Skykomish River looking upriver from the Reformatory Hill toward Monroe c1912
Monroe Historical Society photo #891

Until flooding in the 1930s moved the main channel, the Skykomish River ran further to the north at both the east and west ends of Monroe. On the east side the river crossed what is now Buck Island and then turned south around Monroe. Woods Creek now runs in the river's old channel there. But after passing under the Lewis Street Bridge, the river pushed slightly to the north again before heading west to Park Place where it turned sharply south around Reformatory Hill, which can be seen here. This photo taken about 1912 looks east up the river's old channel from Reformatory Hill with Monroe in the distance.