Moncton Ghost Town

Stroll a paved path or walk the lakeshore to find the remains of Moncton, now part of the Rattlesnake Lake Recreation Area near North Bend. Moncton was once a stop along the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, also known as the Milwaukee Road. The town became Rattlesnake Lake in 1915 when Masonry Dam was constructed on the hillside above.

There is a hidden secret at the Rattlesnake Lake Recreation Area near North Bend. The town of Moncton was once a stop along the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, also known as the Milwaukee Road. The town met its demise in 1915 when Masonry Dam was constructed on the hillside above to provide Seattle with power and water. The dam created Chester Morse Lake, and water from the lake slowly seeped through glacial soils that lay between it and the town site. Moncton was soon submerged under the waters of what is now known as Rattlesnake Lake.

Today you can stroll a paved path or walk the lakeshore to find the remains of Moncton. When the waters are high you may have difficulty spotting the lake’s secret, but in the fall the water level is often low enough to reveal foundations, stumps, an old fireplace, and other reminders of the town that once was.