“Is this thing on? Is this thing on?” – Mayor Dewayne Milford
In the Pilot Episode of Twin Peaks, Special Agent Dale Cooper addressed the townsfolk of Twin Peaks at the Town Hall. With thanks to the now defunct InTwinPeaks.com, I take a deeper diver into this Washington state film location.
THE LOCATION
The “Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town” states the Town Hall is located at the corner of Falls Avenue and Cedar Street in Twin Peaks.
In reality, the building is located at 31905 (or 31903) Myrtle Street and McKinley Avenue in Carnation, Washington. The 6,400 sq. ft building originally opened as a Grange Hall in 1928. The images below are from Bing Maps in 2014.
GRANGE MOVEMENT
In a 1995 historic overview of Carnation, Washington by Christine Savage Palmer (no relation to the Palmer family from Twin Peaks), she describes how the Grange movement of the late 1800s came to King County, Washington:
“Oliver Hudson Kelley, a U.S. Department of Agriculture official and member of the Masonic Order, worked with six other men from the government, clergy, banking and landscape architecture professions to form the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, also known as the Grange, on December 4 , 1867 in Washington, DC. It was the first and most important of the farm organizations that developed in the post-Civil War period …Â
The White Pine Grange reorganized in Tolt in 1916 as Snoqualmie Valley Grange No. 238 on February 25. The Patterson Creek Grange No. 683 was organized by 28 Tolt farmers on March 18, 1918 (Bagley, 811). King County farmers enjoyed a prosperous decade resulting in a resurgence of the Grange movement during the 1920s (Payton, 1995). As a consequence of this prosperity, Tolt enjoyed the services of both a Grange Store constructed on Tolt Avenue in 1925, and a Grange Hall constructed on Myrtle Street in 1928.” (Page 19)
The home was last sold in November 2015. In the Google Earth image above, it appears the home has been completely remodeled since the sale took place.
About two years ago, HotPads.com listed this place as a townhouse and included interior and exterior photos. The description read:
“Historic building in Carnation, WA. Soaring 14 foot ceilings with huge windows, Second master bedroom, Individual laundry, maple hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, individual entrance, desk, common gazebo.”
APPEARANCE IN TWIN PEAKS
This means the inside now looks completely different than what we saw in the Pilot Episode. Luckily, Charles from InTwinPeaks.com visited the site in the late 2000s and took photos. Let’s examine the scene.
The scene opens with Twin Peaks residents gathering inside the hall.
According to the first draft of “Northwest Passage” dated December 1988, there was an additional scene prior to this interior shot:
They head [Cooper and Truman] towards a side entrance in city hall. We MOVE to PICK UP a group of REPORTERS, milling around between a few television new crew trucks in front of city hall and STAY WITH one REPORTER, taping a stand-up news report in front of the hall’s imposing mahogany doors.
REPORTER
I’m speaking to you tonight from in front of the Town Hall of Twin Peaks, where, Â just behind me, the City Council and Chamber of commerce have called an emergency session to discuss the tragic events that have rocked this remote, peaceful community. How will the community react? We’ll be here to bring that news to you as soon as it’s available to us.
I wonder if Cyril Pons (a.k.a. Mark Frost) would have done the stand-up shot?
Here’s a look at the same view from InTwinPeaks.com.
Cooper and Truman, who didn’t arrive late despite Cooper’s fascination with the town’s gazebo, discuss rabbits. Maybe it really was all about the bunny all along?
Enter the “most beautiful woman in the state” – Josie Packard. She sits next to Pete Martell in the front row.
She is soon visited by “glad handing-dandy” Benjamin Horne who was previously seen speaking with Catherine Martell as Pete walked into the hall.
I love these shots of the happy Martell and Packard clan.
MAYOR MILFORD
Mayor Dewayne Milford calls to order the town meeting. According to the first draft of the “Northwest Passage” script:
“At the podium, with some considerable effort, DWAYNE MILFORD, the frail, eighty-six year old Mayor of Twin Peaks, nearing the end of his 23rd consecutive term, gavels the meeting to order and speaks into the microphone.”
I’ll discuss his deleted scene in just a moment.
Enter The Log Lady.
This is the first close-up look of Margaret Lanterman, The Log Lady in Twin Peaks.
Charles took these image for InTwinPeaks.com of the same light switch that the Log Lady used.
While this was the introduction of The Log Lady, she actually appears earlier in the scene, standing quietly in the back of the room holding her log.
Mayor Milford attempts to address to town but begins wondering if his microphone is on.
Dejected, Sheriff Truman helps Mayor Milford to his seat.
Special Agent Dale Cooper addresses the citizens.
Here’s an opposite look at the interior of the town hall location from InTwinPeaks.com
Cooper continues speaking.
I’ve always imagined the painting behind Cooper is supposed to represent Twin Peaks. I wonder where it is located today.
This may be one of my favorite shots from the Pilot Episode. Most likely all locals from the region hired to be extras in this scene. Do you know any of them?
I mentioned earlier there is a deleted scene for Mayor Milford. I was so happy it was included on the 2014 Blu-ray release. I always found it odd that his speech was cut short and was curious what he said. The 1988 first draft contains his speech, which was basically shot but not included in the Pilot Episode:
MILFORD
“We have all today shared in the grief … the grief that flies to death. The tragic death of young Ms. Palmer. So beautiful. So innocent. And this grief is attended by fear. And tonight, it preoccupies us. To help assuage our fears, I give you Sheriff Truman (it was “Steadman” in the original draft).”
The script picks up with a speech from Sheriff Truman which I wonder if it was actually shot too.
TRUMAN (STEADMAN)
“Folks, I’ll get right to the point. Laura Palmer was brutally murdered. It looks like Sharon Pulaski (ed. note – Ronette’s original name) barely escaped the same fate. When Sharon turned up across the state line, this became a matter for the FBI. And after hearing what Agent Dale Cooper had to tell me, I, for one, am grateful for his and the Bureau’s help. I think you’ll feel the same way. Agent Cooper?”
MORE SCENES IN CARNATION
The Town Hall isn’t the only scene filmed in the town of Carnation, Washington.
If you look outside the windows of the Double R Diner in Seasons 1 and 2, you’ll notice storefronts. They were shot along Tolt Avenue in downtown Carnation.
The Carnation ACE Hardware used to be the Carnation Barber Shop as seen in the episode image above. The crew enlarged photos of these storefronts and placed them outside the windows of the Double R Diner set in the series.
The downtown area along Tolt Avenue is located just down the street from where the Town Hall scenes were shot.
INTWINPEAKS.COM
Finally, this story wouldn’t be complete without a look at the original article from InTwinPeaks.com [Click to enlarge].
