Rhs Newsletter 06 2004

History is Happening in Redmond!

The Redmond Recorder June 2004 Vol. 6, No. 6 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: Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, 1-4pm, or by appointment

President’s Corner

June 12th Meeting: Native Americans

We celebrated the Society’s 5th anniversary at the May meeting Katherine Forgue Barker, a Snoqualmie by collecting memories and Tribe member, will sharing with friends. James speak of the area’s first Robinson told a funny story settlers and her mother, about the Justice White House. Edweena Forgue, whose Cousins Jon Magnussen and beauty was captured in Joann Jeppeson shared stories about their families, which have a Barney Reilly print been around Redmond since the and short story. early 1900s. Stan Frey also shared a story about his family living in a log house in the Redmond area. This was a party to remember with more than 70 history friends in attendance. We even had a present, a door prize won by Loren Moesch, who also won at the first meeting he attended. Our thanks to Accents Etcetera, which donated a mug filled with tea and goodies. The store is located in the building where Bechtol Drugs and Dr. John Way’s office were. Charles Lentz lightened our hearts with a story about Roy Buckley. Roy, one of our board members, passed away May 1st. We miss him dearly, and speaking for our board, I extend our deepest sympathy to his family. The earliest birthday parties I remember always included Elinor Cerqui. She lived on the farm with us and was like a sister to Angie and me. No party was complete without her. Mom’s friends Thelma Brashears and Peggy Martin and their daughters Linda, Carolyn and Arlene would also go. My mom and Peggy have passed away and all the girls live out of town. However, occasionally I talk to Thelma and visit with Daryl Martin, Peg’s husband. Daryl helps us out at our Saturday Market booth and by keeping history alive at our meetings and office with stories of the “old days”. Those old days will someday include our 5th birthday party, and I’m happy to say
it  was     wonderful.  

The Redmond Recorder

Perrigo Springs Dedicated

Photo by Naomi Hardy

With Perrigo Springs running between them, Perrigo relatives pose at the dedication. From left: Charlene Johnston Sugden, Willow Morris Guptill, Wendy Johnston Conover, Jackie Morris Norris, Chase Brotton Morris and Kristine Gray Underhill.

Once Redmond's only source of drinking water, a small stream emanating from natural springs on Education Hill has been dedicated with the name locals had called it back in the late 1800s: Perrigo Springs. The Snoqualmie Falls Chapter of the Daughters of the American Colonists made it happen, and on May 19 presented a plaque and willow tree. The plaque commemorates pioneer William Perrigo, who owned the land that today we call Education Hill. Mayor Rosemarie Ives, Perrigo relatives and water department staff participated in the dedication. Perrigo Springs can be reached from behind Hartman Park, walking east down the fire access trail, or from Avondale Road, turning onto 180th Avenue NE and following it about a quarter mile as it becomes a gravel path. The Society especially thanks Winifred Sihon, a DAC chapter regent, for making this moment in Redmond’s history happen!

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History is Happening in Redmond!

2004 Meetings All @ 10:30 am Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center 16600 NE 80th St. Second Saturday each month June 12 Oct. 9 Sept. 11 Nov. 13 _________________________

2004 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 Larry Hoger Amo Marr Doris Schaible Veronica Smirnov

Remembering Roy Roy William Buckley, a Society board member and Redmond native, passed away May 1 after a battle with stomach cancer. He was 82. Roy and his parents, Margaret Farmer and Frank Buckley, contributed invaluably to our town, being instrumental in Derby Days from its start, and in Redmond Little League when it was first played in a cow pasture where the Bear Creek Safeway is today. Roy’s dad even made the ceremonial bat for the first pitch, seen at left. A Redmond High graduate, Roy served in World War II, later married Dorothy Nyquist and worked for Boeing. Naomi Hardy writes: Roy was a genuine, old-fashioned gentleman with a wry sense of humor. He was proud of his family and proud of being a Redmond resident. He provided the Society with countless memorabilia and photographs of Redmond’s past, and loved sharing his memories of life in a small, valley town.

Roy had joined the board in 2003 and was quickly talked into coordinating volunteers for our Saturday Market booth. A few days before his death Roy phoned to say he’d found a new potential volunteer. He now rests at Cedar Lawns Cemetery, where friends gathered to pay their respects as a soldier played Taps. Among those present were Society members Charlie and Phillip Lentz, Ray Adams, Violet Elduen, Patsy Rosenbach, Marjorie Costello, Amo Marr, Margaret Wiese, Beryl Standley, Terri Gordon, and Betty Anderson. We miss you Roy, but we know you’re looking down on us smiling, and ready to crack a joke.

Young hands at Old Redmond Cemetery No Monday Hours We’ll be closed Mondays until a volunteer comes forward. If interested, contact Judy Lang at 425823-3551.

Volunteers Needed Redmond Saturday Market We have a monthly booth starting and need help staffing for 2-hour shifts. Contact Miguel at 425-8699806 or [email protected]. Videos, oral histories Transfer videotapes to CDs; taping oral interviews. Call Judy Lang at 425-823-3551.

The Redmond Recorder

Shlomit Weil-Piechenick writes that she was driving past the Old Redmond Cemetery on Sunday, April 25, when she “caught” some wonderful people on the premises. Being the curious type, she found out they were Boy Scouts with Troop 596 of Sammamish. “I got out of my car, shook their hands and blessed them on behalf of the Redmond Historical Society,” Shlomit says. The clean-up was an Eagle Scout project by Taylor Short, who organized 35 volunteers, contacted the cemetery and stores for supplies. Thanks so much Taylor!

Photos by Tom Short

Taylor Short polishes a headstone above. At left, a group photo.

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History is Happening in Redmond!

Derby Days & Horses

Redmondiscing…

If you own a horse and want to join the fun, we’re corralling riders and their mounts for our entry in the Derby Days Grand Parade on July 10. Contact Terri Gordon at 425-881-3622 or [email protected].

Fire Fashion

Photo by Diane Emmanuel

What’s left of Henry Isackson’s Dodge sits on 244th and Fall City Highway.

Henry’s Green Truck By Tony Emmanuel

Euc LaBrie models the slightly used assistant fire chief’s jacket he donated at the April meeting.

Guess the year? (Answer on page 6)

The Redmond Recorder

The year was 1961. Before the road up to the house was paved, no truck could climb the hill. The cement trucks ruined the dirt road for future use. The bank needed to be built with rock, using a back hoe and loader before paving, and we needed deliveries NOW. $50,000 trucks with shiny chrome wheels and shiny paint jobs couldn’t get up the hill. We hand-hauled some lumber, but the time had come for girders and beams. Henry Isackson generally supplied large custom beams. I remember once, I explained to Henry, “I’ll need a 6x16x24 foot with 3 or 4 inches of vertical grain on the bottom of the bow.” Henry would scratch his head and squint his eyes and in a little while he’d say, “Oh, yes, I know where I have a tree I could get that out of.” Three or four days later, here’s Henry at the bottom of the hill with a load of beams on the old green Dodge truck. He walked the road to determine his path. Then he told me where to stand. He told me to signal to stop if he got within a foot of the edge. I was to give no other signals. Only stop. Then he would get out of the truck and check for himself if needed. He put the old Dodge in compound low and chug-chug-chugged up the hill with the speed of a slug. There was no hesitation, no stalling, no slipping and no chrome wheels. He stopped at the top, cranked on the parking brake, or the emergency brake as we called it then. He got out, walked around the truck, looking at the wheels. I hurried up to him with a big smile on my face about to congratulate him on his unique and magnificent work when he said, “Well, start unloading, I’ve got to get back.” Henry was kind enough to make two or more deliveries, whether it was his lumber or not, until we could pave the road so the fancy trucks with 500 horsepower engines and lots of chrome could deliver. 3

History is Happening in Redmond!

Your Society’s First Five Years

‘Mystery’ Man identified

May 29, 1999: 1st meeting at Redmond library—22 folks attended

Naomi Hardy writes: An overwhelming response makes it clear that last month’s mystery man, Elmer Carlberg, was a mystery only to me. I knew of Elmer from news clippings and the memories others had shared about the eccentric local historian, and now I have a face for the good gentleman. Violet Elduen, Patsy Rosenbach and Liz Carlson Coward all identified their relative. Liz wrote, “Elmer William Carlberg was born in 1894 in Woodinville, then known as Hollywood. His parents were Julia Andersdotter and John August Carlberg. Elmer never married and lived his entire life in the Hollywood house where he was born. He died in 1987 at the age of 93.” Rod Ingersoll recalls Elmer raised wool in the Sammamish Valley, where he visited the writer and historian regularly. Marjorie Costello, Rose Weiss, Jeannine Elser Gill and others phoned to provide a picture of a most interesting local character. When away from home, Elmer always wore an overcoat and hat as seen above. He never owned a car, driving a horse and buggy well into the 1950s. Folks were used to seeing Elmer walking everywhere, and it seems to a person, they all stopped to give him a ride. Duane Isackson remembers his father Henry giving Elmer rides, and taking up the practice himself when Duane began driving. Roger Rettig says Elmer was a “walking history book” who never needed to hitchhike because everyone knew him and stopped to give him a ride. Like others, Pierre Bruneau recalls the Carlberg home, a castle-like structure of hodgepodge styles that fit a man warmly described as “a wonderful character.” The Redmond Recorder

Today we have: An office Offsite storage for large artifacts A rich Web site More than 200 enthusiastic members A newsletter received by over 700 households City support via grants, office and meeting space Some accomplishments so far: 1999: Helped to pass City regulations for historic buildings, sites 2000: With the City & Marymoor Museum created the history kiosk in O’Leary Park and wrote a walking tour brochure 2001: Received a $10,000 grant from Bill and Laurie Rockenback 2002: Produced a historic barns calendar 2003: Joined Redmond Chamber of Commerce 2004: Helped organize dedication of Perrigo Springs Contributed photos for the new Marriott Hotel What’s in our archives: Oral histories transcribed as volunteers are available Autobiographies like Frank Mann’s “Life on Bear Creek” A video library of our meeting speakers Some 4,000 scanned images Hundreds of Sammamish Valley News issues A large collection of Redmond obituaries A growing “Timeline of Redmond,” now at 400 entries A “Who's Who in Redmond Past and Present” Some 20 other timelines and lists relating to local history Ongoing work A seat on the City Heritage Grant Committee Provide info and photos for Focus magazine and Redmond Reporter Provide research for the City Create displays for locales around the city Offer tours of Redmond’s historic downtown Participate in Derby Days Grand Parade Run a booth at the Saturday Market Monitor maintenance of the Old Redmond Cemetery In the works: Redmond Reflections book is due out this summer NW Chapter of American Indexers has volunteered to index our Sammamish Valley News issues


Historic street signs in conjunction with the City Collaborating on a history of Redmond’s fire department

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History is Happening in Redmond!

Thank Yous! A heap of historical thanks to these great people for donating treasures, expertise, time and energy to support our mission!

Claire Raaum for donating a videotape, The Long Trail 1853, which recounts the Naches Trail Expedition JoAnn and Dick DeMeules for safekeeping and donating 40 years of the Redmond Trailblazers’ records, and to Terri Gordon for facilitating the donation Violet Elduen for the photograph of the Happy Valley Women’s Club, taken at Matilda Carlson’s home Feb. 2, 1956 JoAnn Robinson for Marion Quackenbush’s 1928 Redmond High autograph book Norma Warner for the dozen local history books, which are a great addition to our library Tony Emmanuel and Water District Commissioner Bud Lewis for the NE Sammamish sewer and water system map Connie Dozier, Marge Hanson, Daryl Martin and Arlyn Vallene for staffing our Redmond Saturday Market booth Patsy Rosenbach for copies of the Sammamish Valley News Accents Etcetera for donating the door prize at last month’s meeting Russ Goetschius, Marion Neal, Pat Marrs and Rose Weiss for filling in at the office Lillian Garland for donating an early map of Washington state

The Redmond Recorder

Were You at our May 8 Meeting?

These folks were as we celebrated our 5th year:

Becker, Teresa Lang Bordelon, Peggy Brulé, Kay Nichols Bruneau, Bernadine Cash, Romni* Cisneros, Nancy Costello, Marjorie Stensland Couch, John Elduen, Violet Emmanuel, Tony Foreman, Diane Foreman, Jan Frey, Stan Garland, Lillian Gilbert, Evelyn King Gordon, Terri Gorlick, Audrey Goshorn, Herbert* Goshorn, Jean Etta Groen, John* Groen, Luke* Guptill, Willow Haines, Steve Hammersberg, Clara McSparran Hammersberg, Jerry Hardy, Jerry Hardy, Naomi Ingersoll, Jo Ann Jeppesen, Joanne* LaBrie, Euclid Lampaert, Roy Lang, Angela Aries Lang, Judy Aries Leicester, Norma Lentz, Charles Llanos, Miguel Magnussen, Jon* Marr, Clare (Amo) Marrs, Carl Marrs, Pat Martin, Daryl McCormick, Elma

McCoskrie, Don McCoskrie, Eileen Mellquest, Gerry Radtke Miller, Larry Moesch, Loran Moesch, Marilyn Lampaert Montgomery, Mary Muñoz, Alexa Murphy, Ed Norris, Jackie Plackett, Holly Potter, Jo Ann Robinson, James* Rosenbach, Patsy Rosenbach, Ruth Ann Rossiter, David Standley, Beryl Sugden, Charlene Johnston Tollfeldt, Anne Tollfeldt, Harvey Truss, Colin Truss, Pamela Underhill, Kristine Usibelli, Helen Vallene, Arlyn Bjerke Warner, Norma Watts, Don Watts, Sandra Watts, Wally Weil-Piechenick, Shlomit Wiese, Margaret Evers *First-time attendees Bold underscored: Society founding members

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History is Happening in Redmond!

Old Town Walking Tour Tom Hitzroth will walk you through Leary Way and its history. Sign up now, as the group is limited to 10 people. Tom uses jokes and trivia to make it lively. Dates: June 20 Time: 1:00 to 2:30 Cost: $6 How to signup: E-mail Tom at [email protected] Or call office at 425-885-2919

Stagecoach date from page 3: 1926, Sept. 16th to be exact, and it appeared in The East Side Journal.

Newsletters via E-mail and off our Web Site More than 700 people receive our free monthly newsletter, but success has its price: It’s expensive for the City, which mails out hardcopies in exchange for Society research time. As a result, we’re asking everyone with Internet access to receive it either via e-mail or our Web site at www.redmondhistory.org If you try it and it doesn’t work on your end, you can always go back to U.S. Mail. If you have Internet access, please send us an e-mail message at [email protected] stating that you’ll try out the new system. By the way, our electronic newsletter has some clear advantages: 1) The photos are much sharper, and newer ones are in color. 2) You can save the digital version on your computer. 3) Digital versions can easily be searched by keyword. 4) You can easily forward a copy along to a friend or relative.

Join the Redmond Historical Society Please pay 2004 dues ASAP!! 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:

The Redmond Recorder

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