PIONEER PORTRAITS

Ten Years Ago

May 12, 2011

A construction crew uncovered two murals painted inside the Legion Hall building in 1938. The works are being restored.

Val Woodworth and fellow Lions Club members prepare ribs for the annual Rib Feed at the Don Thomas Pavillion on the edge of the Fairgrounds Saturday. The event drew a crowd of 700 this year, up slightly from last year. The club prepared more than 900 pounds of ribs for the evening, which coincided with Spring Release weekend in the Walla Walla area. Rain came and went during the day, but the sun came out for part of the evening.

Three Waitsburg ensembles performed in Tuesday night’s Under My Umbrella Spring Concert. The Waitsburg School Chorus opened up the evening with a harmonious rendition of The Star Spangled Banner.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

May 16, 1996

The VA hospital in Walla Walla is now officially named the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center, after the military general who was a Walla Walla native and an American hero.

Larry and Pamela Conover of Waitsburg have announced the engagement of their daughter, Sandra Michelle, to Randy Farley, son of Dave and Renetta Farley of Dayton. A Sept. 14 wedding is planned at the Waitsburg Christian Church.

Fifty Years Ago

May 27, 1971

Days of Real Sport announcer David McConnell was speechless for the first section of the parade last Saturday. It was one of the ‘technical difficulties, beyond our control’ situations, but after the loud speaker was returned to working condition he made a nice recovery and recognized the first portion of the parade on the second time through. We all have problems, don’t we David? (Even the printers)!

Tony Hulce, 17, received a broken collar bone in a cycle accident that occurred near his home on Preston Avenue last Sunday evening. Tony was riding his bike along a ditch when he hit a bump which threw him against a sign.

Congrats to the freshman girls who took a 2nd on their “Carrosel” [sic] float. We also enjoyed the DeNova model of the Bruce Museum house.

The Waitsburg Youth Center will hold a motorcycle rally at 1 p.m., Sunday, June 6th in the racetrack parking lot at the fairgrounds.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

June 7, 1946

Lowell Houtchens, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cleve Houtchens is a Boeing service engineer and is instrumental in the flying of the record-smashing B-29 Challenger which has been flying out of Guam.

Jack Sweazy who has served as manager of the Touchet Valley Grain Growers for the past 16 years tendered his resignation. Roy Reed has been appointed as new manager.

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Harris attended the wedding of Ray Small, Jr. at the Methodist Church in Walla Walla, Sunday.

Mrs. Eunice Gagnon and Mr. Car Peck were married at a 6 o’clock ceremony at St. Patrick’s Church in Walla Walla.

One Hundred Years Ago

June 10, 1921

George McClure brought into town Tuesday a sheaf of heads of the finest-looking barley we have seen for some time. George has 30 acres of this barley on bottom land which promises a yield of 100 bushels if it doesn’t all fall down on account of the heads.

Herman Breeze and Lawrence Michelsen have gone to Long Beach, Wash. where they will occupy Mrs. P. M. Tucker’s cottage during the summer vacation.

J. L. Keiser, J.D. Taggard, and Walter Price attended a meeting of the board of directors of the Christian home for the aged in Walla Walla Monday.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

June 12, 1896

Abe White had the misfortune to fall and sprain his ankle severely, a few days ago. He was trying to catch some horses in corral and stepped on a round stone which rolled out from under him.

Jack Smith, who has the contract for the brick work on the new Academy building says there are men along about every ten minutes, seeking employment.

Rev. Barton Riggs closed his meeting at the Darden School house on Wednesday night. He had a very successful meeting, there being six conversions.

The Populists had a rousing two days picnic in this city last week. The attendance was very large and much enthusiasm was manifest. Gen. Weaver was the principal attraction.