Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

January 15, 2009

One of Waitsburg’s community meeting spots, Ye Towne Hall, 121 Main, remains closed while the board of Directors works with its insurance carrier to assess the extent of damage to the structure. Snow loads that accumulated on the roof in December caused a slight buckling of the ceiling The facility is the regular meeting place for the Waitsburg City Council, Waitsburg Commercial Club, Meals on Wheels, American Legion, and other community events.

A warming trend after a few weeks of cold and snowy weather caused local river and creeks to fill with runoff and prompted local officials to take some proactive measures to ensure safely of local bridges and property. City of Waitsburg and Walla Walla County officials took a proactive approach. Anticipating the possibility of flooding, the City filled 500 sandbags and had them ready on pallets.

Twenty Five Years Ago

January 6, 1994

(Huntsville) When Darrel Hamilton was a boy he didn’t play with toys. He made them. “When I was 12 or 14, I made a little steam engine using a five-quart motor oil can for the boiler,” he recalled.”It was the first thing that I made that would run.” Now 70, Hamilton has fabricated an array of useful mechanical devices over his life time. And every one from scratch, like a master bailer. Today he is busy making red bearings for a large air compressor. There is almost nothing this machine doctor won’t try to bring back to life.

Joan Otterson Kennedy, who graduated in 1959 from Waitsburg High School as class valedictorian and earned a doctorate in humanities from the University of Texas, has been named an “Outstanding Professor” at the community college where she teaches. Prof. Kennedy is the daughter of the late Otto and Ruth Otterson, of Waitsburg, and sister of Jack Otterson and Marilyn Hiatt, both of Waitsburg.

The unemployment rate in November 1993, rose in Walla Walla and Columbia counties, the state reports. In Walla Walla County, joblessness stood at 6.5 percent in November, up from an adjusted rate of 5.1 in October. In Columbia County, unemployment was 12.4 percent in November, compared with 11.9 in October.

Fifty Years Ago

January 9, 1969

Photo caption: The innocent little Coppei creek let the area feel its muscle this past weekend as it went wild flooding many area along its banks and threatening homes and bridges. Here a grader which was to work on rebuilding a dike was mired in mud on the road leading to the Kermit Jones residence. The Coppei washed out a portion of road just below the Jim Hansen residence and threatened several bridges in the area.

Photo caption: The starting five for the Waitsburg Cardinals gives a cheer before the Endicott game in the local gyn. Clockwise from 12 are Jim Leid, Randy Halsey, Dan Henze, Jack Roberts and George Bodman. The Cardinals play their first league game against Connell here on Saturday.

Photo caption: A scene reminiscent of 1964 was this home on Preston Avenue surrounded by water from the Touchet. Perhaps if some of our esteemed national legislators had a hand in cleaning up after a mess such as this flood makes, they would be better able to see the need for the Touchet Dam.

Seventy Five Years Ago

January 14, 1944

Miss Mary Loundagin was installed as Worthy Advisor of the Rainbow Girls Wednesday, January 12.

Mrs. T. H. Davidson of the Huntsville entertained Sunday with a dinner for her parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Dickeson, who were celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary.

While weighing hogs at the coal shed scales, Wilmer Chichester stepped on a loose board and slipped through a hole in the platform. In falling, he struck his chin on the bumper of the car, cutting a gash that required five stitches.

Waitsburg votes will vote on the consolidation of school districts January 15.

One Hundred Years Ago

January 17, 1919

William Pullman, one of the largest land owners and stockmen in Eastern Oregon, Saturday sold his entire holdings of cattle and land to the Neace Starke Company of Waitsburg for $272,000. The sale includes 1000 acres of grazing lands in the vicinity of Baker.

School started in McKay Hollow Monday with 18 attending.

Mrs. Sarah Harmon has received word that one of the twin sons born to Mr. and Mrs. Asa Harmon at Wallowa, Ore a few days ago, died Jan 8th.

William Abbey and Wife of Redmond, Ore, spent several days in this city last week visiting Mrs Mary Murphy and the Abbey Brothers.

One Hundred Fifty Years Ago

January 19, 1894

As a result of the continued warm weather, butter and eggs are more plentiful and cheaper than usual this season of the year.

The continued blow of the warm Chinook wind accompanied by a heavy downpour for several days had a mighty effect on the streams in the part of the country with much damage resulting. The small bridge at the Whiskey Creek was removed as was the west end of the Preston Avenue bridge. The Star bridge above Dayton is gone as is the Hart bridge above Prescott.