By 1886 a number of families of Treadwell employees started to arrive. Some of the first permanent residents on Douglas Island were Richard McCormick, Nickolas King, George Shatter, Mike McKanna, P.H. Fox, and Henry Mead.
The first bakery was opened by P.H. Fox and Mike McKanna.
In 1899 mining engineer W.A Sanders agreed to give the people of Douglas "the dry knoll this side of Lawson Creek" if they would not object to his patent. He also agreed to build a road to the grounds, but declined to put it in writing and said his word was good.
Immediately after the meeting, a Cemetery Committee consisting of P.H. Fox, M.J. O'Connor, Reverand Peplogle and W.C. Boyd took possession of the knoll and ran a line from Third Street in Douglas to the area.