben Hur, Ancient Order of United Woodmen, Grand Army of the Republic, Womens’ Relief Corp.