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The Corliss Family

A Family of Pioneers

Our Family

Our Family is deeply rooted in this region, with five generations calling Sumner home. The family business has grown from a handful of employees to hundreds, from sand and gravel to materials and from real estate to property development. Where others see challenge, we see opportunity to leverage our resources and expertise.

Joy in the Journey

Not every investment goes as planned. We have navigated bumps in the road, weathered ups and downs and even experienced flat-out failures. Like our forefathers before us, we remain agile in our problem-solving and learn from our mistakes. Real fulfillment comes from the journey it takes to create something new.

Simple Beginnings. Countless Investments. Outsized Impact.

Our entrepreneurial spirit drives us to find opportunities and nurture them to their full potential. A successful project is one where the community, the environment, and the developer goals are achieved. Reaching that happy equilibrium is at the core of everything that we do.

Our Tradition

1892

John "Doc" Corliss moves from Minnesota to Sumner to be the second doctor in the City.

1897

John travels to Alaska to join the Yukon Gold Rush and spends his time in an isolated mining cabin with two books: a book on geology and the bible.

1905

John buys 160 acres where the Sumner plant sits today.

1914

Tim and his father John sell sand and gravel using hand shovels, wheelbarrows, and horse-drawn wagons. Grandpa Tim quits school to work full time.

1919

The first gravel plant; a big structure with the tiered screens that separate the rock/gravel/sand using lots of water is built on the property by Henry Kaiser.

1929

During the Great Depression, the gravel business is shuttered while Tim and his wife Vera working in the Tacoma shipyards.

1945

First two mixers purchased when Harry returns from WWII

1958

Harry opens a concrete plant in Federal Way with partner and friend Doug Clerget.

1966

Harry Corliss acquires the Weyerhauser sand and gravel lease in Enumclaw from the Moulden family (formally Tougal and Olson). Immediately builds a new concrete batch plant.

1969

Harry buys 100 acres of property from the Lipoma family just south of Thun Field Airport and opens Puyallup sand and gravel.

1974

Tim Corliss joins Corliss full time.

1976

Scott Corliss joins Corliss full time.

1995

Harry purchases the Sunrise Master Planned Community.

2001

Corliss purchases the 64-acre Kelley Farm from the Svinth family.

2003

Scott Corliss remodels the Sumner batch plant and builds a state-of-the-art batch plant and maintenance facility.

2003

Eric Corliss comes to work full time at Corliss.

2004

Harry Corliss officially retires from operations.

2005

Steve Corliss comes to work full time at Corliss.

2021

1892 Capital Partners is founded.

2021

Corliss Resources INC sold to Lehigh Hanson.

2022

Steve Corliss transitions from Corliss Resources to Corliss Management Group.

2022

Corliss acquires ten additional industrial, retail, self-storage, and mineral resource properties in Western Washington.