L. C. Huntamer Family Overview

Alan/Cheryl/Eric Radecki > M. Carol Underwood-Radecki > Helen Huntamer-Underwood > L.C. Huntamer

[from an unidentified Lacey Washington publication]

In the 20^th Century, Lacey changed from a farming community to a modern city. Local families have helped to provide continuity during these eventual decades. One such family was the Huntamers. Indeed, their story is closely tied to the development of Lacey.

Lourence Cleveland (L.C.) and Ellen Callent [sic] Huntamer came to Lacey from Madison, SD in 1910. Here they joined L.C.’s parents, John and Mary Hare Huntamer and his borther and sister-in-law, John and Ethel McCreedy Huntamer. The family quickly became a parto f the local community. In 1910 for example, L.C. played football for Saint Martins College.

The Huntamers purchased property from the Robbins family and eventually owned forty acres of what is now the heart of downtown Lacey from the intersection of Lacey Boulevard and College Streets, north along College to 6^th Avenue. At one time Lace Boulevard was called Huntamer Street.

Like most residents of the Lacey area at that time, L.C. was a farmer raising cattle, hogs and a variety of crops. He was also a small contractor and with his equipment, helped others to plow their fields, build their homes and install their septic systems.

During the summer months when other wells ran dry, the Huntamer wells remained productive. At the request of neighbors, L.C. started to lay pipe and provide water to them. Over time this practice grew into the Huntamer Water Service, reaching close to 3000 customers. The company became the main water service for the City of Lacey in 1968.

L.C. Huntamer served his community well by being Thurston County Sheriff for eight years (1934-1942) and being active in the Lacey PTA. Ellen Huntamer, while raising 12 children, was also involved in the Lacey PTA, 4-H, and other community affairs.

For 32 years there was at least one Huntamer child in the Lacey School. These children of L.C. and Ellen grew up to participate in areas of Education, Recreation, Church, Government, Business and Fire Fighting. In 1973, when Ellen Huntamer died in Lacey, she left over 100 living descendants and a strong family tradition of community involvement.