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Becoming a volunteer with IHM's Issaquah Valley Trolley is no small undertaking. Crew members in particular—that is, the folks brave enough to drive our trolley and share its history onboard—take over five hours of classroom training, learn the history, and take on a significant number of hours in "driver's ed." It's not a commitment for the faint-of-heart, but the reward is an absurd amount of fun. Congratulations and thank you to all our 2026 trolley season volunteers, inc

Volunteer Jake O. entertains a group of trolley riders in his role as conductor. Jake O. has been volunteeering with the Issaquah History Museums since 2012, serving as a trolley conductor, operator, and Board member. During our 2026 trolley season alone, Jake lent some 100+ hours of his time toward driving, conducting, and training a new crop of crew members. If you rode the trolley this season, you probably saw Jake—and we hope you had the chance to give him a hearty thanks

Jean smiles on the platform as a gaggle of trolley riders prepare to board on a 2019 Halloween trolley ride. IHM draws volunteers for all sorts of good reasons (community, professional growth, curiosity, you name it.) Jean C. came for the history—and met the Issaquah Valley Trolley along the way. A board member during the 2002 season when we acquired the #519 trolley car, Jean soon found herself immersed in the world of passionate trolley people—and found herself loving the c

Charlie (right) appears with his wife, Jean, during a 2019 Halloween trolley event. If you rode the Issaquah Valley Trolley during our 2026 season—or ever—it’s Charlie, or “Chuck” (among his various names) who you can thank for making it go. Charlie’s father was a tool and die maker whose shop was in their home garage, so he was around machines for most of his childhood. When he got his first car in high school—a 1937 Ford coupe that was then already a couple decades old—it w