How times have changed. No longer is Everett called The City of Smokestacks. The lumber mills, canneries, smelters, brick factories, are long gone. Gone are the many shingle weavers who manufactured roofing shingles.

The last group, the shingle weavers, went on strike back in 1916. For five months they were on strike when Industrial Workers of the Worlds (IWW) aka “Wobblies” decided to support their cause.

The wobblies made a first attempt to enter Everett and were beaten back. Two weeks later about 300 arrived on the ships Verona and Calista. They were met with a lethal force waiting for them at Pier 2 referred to as City Dock.

The Wobblies were a labor union with ties to socialism and Anarchists. They were hated. In the name of free speech they arrived in Everett on that fatefull Sunday, November 5, 1916.

When they attempted to disembark the ships they were met by Sheriff Donald McRae who asked for their leader. They replied that they were all leaders. A shot rang out, then another and another. Within 10 chaotic minutes two deputized citizens were killed along with five wobblies with many wounded. This would be referred to as the Everett Massacre or Bloody sunday.

Today, a memorial plaque marks the location of that fateful day. the everett of today is a city of landmarks and markers.

In the aftermath on that day, the wobblies were turned around and upon arriving in seattle 74 were arrested. They were all acquitted the next year.

Why the acquittal? Why the controversy? The boats carrying the wobblies were met in Everett by some 200 armed thugs lead by the sheriff who was also wounded. The majority of the shooting came from the 200 at the docks. the wobblies were mostly unarmed. Even the two dead deputized sheriffs were apparently were shot in the back by their own compadres.