Pioneer Portraits - July 21, 2016

Ten Years Ago

July 27, 2006

The “Unity Wall,” a project of the Touchet Valley Leadership Program (TVLP), will be sited in Preston Park the Waitsburg City Council approved at its meeting July 19. The wall, an iron framework set into a base of custom pavers embossed with names and-or messages by donors, will be comprised of about 300 four inch square ceramic tiles, each painted by a member of one of the three Touchet Valley communities: Waitsburg, Dayton and Prescott.

It was called Headquarters Tavern in 1982 when Bob Doré purchased the business from Louise Isley. Doré had been a Waitsburg resident for three years when he bought the tavern in September, and he put his nickname, Bullseye, on the sign outside.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

July 25, 1991

Tom Smith, who began his coaching career at Waitsburg in 1949, was inducted into the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame this past weekend at the Lewis and Clark Hotel in Centralia. Two members of Smith’s first basketball team in Waitsburg, Tom Collins and Howard Smith, were on hand at the ceremonies to see their former coach honored.

John Kenney struck again with one of the first harvest scenes of 1991, as he circled the water tanks at the north end of Main Street. It was such a notable event that The Times got phone calls saying “The fat lady is clearing her throat . . . er . . . Kenney is circling the water tank . . . harvest has officially begun, near town. Many plan to start cutting this weekend.

Fifty Years Ago

July 21, 1966

You have all heard the song “The Preacher and the Bear.” We have to paraphrase a new title this week – “The Preacher and the Fish.” Rev. Paul Skinner of Waitsburg spent a week’s vacation on the Tucannon catching some nice fish. Or at least he says so. Claims he ate all the evidence, however, so we can’t really say for sure.

Waitsburg Camp Fire girls, numbering 29, are enjoying the out-door activities at Camp Wooten this week. The large camp this year was made possible by a rummage sale held early in the spring, the funds raised being used to pay the registration fees. Adults attending the camp are Mrs. Janice John, Mrs. Mickey Saranovich, Mrs. Dick Pettichord and Mrs. Carl Smith.

Seventy Five Years Ago

July 25, 1941

Miss Margaret Mills became the bride of Mr. Harry Baird in services Wednesday evening at the Christian Church.

The R. E. A. service line through the Spring Valley district and the farmers to be served were busily engaged in “hooking up” the electric juice.

Mr. and Mrs. N. B. Atkinson observed their 60th wedding anniversary on Saturday July 19.

Capt. and Mrs. Clifford Light and daughter Janet Sue of The Dalles spent Sunday here.

They were on the boat “Mary Gail,” that burned Saturday at the plant, near Wallula. Captain Light received a few burns, not serious but all their clothing and personal belongings were destroyed.

One Hundred Years Ago

July 28, 1916

The Dayton Band will give another of their successful dances at Mountain Home Park, on the Touchet, eight miles above Dayton, on Saturday night of this week.

Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Grigsby and little song while on their way from Waitsburg to Pomeroy last Saturday, stripped a gear of the car while climbing the Marengo hill.

Ad Clark is limping around this week as a result of falling out of the hay mow onto the manger a few days ago. He says the falling didn’t hurt so badly as the terribly hard alighting.

John Meinburg and son Harold, Taylor Rodgers and B. O. Porter returned from Spokane Sunday where they went by auto to register for the hand drawing.

One Hundred Twenty Five Years Ago

July 31, 1891

Guy Wheeler, who has been camping with Mrs. J. H. Morrow and family for the past two weeks, met with some very bad luck on Saturday. He fell down the mountainside and was choked to death.

A, Mikkelsen requests us to state that if the parties who entered his orchard last Sunday and carried off his plums ever do the like again, he will have them arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. A word to the wise is sufficient and we advise the boys to keep out of friend Mikkelsen’s orchard.

Some women marry, and some prefer to keep their liberty; and some do both.