Rhs Newsletter 04 2005

History is Happening in Redmond!

The Redmond Recorder April 2005 Vol. 7, No. 4 Redmond Historical Society Our mission: To discover, recover, preserve, share and celebrate Redmond’s history 16600 NE 80th St, Room 106, Redmond, WA 98052 425-885-2919 www.redmondhistory.org [email protected] Office hours: Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, 1-4pm, or by appointment

President’s Corner Back in the “old days,” as far back as the late 1930s through the early part of the ‘70s, April would be the month when the annual slough races would take place. The smell of fuel and the sound of screaming high-powered outboard motors filled the air. And people filled the banks of the Sammamish Slough. They came from all over to view this event. This was pre-Gold Cup time. This was a big draw and the largest of the area. And the only boat race in town. These were the days we called the river the “slough” and there were a lot more curves for the boats to maneuver. The curves and bends were especially popular spots for viewing as we would want to see if the boats would be able to maneuver the turn at high speeds. It was not unusual for a boat to leave the water and end up on the bank. This was added excitement. Actually this is partly why the races ended. One of the boats left the water and struck a spectator in 1974 and that was the last race. There were two separate occasions for the boat races. The first weekend only the boats would race. A couple of weeks later the race would be with water skiers. The boats would start at Kenmore and end in Lake Sammamish, I’m thinking Gateway Grove or Idylwood. Maybe someone reading this will remember and send us the right information. After the gravel was added to the river just south of Marymoor the races ended there. In the earlier days the mill at Woodinville would make sure their logs were pulled to one side of the banks to allow enough room for the boats to pass. By the way I am only remembering back to the late 50’s and the information here was gleaned from my friend Bud Sullivan and my cousins Frank Garbarino and Jim Aries. Those fellows were actually in the races, as either boat drivers or skiers and they have trophies to prove it.

Ferry tale time This 1930 postcard, donated by Marge Mann, shows the ferry "Lincoln" docked at the end of Kirkland Ave. before its run to Madison St. in Seattle. It’s also our reminder that our April speaker, Norm Blye, will bring back that past with a photo presentation about water transportation across Lake Washington before the bridges. People on Mercer Island were totally dependent on boats. With few jobs on the island way back then, most adults had to commute to other places by ferry. Norm’s parents both worked on Lake Washington ferries and he has a love for all things water and transportation. He also claims to be the oldest Bellevue native alive, having been born in a house on Main Street in 1918! Join us on April 9th, 10.30-noon, at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center. By the way, Marge and her husband, Frank, rode on the last ferry to Kirkland from Seattle in 1940.

Judy Aries Lang

The Redmond Recorder 4/05

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History is Happening in Redmond!

2005 Meetings All @ 10:30 am Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center 16600 NE 80th St. Second Saturday of the month: April 9, May 14, June 11, Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12 _________________________

History Mystery: Helen Turcotte A young girl, about four years old, was left by her parents in the care of an unmarried Redmond resident, Helen Turcotte, c. 1940. The girl was retrieved by her parents two or three years later and is today wishing to know more about Helen Turcotte, who may have had other foster children or who may have worked at an orphanage. The only information we find on Miss Turcotte is from her obituary of 1974: She was born in Palouse, Minnesota, and was a long-time Redmond resident, residing at 16610 NE 179th Street. She also belonged to the Holy Family Parish. If you have any further details about Helen Turcotte, please contact Nao Hardy at [email protected] or (425) 883-3866.

2005 Executive Board Judy Lang, President Naomi Hardy, VP Miguel Llanos, VP Teresa Becker, Treasurer Margaret Wiese, Corresponding Secretary Beryl Standley, Recording Secretary Board of Directors Terri Gordon Tom Hitzroth Jon Magnussen Amo Marr Daryl Martin Doris Schaible

90 or Better? Are you at least 90 years young? Or do you know someone with links to Redmond who is? If so, the Society would like to send birthday cards to these very special people. Please phone Amo Marr at (425) 868-4094 to get added to the list.

The Redmond Recorder 4/05

Old Redmond Walking Tours Return If you live in Redmond, you probably drive along Leary Way daily. But do you know the histories of our oldest buildings? Like which one was both an undertaker’s premises and a bordello? Society board member Tom Hitzroth will educate and entertain folks with walking tours that explore those histories. This year’s dates are: April 17, May 15, June 19 and Sept. 18. Tours run from 1-2:30 p.m. and walkers meet on the front steps of the Justice White House. Walks won’t be held in the rain! A $6 fee helps fund Society research and pre-registration is required. To do so, e-mail Tom at [email protected] or phone our office at (425) 885-2919.

You’re Invited to Northwest Afternoon TV Show KOMO has invited us to be in the audience for the April 13 taping of their Northwest Afternoon show. In exchange for bringing at least 15 people, they will air a public service announcement about the Society during the program. Folks need to be at the Seattle studio from 2pm-4pm, and we’ll be carpooling. If you’d like to join us, or have questions, contact Judy Lang at (425) 823-3551.

From the 1928 East Side Journal Classified Ads!

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History is Happening in Redmond!

Were You at our March 12th Meeting? These Folks Were: Alexander, Margo Anderson, Eric * Ballisty, Sharon Becker, Teresa Lang Bohan, Heidi * Cisneros, Nancy DeBlauw, Karen Easley, Jim * Eggleston, Dave * Elduen, Violet Cook Garland, Lillian Garrity, Yvonne Lampaert Goetschius, Millie Goetschius, Russell Goshorn, Herbert Goshorn, Jean Etta Hahnlen, Charlotte Everson Haines, Steve Hall, Suzanne * Hall, Tom * Hammersberg, Clara McSparran Hammersberg, Jerry Hardy, Jerry Hardy, Naomi

East Side Journal

Harrison, Howard * Himes, Chris Ingersoll, Jo Ann Isackson, Duane Isackson, Joanne Kraft, Gloria * Kraft, Jim * Lambert, Lyn Lampaert, Roy Lang, Judy Aries Llanos, Miguel Lyons, George Lyons, Jackie Magruder, Joan Martin, Daryl Martin, Ward Matthews, Doris McCormick, Elma Mercer, Betty Miller, Larry Moffett, Ben Moffett, Leena Montgomery, Mary Murphy, Ed

Nov. 15, 1928

The Redmond Recorder 4/05

Olson, LeRoy Peterson, Dean Rockenbeck, Margy Rosenbach, Patsy Cook Rosenbach, Ruth Ann Schaible, Doris Shults, Avis Solomon, Brad Sorweide, Bessie * Sorweide, Roland Stoneback, Phyllis Standley, Beryl Tollfeldt, Anne Tollfeldt, Harvey Torell, Jerry Vallene, Arlyn Warner, Norma Watkins, JoAnn Weber, Doug * Weiss, Rose Williams, Audrey Williams, Larry *First-time visitor

East Side Journal May 10, 1928

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History is Happening in Redmond!

Can You Help? We need to transfer: • Old 8mm film to DVDs. • Audio cassettes to CDs. If you have the means to do so, please contact Judy Lang at (425) 823-3551 or [email protected]

Help Redmondisce

Thank Yous! A heap of historical thanks to these great people for donating treasures, expertise, time and energy! Chris Himes for addressing the Lions Club at their luncheon. Janet Smith-Wolfheim for donating records of the Redmond Girl Scout Troop #388 from 1948 to 1957. Tony Emmanuel for the daily record of wells dug by H.O. Meyer Drilling Co., which his son Tracy found inside a building wall. Gloria and Jim Kraft for donating a 1941 Redmond High School yearbook. Norma Warner for donating her entire collection of “On The Waves” newspapers from the Kirkland shipyards during WWII. Virginia Gibbs for donating the booklet of historic Eastside photographs.

We’re always looking for anecdotes and stories of Redmond to share in the newsletter. Send them along to [email protected] or via US Mail to the office, care of Miguel Llanos.

Margaret Evers Wiese for a postcard advertising O’Brien’s Turkey House. Avis Shults who gave us articles about her mother-in-law Florine Shults, who became Redmond City Clerk in 1956. Judy and Cletus Barry for the photograph of the Redmond Volunteer Fire Department in their uniforms in front of their emergency vehicles. Richard Grubb for the collection of papers documenting his community activism.

Free Family Research Class Redmond Regional Library will show you how to access U.S. federal census data up to the year 1930. A librarian will demonstrate how the Ancestry Library Edition Database indexes and displays this information, and will provide hands-on practice time for those wishing to search for ancestors. The free class is April 27 at 6:30-8:30pm. Registration begins April 1st. Register in person or by calling the library at (425) 885-1861. The Redmond Recorder 4/05

Clara and Jerry Hammersberg for donating a late 1800s display case that was originally from the Snohomish Hotel.

LeRoy Olson, middle, for donating storage space to house old farm equipment and other Society items. And thanks to City employees Alan Reznick, left, and Walt Berry for helping with the move!

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History is Happening in Redmond!

Redmond Historical Society Members Through March 12, 2005 Below is a list of folks who have joined or renewed for 2005. If you’ve paid but are not on the list, contact Teresa Becker at [email protected] or (425) 822-4456. If you’d like to join, please mail in the form on Page 6. Alexander, Margo Anderson, Leslie Argo, Jane Bechtol Barker, Bill & Katherine Forgue Bean, Ronald & Susan Becker, Teresa Beeson, Barbara* Best, Brad* Bishop, Judith Swenson Blair, Dusty Watts Bohan, Heidi Burhen, Ray & Tove Campbell, Selma Carlson, Inga Carlson, Maurice Chew, Audrey Hall Cole, Richard Conway, Yvonne Couch, John & Lynn DeJong, Cory & Lorraine Diesen, Charles Elduen, Violet Cook Emmanuel, Tony & Betty Evers, Ethel Cotterill Fosberg, Ruth Friends of the Redmond Library Frey, Stanley Garbarino, Frank Garland, Lillian Gilbert, Evelyn Goetschius, Russell, Mildred & Sandra Gordon, Terri Gorlick, Audrey Gossard, Clinton & Beth Hahnlen, Charlotte Hall, Tom & Suzanne Hall, Patricia Hall, Terry Yoshitake Hammersberg, Art Hammersberg, Clara & James Hammersberg, Gary Hanscom, Dorothy

The Redmond Recorder 4/05

Hanscom, Martha Hansen, Tom & Lucille Hanson Bellings Hardy, Benjamin Hardy, Jerry Hardy, Naomi* Himes, Chris Hudson, William & Carolyn Hussey, Linda & Leon Ingersoll, Jo Ann Isackson, Duane & Joanne Isackson, Lloyd & Diana Jeppesen, Tony & Joanne Jones, Jean Marie Kenyon Jovag, Patricia Weiss* Joyce, Barbara Weiss* Kent, Sharon, Harold & Jennie King, Marie Lampaert, Glenn* Lampaert, Roy* Lang, Allen & Carole Greene Lang, Angela Lang, Judy Lavender, Teresa & Goold, Jeff Leland, Bea Everson Lentz, Charles & Mary Ellen Llanos, Miguel* Lucarelli, Lucia Lyons, George & Jackie Magnuson, Gene & Cheryl Magnussen, Jon* Magruder, Joan Mann, Marge Marr, Clare Marrs, Carl & Patricia Martin, Daryl* Martin, Ward Matsui, Dorothy McCormick, Elma Mellquest, Frank & Gerry Mercer, Betty Miller, Larry Montgomery, Mary Kirkpatrick

Morelli, Dante Morris, Allison Nabors, Gladys Neal, Marion Norton, Robin, Ray Norton/Carol Kavanaugh O'Neil, Tim & Mary Pat Peckenpaugh, Carolyn Carlson Pickett, Virginia Porter Porter, Fred & Donna Radtke, Hank Randolph, Mary Green Reed, Frances Rice, Pauline Robertson, Jeanne Robinson, Vivian* Rockenbeck, Bill & Laurie* Rockenbeck, Margy* Rosenbach, Patsy Cook Schaible, Doris Scheef, Carrie Scott, Claudia Martin Shults, Avis Solomon, Brad, Jenny and family Sorweide, Rollie & Sandra Standley, Beryl, Craig & Charles Stevens, Vern & Dorothy Swan, Ted & Barbara Sween, Faye Swenson, Robert Thomas, Tom & Kay Tollfeldt, Harvey & Anne Torell, Jerry Watkins, JoAnn Watts, Don* Weiss, Rose Westlund, Joanne Wiese, Margaret Evers* Williams, Larry, Audrey & Lois Woodside, Arleen Yoshitake, Frank & Miye *Lifetime members

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History is Happening in Redmond!

Heritage Art Contest

Help Cut Newsletter Costs If you receive the newsletter via US Mail and have access to email we ask that you please try subscribing via e-mail instead. Not only will you help reduce costs, but the photo quality is much better in e-mail! To sign up, e-mail [email protected]. If it doesn’t work out you can always go back to US Mail.

We’re proud to sponsor, along with the Redmond Arts Commission and the Eastside Association of Fine Arts, the first ever (as far as we know!) Redmond Heritage Art Contest. Whether you’re new to the art world or established, we encourage you to enter ($8 fee for up to 10 pieces). First ($300), second ($200) and third ($100) place prizes will be awarded and selected entries will be displayed in the Old Schoolhouse lobby from June to July as part of Derby Days. The Society hopes to acquire one or more pieces and its aim for the event is to promote our mission – in this case via artwork! E-mail [email protected] or phone Miguel Llanos at (425) 869-9806 for an entry form. Deadline to enter is May 23.

Join the Redmond Historical Society 2005 dues And help discover, recover, preserve, share and celebrate Redmond’s history! Levels of Membership (Check 1 only)

Trailblazer (Student)............... $ 5.00 Pioneer (Individual) ............. $ 20.00 Homesteader (Family) ......... $ 35.00 Entrepreneur (Supporter) ... $ 200.00 Corporate (Business) ......... $ 250.00 History Maker (Lifetime).$ 1,000.00 All Contributions are Tax Deductible

Please make checks payable to: Redmond Historical Society Mail To: Redmond Historical Society Attn: Membership ORSCC, Room 106 16600 NE 80th Street Redmond, WA 98052

Name__________________________________________________ Phone ______________________ (Please print your name exactly as you would like it to appear on your name tag for general meetings.) Address _____________________________________________ City _______________________ St ________ Zip _________________ E-Mail Address ________________________________________ Birth Date (MM/DD/YYYY) __________________________________ If Family Membership, other names to be included: _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like a short, one-liner on your name tag (e.g. Charter Member, or Pioneers Since 1903), enter it below:


      Is your business rooted in Redmond? If so, Redmond Historical Society is looking for a partner who, in exchange for a tax-deductible financial donation, would be allowed to reach our 1,200 readers via this space and on our Web site at www.redmondhistory.org. Contact Miguel Llanos at [email protected] or (425) 869-9806. The Redmond Recorder 4/05

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