Rhs Newsletter 06 2007

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JUNE 2007 NEWSLETTER

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THE

REDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

VOLUME 9, NUMBER 6

16600 NE 80th Street, Room 106 Redmond, WA 98052 ~ Tel 425.885.2919

Our Mission: To Discover, Recover, Preserve, Share and Celebrate Redmond’s History

website ~ www.redmondhistory.org e-mail ~ [email protected] HOURS: Tuesday through Thursday 1-6 p.m., Friday, 4-6 p.m. and by appointment

HISTORY IS HAPPENING IN REDMOND!

P

resident’s Corner

The Redmond Saturday Market was “a dream

4

-H Clubs Made Farm Work Fun

come true” for Georgia Erskine. That’s how the Seattle Times on June 20, 1976, described her reaction after waiting eight years to see an open-air market in Redmond where the Master Gardener could sell her homegrown veggies. Georgia is no longer with us, but this season the market continues, turning 31 years old. The market opened on June 19, 1976, with about 15 vendors selling produce, crafts and pastries. Georgia and husband Fred Erskine sold all the vegetables they harvested from their one-acre

On the Provan farm on Avondale Road, c. 1931, with their 4-H calves (L-R): Tom Chamberlin, Suzanne Hebner, Geoge Hebner and Doris Hebner.

I remember the sign at the entrance to Redmond that read

garden in just one hour. Deanne Tress sold 35

Population 350. This was in the l930s, so of course most of the

pounds of rhubarb in 10 minutes. Not all the

students were not from the City of Redmond, but the surrounding

vendors did as well that first day and the crowd

countryside. Their parents were dairy farmers, chicken farmers, mill

wasn’t as large as expected, but even the less

workers, loggers, berry farmers, mink farmers, fishermen, vegetable

fortunate vendors vowed to return.

farmers, doctors and lawyers, and some worked in Seattle for the

The market has moved four times since it was first established at the corner of 85th Street and 164th Avenue. It’s now on the edge of Redmond

WPA, or in business offices. Most of their homes were on acreage outside of the city limits. The U.S. government realized that the children of these families

Town Center, just behind the Justice White House.

throughout the United States needed more than the schooling they

The City passed an ordinance stating that area is

received at school, so the 4-H clubs were organized for their benefit.

to remain open space and always be available for

What a blessing that turned out to be! These children who were

the Redmond Saturday Market. Still, their lease has

bussed to school didn’t have the

to be renewed each year.

opportunity to stay after school for

As the market has moved, the vendor membership has grown to 140. You can find about

any activities. I belonged to the 4-H cattle

80 vendors on an average Saturday offering fresh

club, chicken club, sewing club,

produce, beautiful flowers and plants, goodies to

cooking club, garden club, and

eat and one of a kind handcrafted originals, just

we also raised pheasants for

to mention a few local treats. The one thing that

the U.S. Wildlife Service. The

has remained the same is that all the produce and

most fun was the cattle club for

handcrafted items must be made in Washington.

me. My sister Suzanne and

(Continued on page 2)

The Redmond Recorder ~ June 2007

(Continued on page 3)

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JUNE 16TH ANNUAL PICNIC POTLUCK, but we'll have hot dogs on the grill!

SATURDAY, JUNE 16 — NOON to 2:00 TONY EMMANUEL promises to bring his Victrola and some old records, so bring your dancing shoes!

History is Happening in Redmond!

2007 GENERAL MEETINGS 2nd Saturday of the Month 10 a.m. (unless otherwise stated) Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center

16600 NE 80th St

M

eet our Treasurer, Joanne Westlund

Since early this year, Joanne Westlund



has been the Society’s treasurer ~ on top of her other two jobs: running the Redmond Saturday Market and helping a property management company. She’s had plenty of experience with

JUNE 16 ANNUAL PICNIC ANDERSON PARK

NO MEETINGS IN JULY OR AUGUST. other meeting dates: september 8 October 13 November 9 ...................................................

2007 Executive Board

Judy Lang President Naomi Hardy Vice-President Miguel Llanos Vice-President Joanne Westlund Treasurer Margaret Wiese Corresponding Secretary Beryl Standley Recording Secretary

Board of Directors

Terri Gordon Chris Himes Tom Hitzroth Jon Magnusson Amo Marr Doris Schaible Patti Simpson Ward

Executive Director

Beryl Standley

Attorney

Charles Diesen

...................................................

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taking on challenges: As a 20-year-old from Bellingham, Joanne headed for Seattle where she met and married Earl Westlund, who already had three children. “My family thought I was crazy,” she recalled. Joanne and Earl added three more children, the last being twin boys. Joanne Westlund

The family has grown with 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Joanne and Earl will celebrate their 42nd wedding anniversary this August.

l

President’s Corner (Continued from page 1)

And one strict rule: Everyone must wait for the starting whistle at 9 a.m. to begin selling. Joanne Westlund is the market director, president and treasurer. (Yup, that’s the same Joanne who is also the Society’s treasurer!) She hasn’t missed a Saturday at the market in 8 years. You can find her in the information booth or walking around during market ours. Her history with the market goes back to 1995 when she started selling decorative wood cutouts. “I am very dedicated to the market,” she says. “This type of event is so important to keep a little bit of the country life smack dab in the middle of a high tech town.” Beth Tait is the last of the original vendors still at the market, selling her handcrafted items and plants. Also, local Master Gardeners have maintained a booth from the very start and are still offering free advice on all gardening problems. A couple of “old timers” taking a break this year are Don and Marge Flage, who have been a part of the market since the beginning. The market will celebrate Founders Day in honor of Georgia Erskine on July 14. Cake will be served at 11 a.m., and the music will start to play at noon. Check out their web site at redmondsaturdaymarket. homestead.com for more information and other upcoming events. The Redmond Historical Society has a booth at the market on the first Saturday of each month. Stop by then, or better yet give us a call and help booth sit for a two-hour shift! It’s a great place to run into friends and share our heritage with visitors and new residents. l

The Redmond Recorder ~ June 2007



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~ RHS President, Judy Aries Lang

History is Happening in Redmond!

4-H

Join the Parade Derby Days is coming up on July 7th, and Butch Kent again will provide

(Continued from page 1)

us with wheels for the parade: his

Haying helpers posing at the Provan’s barn in 1932 are, on the hay (L-R) Walter Chamberlin (notice huge hay fork above him), Jack Chamberlin, George Hebner and Doris Hebner, sitting. Below them are Tom Chamberlin and Suzanne Hebner. Suzanne is wearing beach pajamas, which were all the rage that year ~ and the very first kind of pants girls were allowed to wear.

1940 Ford school bus and 1947 Ford fire truck. So join us, we’ll meet at 10 a.m. along the start of the route. Dave Harder will also be there with ponies and carriage. This year, we’re also sponsoring a category in the kids parade and

and brother George all had registered

The sewing and cooking clubs

Jersey heifers, which we got from my

were always fun too, and we got

Natalie Hardy Hanson is running that

great uncle’s farm in Oregon.

to exhibit and model the garments

show. See Page 6 for kids parade

. . . What fun we had grooming

we made. Also we took jars of our

details. l

them and teaching them to lead

canning and specimens of our

and obey commands. One year I

best vegetables. It was always a

shipped my heifer to Portland, OR,

mad scramble to do some baking

for the Livestock Exposition and

the night before the fairs so we

showed her in the competition. We

could exhibit something in those

used the railroads instead of trucks

categories. I forgot to mention

for transportation. Dr. George Davis’

that the boys had a cooking

Union Hill Lutheran, a church organized

family drove us down there in their

club too, and that was a favorite

in 1900 with 54 members, 18 of whom

big touring car, because his two

for many. Especially for the girls

were Swedish.

daughters, Betty and Phyllis, were

they married!

Seeking Information on Union Hill Lutheran Researcher Olaf Kvamme seeks information, and the exact location, of

He knows it was a third of a mile from

also participating. The Giles boys,

One year Suzanne and I read

Jess Dougherty, and I believe Bill

the instructions on the radio on

Were graves later moved to city

Weiss were there, too.

how to build a roosting rack for

cemetery?

I showed Cinderella at the fair in

chickens. Being in the recording

Redmond and that it had a cemetery.

The first minister was M. A.

Puyallup and Yakima, and our King

room of the radio station was quite

Christensen and in 1914, O Eger.

County Fair, which was held right at

an experience. Suzanne and Jess

the Redmond School one year.

Officers up to 1916 included Krist

Dougherty were chosen to attend

. . . Her name was Blondes Nobel

the World’s Fair in Chicago,

Cinderella, a real registered beauty.

and one year I was voted president

. . . We had judging teams and we

of the King County chapter. The

were graded on our ability to evaluate

4-H clubs never asked for any dues.

all animals. The Redmond teams

. . . Mr. Kenny, Gertrude Kenny’s father

always came home with several

and manager of the Marymoor Farms

ribbons. I had to keep track of

Dairy, was our cattle club leader. Mrs.

Cinderella‘s milk production, and

Dougherty and my mother, Ethel

any offspring she had. The milk

Provan Hebner, were leaders of the

she produced averaged 8%

Home Ec. Divisions, and there were

butterfat. I know that’s hard to

several other women who were

believe, when you realize that

always there to help and lead.

most of us drink 1% or less today.

For many of us, 4-H, along with

. . . We were paid on the percentage

all the dances in the community,

of butterfat our milk contained, so of

comprised our entire social life. How

course Cinderella was a welcomed

lucky we were.l

addition to the herd. The Redmond Recorder ~ June 2007



Stensland, Ole Skjaerstad and Henry Iversen. Please share any information with us at 425.885.2919 or [email protected] and [email protected].

l

Mill Histories Two new books by Eric Erickson, “A Pictorial History of the High Point Mill Company” and “A Pictorial History of the Preston Mill Company,” are on sale at both of Issaquah’s museums. Order by phone: 360.392.3500. For more information:

~ Doris Hebner McFarland

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email [email protected]. l History is Happening in Redmond!

A

Walking Tours

Heap of Historical Thanks for These Donations

RHS Board member Tom Hitzroth has lined up a new round of walking tours through old Redmond, and even added a

Joanne Jeppesen for photos, a school annual and mementoes from her mother

new building to the short route

Marion Quackenbush Waln, a 1928 Redmond High graduate.

as the result of new research.

Jean Etta Dudley Goshorn, who provided cake and juice for our May

Space is limited, and to sign up either e-mail Tom at

meeting to celebrate the 99th birthday of her mother, Irene Dudley.

[email protected] or call the

Judy Swenson Bishop for a class photo, programs and local newspapers that

office at 425.885.2919. The tour

belonged to her father, principal Roy Swenson.

dates are: June 17 & Sept. 16. The walks run from 1:00 to

Ted Swan for donating the original tape of the interview John Couch had in

2:30 p.m. and start at the Justice

the 1960s with Ted’s father, Rex Swan.

White House across from Half-

Deputy City Clerk Sandy Marion for clearing documents with the state

Price Books. They will not be

archivists for donation to our archives.

held in case of rain. A $6 per person contribution is requested

Richard Morris, Bob Yoder, and Dana Wilson for manning our booth at

and goes toward buying a

the Saturday Market.

bench for the walking route. . l

Heritage Applause

W

Each May we mark the

ere You at Our May Meeting?

anniversary of the Society’s

These were! First time attendees are noted in BOLD TYPE and a

founding (1999) by recognizing

★!

individuals for making significant contributions to our mission.

Adams, Ray Anderson, Betty Anspach, Ray Barker, Becky Bishop, Judith Swenson Blair, Dusty Watts Coward, Jim Coward, Liz Carlson Davies, John Dudley, Irene Emmanuel, Tony Fowler, Bob Fowler, Joyce Garbarino, Frank Garbarino, Peggy Gilbert, Evelyn Goshorn, Jean Etta Haines, Shirley Haines, Steve Hanson, Marge Hanson, Roy Harder, Dave Himes, Chris Hudson, Carolyn Ingersoll, Jo Ann Keeley, Elaine LaBrie, Euclid LaBrie, Gary

★

★

Lang, Judy Larson, Leonard Larson, Maxine Llanos, Miguel Magnuson, Cheryl Magruder, Joan Marchione, John Marrs, Carl Marrs, Pat Martin, Daryl McClung, Andy McCormick, Elma McCoskrie, Don McCoskrie, Eileen Mecke, Alyce Mercer, Betty Methven, Frank Miller, Larry Moesch, Loran Moesch, Marilyn Muñoz, Alexa Payton, Charles Peterson, Ron Phillips, John Phillips, Roxana Robinson, Jim Rosenbach, Patsy Rosenbach, Ruth Ann Salmi, Anne Saunders, Dee

The Redmond Recorder ~ June 2007

★

Schaible, Doris Sellers, Dawn Solomon, Brad Sorweide, Sandy Standley, Beryl Stone, Clarence Stray, Fran Stray, Fred Stray, Sunday Swan, Barbara Swan, Ted Tofferi, Martha Tollfeldt, Anne Tollfeldt, Harvey Torell, Jerry Townsend, Joe Vallene, Arlyn Vallene, Leonard Warner, Bill Warner, Debby Warner, Norma Watkins, JoAnn Weiss, Rose White, Bob Wiese, Margaret Wilson, Dana Wilson, Mary Ellen Swan

The History Hero Award, our highest honor, went this

★

★

4

year to Charles Payton, whose passion for local history, great knowledge and practical field experience smoothed our early years. Doris Schaible was presented a Lifetime Membership for her peerless work as our community relations board member. Also honored at our May meeting: Arlyn Vallene, who’s kept our office door open every Thursday since we first moved into the Old Schoolhouse. Brad Solomon, for his outstanding production of our

first DVD, “A View from History,” which the Society sells. l History is Happening in Redmond!

R

RedmondReflections

edmond Reads



Reader feedback is just phenomenal. Folks tell us it brings back memories and explains some things they’d always wondered about, but best of all it encourages them to share their own recollections, photos and topics ~ for the next printing! Joanne Braillard bought her mother a copy, thinking it might stir old memories of the years her mother and father, Grace and Frank Braillard, lived in Redmond and owned an auto repair shop. Grace was surprised when she opened the book and on the very first page she looked at ~ she saw herself! She was pictured in a cluster of women holding a sign that read, “Theno’s Dairy.” Oh yes, Grace remembered her group of old friends and every one of their names: Maxine Conover, Mary Engelke, Grace Braillard, Cleo Hartman and Lil Nichols. But the caption read: “Theno employees, 1963,” and Grace had never worked at the dairy. The photo on page 58 turned out to be her 1960s bowling team, which Theno’s had sponsored for many seasons. Joanne passed along her mother’s correction, making the history ledger a little more accurate. Indeed, the same day we learned to recognize a bowling team when we saw one, we also discovered that the “caretaker’s house” in Grass Lawn Park had disappeared. Unceremoniously demolished, leaving us wondering: Wasn’t it brick, or partly brick, that tidy ranch-style home on 148th Avenue? Then we remembered the boy who grew up there and became a local dentist, Roger Nakanishi. Turns out Joanne works for him as his bookkeeper!

Help us all learn more about Redmond. Mail your comments and/or corrections about Redmond Reflections to our office

in the Old Schoolhouse, or e-mail us at [email protected]. l

✂ Redmond Reflections Order Form We ship free for current members, so if you haven't joined or renewed, there's a form on the last page of this newsletter that you can send in with the book order form below. Price per book: $21.78 ($20.00 + $1.78 Washington Sales Tax) (Non-Members, please add postage: $3 for one book, $5 for two and $8 for three or more) ADDRESS TO MAIL BOOK(S) TO:

Name:______________________________________

Name:____________________________________

Telephone: __________________________________

Address: __________________________________

No. of Books Ordered: ________________________

City/St./Zip: _______________________________

Amount Enclosed: ____________________________

__________________________________________

Mail completed form (please print clearly) and check or money order to:

Redmond Historical Society 16600 NE 80th, Room 106 Redmond, WA 98052

The Redmond Recorder ~ June 2007

5

History is Happening in Redmond!

R

edmond Medical Center Wants Kids on Parade As it has since 1989, the Redmond Medical Center again is organizing the Derby Days Kids Parade ~ this year it’s on July 7 at 10:00 a.m. Visit derbydayskidsparade.com for information on how to participate, as well as to see this year’s 12 categories (like the City’s 95th happy birthday theme hosted by the Historical Society) and photos from past parades like the one at left. Some 75 volunteers, most from the center, organize the kids parade. Office tenants (see redmondmedicalcenter.com for listing) collectively choose to use the budget created for marketing to give back to the community. In the past, the center sponsored the Safe Treats Halloween Program and an annual donation to the local food bank. l

J

oin the Redmond Historical Society AND HELP DISCOVER, RECOVER, PRESERVE AND SHARE REDMOND’S HISTORY!

LEVELS OF MEMBERSHIP (✓ Check one only.) $5.00 $20.00 $35.00 $200.00 $250.00 $1,000.00

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Please make checks payable to: REDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

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Redmond Historical Society Attn: Membership ORSCC, Room 106 16600 NE 80th Street Redmond, WA 98052

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