PIONEER PORTRAITS

Ten Years Ago April 5, 2001

As snow flies, local youngsters are spending their spring break working with their livestock in preparation for the annual livestock show.

Councilman Wayne Peterson has been elected mayor of this fine city, taking over for H.V "Bill" Zuger, who has served as mayor for the last three years.

Touchet author-descendant Philip Mulkey Hunt sets the record straight in his self-published book, "Lorinda Bewley - Pioneer Woman, Victim of Violence." Hunt tells the real story of Lorinda, a guest at the Whitman mission at the time of the Nov. 29, 1847, massacre.

Twenty-Five Years Ago April 3, 1986

Wheat grower Chris Shaffer of Walla Walla has been elected vice-president of the Washington Post Management Control. He is co-chairman of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers Chemical Commission. He farms north of Waitsburg.

The Easter Bunny charmed everyone waiting the start of the Easter egg hunt in the Park Saturday. The kids were enchanted with Mr. Bunny.

It's time again for the annual Waitsburg Junior-Livestock Show, which will be this Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, at the local fairgrounds.

Fifty Years Ago March 31, 1961

Kay Witt, member of the Waitsburg Chapter of FFA, was selected for the degree of State Farmer at the convention at Washington State University.

Waitsburg Progressive Club, the oldest federated club in town, has installed "Welcome to Waitsburg" signs at the two entrances of the city on highway 410.

The Lewis and Clark Trail State Park will open officially for the 1961 season this Saturday, April 1. The water will be turned on and the picnic area is in readiness for the coming season.

Ray's Chapel of Flowers formerly known as Bailey Chapel will have an open house on Easter Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. in the afternoon to give the public an opportunity to view the newly redecorated mortuary.

Seventy-Five Years Ago April 3, 1936

Friday's dust storm was more disastrous than Thursday's, with a heavy rain plastering streets, windows and cars with mud.

Field work on the topographic and hydrographic studies of the Touchet River from a flood-control standpoint is expected to be completed by the last of this week.

The Choral Club met on last Thursday evening at the Mack Taylor home, with Miss Zola McDougall as hostess. There was a song practice and a social hour with refreshments.

One Hundred Years Ago March 31, 1911

R.O. Sanders, who owns a fine acreage tract on the Touchet bottom a mile east of town, has just completed the setting out of 15 acres of commercial apples.

In the baseball game here Sunday - the first of the season - between Eureka and the local nine, Waitsburg boys won with the score of 12-0.

John Kindler, who is farming the North Pacific Farm, which belongs to the Prestons, has a considerable crew at work just now. He is seeding 1,900 acres this spring, running 11 drills and five barrels. He will summer fallow 2,700 acres.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago April 2, 1886

Born in this city March 29 - to the wife of H.J. Abbey, a 10-pound boy. Mother and child doing well, according to Dr. Hicks.

H.G. Shuham this week received a ton of freight from San Francisco, charges on which were only $42.50, and yet some people are ready to cry out "the O.R. & N. Co. is a grinding monopoly."

Fourteen emigrants, all Misari, got off the morning train at Huntsville last week, all bound for the "Big Bend or bust."

A large number of Waitsburg's handsome damsels wandered to the banks of the Touchet with hook and line last Saturday. They caught a few chubs.

The largest horse of his age we ever saw is Frank McCown's 3-year-old Norman. It will be 3 years old on the last day of May and weighs 1,492. Has anyone a horse that can beat it?