PIONEER PORTRAITS

Ten Years Ago

June 8, 2000

Volunteers prepare to move Waitsburg High School into storage in preparation of the start of the 4.5 million renovation project.

Oma Harting and Penny Hazelbaker were crowned Ms. Chilli Pepper 2000 at the second annual Waitsburg "One of a Kind" Chili Cook-Off last Saturday. Donned in outfits resembling chili peppers with green tights, Oma and Penny were chosen by the crowd's applause.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

May 30, 1985

Orville Branson was accorded a double honor by the Waitsburg Lions Club on Tuesday evening at the annual Ladies Night. He was named "Lion of the Year" by outgoing president Don Gagnon, then was installed as president of the club for 1985-86.

The Columbia County Fair float was sweepstakes winner in the DRS parade. The Patit Valley Jr. Grange was first in the youth division followed by Cub Scout Pack 337 and Rainbow Girls. Waitsburg 55+ was second in the adult division and the Grange, third.

Fifty Years Ago

June 3, 1960

Waitsburg Rainbow Girls won first prize in the Dayton Days parade last Saturday in the division of organization entries.

A Centennial program observing the 100th anniversary of Lyons Ferry is scheduled Sunday, June 5 at 2 p.m. at the ferry site on the Snake River.

Marie, Margaret and Charles Zuger entertained the eighth grade at a swimming party Wednesday afternoon at the country home of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Zuger. Assisting with refreshments were Mrs. Albert Land, Mrs. Robert Butler and Mrs. Larry Broom.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

May 31, 1935

The Waitsburg Variety store managed by the sisters Mrs. Fouts and Mrs. Elder, is undergoing extensive remodeling and is shaping up into one of the neatest stores of its' kind in the country.

H.W. Gruver, proprietor of the Waitsburg Cleaners, the local presser and clothes cleaning establishment is moving this week from the small room in the rear of Hamilton's general merchandise store into larger quarters in the rear of the Waitsburg Variety.

Waitsburg has hundreds of locust trees along our streets and avenues. Just now they are in full bloom and from the surrounding hillsides the city presents the appearance of a huge bouquet.

One Hundred Years Ago

June 3, 1910

Miss Rose Clodius and Mr. William Weller were quietly married at Walla Walla, Friday, May 27. The ceremony was performed by Judge T.H. Brents in the Judge's Chambers.

Jink Davis worked off some of his surplus energy the other day in dipping water from the irrigation ditch and pouring it into a gopher hole with a view of drowning the poor little rodent. About the time he thought he had the little fellow sufficiently drowned, some one had occasion to look into the cellar some rods away and found it well filled with water.

Geo Rice, well-known in this city, has been in town since Wednesday demonstrating the Peerless Steam Washer which seems to be making a "hit" wherever shown.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

June 3, 1885

Some of Huntsville gold seekers, who were prospecting in the Blue Mountains, were caught in a snow storm last Saturday and barely escaped. They brought back some fine specimens -of frost bitten ears and noses. There is gold on the farm, boys, if only you'll shovel it out.

Recorder Miner has just completed a census of Waitsburg which shows its population to be 497 people.

Miss Abbie Hicks and Lissie Cannon are in Walla Walla attending Commencement exercises at St. Paul's School.

Miss Abbie Hicks has secured a school to teach in the M.R. Bowman neighborhood north of this city, and will enter upon duty next Monday.

Prof. Otis Patterson closed a successful term of school on the Coppei last Friday.

The Methodist camp meeting at Valley Grove, eight miles from town, is in full blast. "C.M. Johy" holds forth with vigor and talks to the hoary old sinners like a Dutch uncle. That's what Besserer says.