Among the early settlers of the Minnehaha community were Mr. and Mrs. John Nolan, who came here from Iowa Hill, California in 1868. Mr. Martin Nolan, brother of John, preceded the family by several months and located here in east Minnehaha.
Mr. Nolan raised wheat and potatoes, which he took to Vancouver and Vancouver Barracks to sell and trade. He used a team to do his hauling over a trail through forests so thick that he was obliged to stoop to get under overhanging limbs.
At that time the deer and bear were plentiful and often the children were sent out to watch the shocks of grain to keep the deer from tearing and eating up the wheat and the bear from carrying off the pigs and young calves.
Ten children were born on this place and all grew to be men and women. They got their first schooling at the McCarty school house. This required a walk of about three miles over a trail that wound about through a dense forest.
Mrs. Nolan relates that at first their taxes were $9 on the 320 acres and when later they were raised to $11 they protested vigorously.
Mrs. Nolan was 78 years old in April of 1928 and aside from being slightly hard of hearing she is in perfect health. She makes her home with her children and at the time living with her daughter Mrs. Arthur Smith of East 30th Street, Vancouver.