Born in 1850, C. C. Filson inherited his father's pioneer spirit and love of the outdoors. After homesteading in Nebraska and roaming the country as a railroad conductor, he moved to the small city of Seattle, Washington in the 1890's.

Filson's timing couldn't have been better. By 1897, the Great Klondike Gold Rush was on, and thousands of fortune hunters were stampeding into Seattle, headed north. Armed with a strong work ethic, a reputation for honesty, and several years' experience operating a small loggers' outfitting store, C. C. Filson was ready to stake his claim to fame.