Setting the Stage – Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department Exterior in Season 1

This Setting the Stage article is the first in a three-part series about the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department’s exterior. Originally, I wanted one story containing all the exterior shots of the building. After analyzing the captured images from the first three seasons, I realized I needed three articles to capture the details. This first story focuses on the pilot and the first seven episodes – 1.001 to 1.007 – from Mark Frost and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.

WHERE IS THE TWIN PEAKS SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT LOCATED?

The Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department is located at 7001 396th Dr SE in Snoqualmie, Washington. When the pilot was shot in early 1989, the Sheriff’s Department location was the Weyerhaeuser’s Snoqualmie mill office. With operations starting in 1917, the mill was the company’s second manufacturing facility. Today, the office building houses Dirtfish Rally School.

The building is located off 396th Dr. SE, which is the same road that Special Agent Dale Cooper uses to “drive” into the town of Twin Peaks.

In 1948, Weyerhaeuser acquired the Snoqualmie Falls Lumber Company and operated the mill as the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company. Based on my research on the excellent Snoqualmie Valley Museum, it appears a new mill office was constructed around 1947-1948. The building is the same one that is seen today on the property and was used extensively in the pilot episode and Twin Peaks: The Return as the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department.

The building, as seen in the Twin Peaks Visual Soundtrack  released by Warner Music Vision, provided a closer look at the memorial to William Willard Warren.  According to LivingSnoqualmie.com, he “played a very important role in the evolution of the town of Snoqualmie Falls and Lumber Company.” The bronze likeness and sundial once located outside the building was one of four memorials in Snoqualmie Valley. It was purchased with small donations from W.W. Warren’s workers following his passing at the age of 45 in 1921. I invite you to read this in-depth article about the former, but now missing, sundial monument.

The first time viewers see the exterior of the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department is in the pilot. This is shortly after Sheriff Harry S. Truman receives a call from Pete Martell about a body “dead, wrapped in plastic” he discovered outside of Blue Pine Lodge. Sheriff Truman grabs his coat and exits the building.

Sheriff Truman drives away from the Sheriff’s Department in his navy Ford Bronco. Look carefully in this scene and you’ll spot a reflection of the camera crew on the side of the vehicle.

The Twin Peaks Pilot contains a second exterior image just before Special Agent Dale Cooper and Sheriff Harry Truman examine the contents of Laura Palmer’s Diary. It’s also the scene where Cooper holds the small box of chocolate bunnies.

In episode 1.001, Special Agent Dale Cooper is seen walking toward the building’s front entrance after enjoying breakfast and “exceptional” coffee at The Great Northern Hotel.

A closer shot of the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department sign is seen in episode 1,004. This shot appears just before Deputy Andy Brennan, Sheriff Harry S. Truman, and Special Agent Dale Cooper are shown looking at files from the Lydecker Veterinary Clinic.

In Twin Peaks episode 1.006, a Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Deputy car passes in front of the office. This scene takes place prior Deputy Andy Brennan confronting Lucy Moran.

Later in episode 1.006, the Sheriff’s Department is shown at night during a rainstorm.  Unlike the previous daytime shot, Truman’s Ford Bronco is joined by a tan-colored 1989 Buick Electra.

The headlights of a deputy’s car illuminate the Buick as it drives by the office.

Agent Cooper drove to Twin Peaks in a 1981 blue Dodge Diplomat. It could be his vehicle or another member of the law enforcement team. We’ll see the Buick Electra (and other variations of the Buick) in other episodes … but that’s for another time. The scene cuts to the team preparing for their visit to One-Eyed Jack’s.

The corner of the Sheriff’s Department is briefly shown as Leo Johnson flees the scene in the pouring rain. A vehicle is strategically placed on the right side of the screen.

According to the map above, the scene was shot at the top left corner of the building. The crew placed a white light around the back of the building to help illuminate Leo running away. You can explore this scene in detail in this Twin Peaks Blog article.

Episode 1.007 closes out the first season of Twin Peaks. Another nighttime establishing shot is used prior to the scene where Deputy Andy Brennan is celebrated as a hero for saving Sheriff Harry Truman. This establishing shot is similar to one scene from episode 1.006.

One final glimpse of the Sheriff’s Department is seen in episode 1.007 when Sheriff Harry Truman and Special Agent Dale Cooper return from Calhoun Memorial Hospital. You can briefly see the back of Agent Cooper exiting the vehicle through the Ford Bronco’s windows.

Click here to take a look at the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department as seen in the second season.