In a previous article, I discussed the location of Leland and Laura Palmer’s scene in front of Mo’s Motor from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. The service center is located next to an intersection that serves as the backdrop to two important scenes from David Lynch’s feature film motion picture and Twin Peaks Part 6 on Showtime. This intersection is located at the Meadowbrook Way and Park Street in Snoqualmie, Washington.
The scene mostly takes place at the intersection of Meadowbrook Way SE and SE Park Street in Snoqualmie. The approximate coordinates for the location are 47°31’31.1″N 121°48’45.8″W.
The image above contains an aerial view of the intersection from Google Maps with the location of several key scenes from this spot.
INTERSECTION HISTORY
The intersection is located in the former town of Meadowbrook. Arthur W. Platt and Angus J. Moffat turned the 1,200-acres of land into a successful dairy empire in the early 1900s. With the Snoqualmie Mill opening just a few years earlier, Platt thought part of his land could serve the mill workers as they went to work.
In 1923, Platt and his wife turned part of the dairy farm into the town of Meadowbrook. It had a drug store, grocery story, hotel, and movie theatre. The town was eventually annexed to Snoqualmie in 1952.
EPISODE 2010
Before Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and Part 6 on Showtime, the intersection makes a brief appearance in Episode 2010 from season 2. It’s a quick transition shot from Twin Peaks High School to the Great Northern Hotel.
FIRE WALK WITH ME
When we next see this intersection, Leland and Laura Palmer are driving toward it after being followed by an erratic Mike, the One Armed Man.
They are scene driving on Meadowbrook Way toward the intersection.
CROSSWALK
In the film, a logging truck stops at the intersection as an elderly gentleman and a woman begin crossing the street. This was a crane shot, which is something I didn’t have when visiting the location.
Here is the corner of the intersection from September 2019.
This crosswalk would later be the spot of a tragic accident in Part 6.
Another crane shot of the intersection with the Palmer’s vehicle sandwiched between Mike’s truck and a logging truck.
There’s a fantastic shot of David Lynch sitting near the corner of Park Street and Meadowbrook Way found in the 1992 Cannes Film Festival press kit. Look carefully and you’ll spot the crane vehicle which was most likely used to capture the aerial shots.
The gentleman stumbles while crossing the road. Beyond him is the Meadowbrook Way bridge also seen in the Pilot Episode and Part 18. Today, the intersection has way more signs.
TRAFFIC LIGHT
It also appears the traffic light may have been added to the shot.
The transition shot in Episode 2010 doesn’t contain a stoplight. This image mayhave been shot around February 1989 (assuming it was captured as part of the Pilot footage).
It could have also been shot in 1990 when a crew briefly returned to get additional location footage for season one. Either way, it’s highly doubtful that a stoplight was added during that time.
When I first visited this location on August 10, 1996, no traffic light or stop sign was present.
My gut says an the all way stop sign was added in the 2000s and was probably a result of too many traffic accidents at the intersection. I’d have to do additional research to confirm.
Charles from the former InTwinPeaks.com visited this spot in the late 2000s and the stop sign was already installed.
MIKE CONFRONTS LELAND
Mike the One-Armed Man grows impatient at the wait so he zooms around the intersection narrowly missing the couple in the crosswalk.
Mike pulls alongside the Palmer’s car and begins yelling. In the background, you can see the athletic field lights at Mount Si High School. Trees cover that spot today and a newly constructed school building appears in view.
So much yelling while engines rev. The area behind Mike is parking for Colonial Square Apartments.
Leland stares angrily at Mike while Laura isn’t sure what to think.
The road in the background is Meadowbrook Way toward Mount Si High School.
Ray Wise does such an incredible job in this film. The range of his emotions expressed on his face are stunning.
Additional shots show Laura and Leland’s reactions to Mike’s yelling.
The out-of-focus red building was constructed in 1939. It once housed Best Putt Forward and Bucky’s Baseball Academy.
IT’S YOUR FATHER
Mike yells to Laura about her father and holds up the Owl Cave ring on his little finger.
While Laura Palmer is remembering the ring later in the film, we see a close up shot of Mike yelling while wearing the ring. These shots were most likely captured during the same scene but not used during the intersection sequence.
PULLING AWAY
Mike speeds away while Leland continues to rev his engine.
Leland releases the brake and goes flying down Meadowbrook Way.
Notice the red door on the building in the background. This location – Colonial Square Apartments – will serve as the location of Gersten Hayward’s apartment in Part 11 from season three. Hat tip to fellow Bookhouse Boy Bob Hoag for the info.
