The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

[Editors Note: The following history (we’ve edited it slightly) originally appeared in the September 30, 1965 edition of The Times. We bring it back for your enjoyment. Unfortunately, this paper will cost you more than a dime.]

1881 – Washington flour mill enlarged to double present capacity. Single copies of The Times, 10 cents. Wheat market unsteady at 55 cents. Pres. Garfield assassinated.

1882 – W. P. Bruce erects home on Main Street. Wheat selling at 60 cents a bushel. Much of Waitsburg flooded by high waters of Touchet.

1883 – Waitsburg public school has average attendance of 105. Apples selling for 5¢ a pound.

1884 – Ladies Library Association lets contract for library and reading room, 18 by 40 ft. New fire engine arrives; 20-man power and will throw an inch stream of water one hundred feet.

1885 – Eggs only 10 cents per dozen and butter only 15¢ per pound. Grover Cleveland inaugurated. Wheat 49¢ a bushel.

1886 – Wheat 45¢ a bushel. City Territorial Charter granted to the City of Waitsburg. Naomi Rebekah Lodge instituted.

1887 – W. N. Smith, first teacher and postmaster died April 3, 1887. Waitsburg Academy to have new building. Telephones, sewer system and water works installed. Wheat 59¢ a bushel.

1888 – Electric lights introduced in the city. William Henry Harrison elected president.

1889 – March 28, First National Bank established. Nov. 11, Washington admitted as a State. Nov. 12, The Hunt Railroad built into Waitsburg.

1890 – School Bond election to build a new brick public school building. Issue $16,000.

1891 – City votes bonds for water system. New brick school house completed. K. of P. Lodge No., 70 organized April 16.

1892 – James W. Morgan’s new brick drug store completed.

1893 – City water system installed and accepted Jan. 14. Wet harvest.

1894 – Alto Trestle wreck August 5, Nov. wheat market 21¢ bushel; flour 50¢ sack.

1895 – First local telephone station in City, August 15.

1896 – Electric light plant (local) installed in October.

1897 – Jas. L. Dumas set out his orchard in the Touchet valley, named the Pomona orchard.

1898 – Spanish American War Co. “K” W.N.G. left for Philippines. Mustered into Federal service May 6.

1899 – Company “K” W.N.G. returned from Philippines. Mustered out November 1.

1900 – Fire, four business houses burned Jan. 8 on West side of Main Street. Loss, $10,000. Jan. 11, N. P. railroad depot burned.

1901 – Post office moved to new building (now Legion Club). President Wm. McKinley assassinated Sept. 14.

1902 – City Hall built. Militia Co. “I” W.N.G. organized. Disbanded April, 1905.

1903 – G. A. R. Post No. 40 re-organized May 20. First rural telephones installed.

1904 – R.F.D. No. 1 established May 16 with H. V. Grubbe carrier.

1905 – K. of P. building erected. Exchange Bank (City Hall) built. Cornerstone of first M.E. church laid Oct. 5. F. T. Keiser bought first auto in June.

1906 – Commercial Club organized. City sewer system installed. First Christian church built and dedicated February 4.

1907 – Waitsburg Academy disbanded in May. U.P. church disbanded. New bell for Presbyterian church presented by Mr. and Mrs. Alex Stewart.

1908 – First four-year high school course established in old Waitsburg Academy building. Present First National Bank building erected.

1909 – R.F.D. NO. 2 established. Three men lost their lives in Farmer’s lodging house fire July 25.

1910 – April 8 city voted dry under State Local Law; also voted dry again Nov. 7. State voted in favor of Woman’s Suffrage. Coppei Encampment NO. 3, I.O.O.F. organized January 21.

1911 – P.P.&L. completed high power line through city. Shuford & Sons hardware built. Main St. paved.

1912 – Camp Fire Girls organized here under Mrs. Walter Jones.

1913 – Masonic building erected. Preston Hall built and dedicated Feb. 26, 1914.

1914 – Zuger’s Garage built (now Tuttle’s). State highway built through city. Catholic church erected.

1915 – R.F.D. No. 3 established June 16. Waitsburg Garage building erected.

1916 – Deep snow of 42 inches Feb. 3 and 4.

1917 – World War I declared April 6. Registration June 5.

1918 – November 11 Armistice signed ending World War 1 hostilities.

1919 – Samuel W. Southard Post No. 35, American Legion, organized Sept. 29.

1920 – Robert Kennedy, who settled on the present site of Waitsburg in 1859, first permanent settler, died Dec. 30, 1920. October wheat price $1.82.

1921 – First Legion Home here dedicated Sept. 24. Located on Preston Avenue. Wheat price 97¢.

1922 – Paved highway to city opened October 16. Pythian Sisters (K. of P.) organized May 18. Wheat 98¢.

1923 – Preston Avenue paved. Boy Scouts organized here in April. Wheat price 94¢.

1924 –October wheat price $1.35.

1925 – New concrete bridge built at the end of Main street over Touchet river. October wheat price $1.15.

1926 – Cornerstone of new high school laid. New Presbyterian church building dedicated May 25. Price of wheat $1.28.

1927 – City swimming pool constructed at approximate cost of $5,000. October wheat price $1.13.

1928 – Neace Theatre built on Main Street. First Legion home burned June 2. October wheat $1.05½.

1929 – New Legion Hall dedicated April 9. Touchet Valley Grain Grower, Inc. organized here Dec. 20. October wheat price $1.06½ .

1930 – Beginning of world-wide depression. October wheat price here 62¢.

1931 – Concrete bridge built across Touchet on Preston Avenue. October wheat price 33½ ¢ per bushel.

1932 – James H. Adams, postmaster, died May 2. He was the first postmaster to die while holding office.

1933 – Bank holiday declared by president Franklin D. Roosevelt. R.F.C. setup during summer. Oct. wheat price 52 ½ ¢.

1934 – January – March, the city dikes built, C.W.A. Project No. 36-23. October wheat price 68¢.

1935 – March 24 heavy dust and rain storm (mud storm). October wheat price 361/2¢.

1936 – July 15 at 11;10 P.M. severe earthquake. No major damage. Lighter shocks followed. Wheat 89¢.

1937 – Days of Real Sport held May 28-29 under auspices of American Legion Post NO. 35. Wheat price 81¢.

1938 – Waitsburg Grange No. 1 re-organized here March 11. October wheat price 47 ½ ¢.

1939 – High tower of Methodist church lowered. Last G.A.R. (H. V. Grubbe) died Nov. 6. Wheat 69 1/2 ¢.

1940 – Oct. – Nov., Christian church steeple taken down. New phone dial system installed Dec. 27. Wheat price in October 61 1/2¢.

1941- World War II attack on Pearl Harbor December 7. Wheat price in October 81 1/2 ¢

1942 – Bozeman (Pictsweet) Cannery starts construction, Wheat pice $1.01.

1943 – Government rations and restrictions on almost everything; food, gas, etc. U.S. soldiers from M.P. battalion at Camp Dayton; helped in cannery here. Wheat price $1.24.

1944 – February – March, New school district boundaries divided into five parts. German prisoners of war from Camp Dayton worked in cannery. Wheat $1.34.

1945 – V.E. Day May 8. V.J. Day August 14 – end of hostilities. Wheat $1.45.

1946 – Housing shortage is city problem. October wheat quoted here at $1.67.

1947 – July 10, blackout dist storm. Dec. 6, vote on school bond issue of $200,000 to build new Elementary school building. October wheat $2.46.

1948 – Old grade school brick building razed and new school building started. October wheat $1.97.

1949 – Green Giant buys PictSweet cannery plant here. New elementary school completed. Wheat $1.92.

1950 – Shrine Ceremonial held here. Waitsburg Motel built and opened. Touchet Flood Control Dist. organized. Wheat $1.97. Official U.S. Census, 1,010.

1951 – Academy Reunion June 23 – 44 years after last graduating class. Wheat loan basis $2.06.

1952 – Vote to retain City Territorial Charter. Contracts let for sewage disposal plant and water distribution improvement. Days of Real Sport cancelled. Wheat loan basis $2.06.

1953 – Eureka-Burbank road surfaced. Wheat loan $2.08.

1954 –New building erected for St. Mark’s Catholic Church.

1955 – First National Bank sold to National Bank of Commerce of Seattle. Green Giant Co. cannery operates only 8 days of anticipated 31 day run. Ukiah Lumber Co. installs mill at Huntsville.

1956 – Committee to contact landowners for Touchet irrigation flood control district. Ice Harbor Dam project started.

1957 –Preston-Shaffer Milling Co. votes to discontinue in business, closes all its’ mills and office. Boise Cascade Corp. locates at Wallula.

1958 – New street lights turned on by Bill Dickeson. Commercial club holds first salmon barbecue for members. Catherine May elected to Congress. First woman from this district to hold the office.

1959 – Wheat fires plague farmers in area. New post office building is occupied in time for Christmas.

1960 – Lyons Ferry observes 100th year of operation. Local citizens approve bond to improve swimming pool. Official U.S. census 1010.

1961 – Waitsburg receives all number dialing for telephones. Community stock show building under construction. Wheat yield down 50% in area due to rust. Market price of wheat $1.84., government loan price $1.73, Gaines wheat introduced.

1962 – Voters approve bond issue to build new gym. Green Giant builds freezing plant at local factory. Ice Harbor Dam dedicated. Lolo Pass completes Lewis and Clark Highway.

1963 – “Days of Real Sport, Inc.” observes fifty years of horse racing. Voters approve dog leash law. Lions Club organized.

1964 – Fire razes grade school kitchen, cafeteria, multi-purpose room. Touchet Valley Irrigation district approved 128-4. Rampaging Touchet floods Waitsburg Dec. 22. Damage estimated at $250,000.

1965 – Engineers avert second flood of Touchet. Waitsburg observes its one hundred years of existence. Single copies of The Times 10 cents.