Columbia County Sesquicentennial Celebration October 4

DAYTON-Columbia County is celebrating its 150th anniversary with many activities planned for Saturday, October 4.

The lead agency for the celebration is the Port of Columbia. The Port’s Economic Development Coordinator, Shane Laib, said an opening day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. in the Dayton Historic Depot courtyard at 222 East Commercial Avenue. Confirmed keynote speakers are Columbia County Commission Chair Marty Hall, Dayton Mayor Roger Trump, Town of Starbuck Mayor Zonia Dedloff, and 9th Legislative District Representative Mary Dye.

A free “Meet Your Neighbor” chuckwagon lunch, featuring authentic 1875-era fare catered by The Q Wood Fired Grill, is planned from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The menu includes tri-tip steak, ranch beans, sourdough bread, and apples from Warren Orchard.

Laib said the luncheon tickets are free but limited and are available before Thursday, October 2, at the Dayton Chronicle, Dayton Chamber, Dingle’s of Dayton, Locally Nourished, Fifth & Willow, Liberty Theater, Bank of Idaho, Dayton Historic Depot, and Port of Columbia’s office. Visitors from out of town can call the Port at (509) 382-2577 before October 2 to reserve tickets for the luncheon.

Watch members from Blue Mountain Artists display and create artwork at Locally Nourished, Moose Creek Café and Bakery, and the Dayton Historic Depot beginning at 10 a.m. Feel free to ask questions.

Of interest, too, is a program called Sauerkraut and Stories with Mr. Stine from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. at the Boldman House Museum at 410 North First Street. A local historical reenactor will portray Mr. Stine. Dressed in period attire and full of stories from the late 1800s, he will demonstrate how to prepare and ferment fresh vegetables for use through the winter.

Laib said there will be other living history vignettes with players portraying some of the historic characters who helped shape Columbia County, at various locations throughout the day.

Feel free to wander around town or take the guided tour at noon at the Dayton Historic Depot. After visiting the depot stationmaster, Laib and Museum Director Karina Baker will lead the group on foot to the Boldman House Museum for a visit with Stephen Boldman. Boldman bought the house for his family in 1912, and it was in the Boldman family for the next 87 years.

The tour will then proceed to the historic Smith Hollow Schoolhouse, located at 113 N. Front St., to visit with the schoolmarm. Adjacent to the schoolhouse is the Dodge Quarantine Cabin, where a soldier stationed there will explain when and how it was used.

Brewmaster Jacob Weinhard will be at Hotel Hardware at 235 East Main Street, and Dayton Founder Jesse Day will be at Hotel Dayton at 270 East Main Street. The tour will continue east to the Liberty Theater for a visit with the unconventional early resident, Minnie Moe, then proceed to the Purple House at 415 East Clay Street for a visit with physician and philanthropist Dr. Marcel Pietryski. Elizabeth Forrest Day, wife of Jesse Day, will receive visitors in the Delany Room at the Dayton Memorial Library. Finally, Elisha Ping, who campaigned for the creation of Columbia County, will be at the Columbia County Courthouse.

Stick around at the courthouse for the ice cream social featuring hand-dipped ice cream and Henry Weinhard’s Old Fashioned Root Beer floats on the grounds at 3 p.m.

The closing ceremony will take place at 4 p.m. at the Palus Museum, located at 426 East Main Street, with the unveiling of a new mural —a gift from the Sesquicentennial Organizing Committee to the community. The mural was made possible because of a generous $18,000 Wildhorse Foundation grant and an additional $8,000 contribution from the Dayton Development Task Force, Laib said.

Columbia County became official on November 29, 1875. In honor of its 150th anniversary, the Sesquicentennial Organizing Committee will have a float in this year’s Christmas Kick-Off parade, which takes place the day after Thanksgiving.

The Sesquicentennial Organizing Committee is a whole community effort, said Laib. Representatives from Columbia County, the Fair Board, the City of Dayton, the Blue Mountain Heritage Society, the Dayton Development Task Force, the Dayton School District, the Dayton Alumni Association, the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, the Dayton Historic Depot Society, the Liberty Theater, the Dayton Chronicle, the Columbia County Rural Library District, and Boe Designs have all contributed.