History of the Building and Legacy of the Clubhouse

Still Serving the Community After 100 Years

In 1892, a Dr. Rust purchased the house (he may have been the one to build it; we're not sure) and began practicing medicine on the Plateau.

In 1909, Dr. Frederick Ulman moved to Enumclaw from Carbonado and took over Dr. Rust's practice, first renting the house and later purchasing it from Dr. Rust.

In 1925, the house became the Medical-Surgical Clinic for Enumclaw and was operated by Dr. Ulman and Dr. Staley. This was Enumclaw's only hospital. Today, a large painting hangs in the front room honoring Dr. Ulman's contributions to the community. It portrays him seated in a chair on the lawn in front of the house surrounded by children and animals.

Sadly, in 1942, Dr. Ulman died and the house was sold to the Bridge Clinic of Tacoma, which just 3 years later, in 1945, sold the house/clinic to Dr. Leonard Asmundson and Dr. Gordon Adams.

In May 1948, Doctors Asmundson and Adams donated the funds for acquisition of land, on which would be built the newly named Enumclaw Memorial Hospital. By April 1949, hospital construction was nearly finished and on June 15, 1949, the 22-bed hospital officially opened. The little hospital in the house was no longer needed and in 1950, Doctors Asmundson and Adams donated the house to the "Girls Clubs" of Enumclaw, which at that time consisted of Campfire Girls and Girl Scouts.

The house was moved from its location on Cole Street (somehwere around where the Copy Center currently sits) to its current location on Battersby just a few blocks down from the hospital. Local Masons built the new foundation and basement that the house now sits on. The White River Timber Company donated the huge wooden beams that the house still rests on and that are clearly visible in the basement today. And the "Girls Clubs" cleaned and painted and sewed curtains for their new "Clubhouse," which would open its doors to Enumclaw's youth in 1953.

Since that time, the Enumclaw Youth Clubhouse has served Girl Scouts, Campfire Girls & Boys, Boy Scouts Troops and Cub Scout Packs, 4-H and other youth organizations like Destination ImagiNation. Currently, it serves more than 200 youth in more than 20 groups, troops, and dens, including 2 separate Cub Scout Packs. And, in spite of the occasional flooding of the basement, the Clubhouse has never waivered from its commitment to support these organizations by providing them a clean, safe, and secure place to meet and hold their activities — free of charge. During the school year, on any week night, there can be upwards of 50 kids running through the house with many adult leaders and parents breathing a sigh of relief that those same 50 kids are not running through their homes!

Lasting Legacy for Generations

What a blessing to the children and the community it is to have a the Enumclaw Youth Clubhouse as the place for these youth groups to meet and hold their activities! With your support, you can help extend the legacy of Dr's Asmundson and Adams, for the benefit of children in our community involved in youth organizations that purpose community and civic service as well as social and environmental responsibility. Supported youth programs teach and encourage positive emotional, mental, and physical development of children while providing life experiences and developing skills designed to help children grow into productive and contributing adult members of our local community. Many of these programs combine indoor learning with outdoor activities to impart history, culture, exploration of the arts, physical skills, safety and first aid, personal health and hygiene, self-reliance, self-esteem, confidence, and general good character.

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