Rhs Newsletter February 2009

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FEBUARY 2009 NEWSLETTER

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THE

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

VOLUME 11, NUMBER 2 Our Mission: To Discover, Recover, Preserve, Share and Celebrate Redmond’s History

website ~ redmondhistoricalsociety.org email ~ info @redmondhistoricalsociety.org HOURS: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and by appointment

HISTORY IS HAPPENING IN REDMOND!

O

ur Long-Range Plan



REDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

A

ll Hail the Mail

In November, the Board adopted a

Long Range Plan and approved revised mission and vision statements. The latter, stated below, paints a picture of where the Society wants to be when the plans are carried out, for every member, committee, staff and the Board.

Vision Statement

The Redmond Historical Society

will be recognized as a primary source

Redmond U.S. Mail Trucks (Photo courtesy of the Sammamish Valley News collection)

of historical information in the greater

Jerry Hammersberg receives a postal service award. (Photo courtesy of the Sammamish Valley News collection)

Redmond area, and will provide an active program of outreach and education for the community. The Society will be a well-endowed organization with a capable



Remember the days of the mail

Board, professional staff, trained volunteers,

carriers who walked? Society member

active non-dues revenue sources, an

Jerry Hammersberg was Redmond’s

efficient fundraising mechanism, and

first walking carrier for the U.S. Postal

sufficient office and display space.

Service, and he has a few stories about

Planning committee members included four Board members and four Society members: Margaret Wiese, Miguel Llanos,

those days that he’ll share with us on February 14th. Born in Seattle, Jerry moved

John Phillips, Joe Townsend (chair), Roxie

to Redmond in 1950 with his

Phillips, Monica Park, Jerry Hammersberg,

parents so they could try their

and Clara Hammersberg.

hand at farming. Jerry met Clara

In future newsletters, we’ll discuss other

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14 10:30 A.M. TO 12:00 NOON

McSparran at graduation from

parts of the plan. You can find these

Lake Washington High School in

documents on our Web site,

1952 and they married two years

www.redmondhistoricalsociety.org. l

later. He worked for the Redmond

~ By Joe Townsend The Redmond Recorder ~ February 2009

Post Office from 1956 to 1974.

1

RHS FEBRUARY MEETING at the

OLD REDMOND SCHOOLHOUSE 16600 NE 80th Street

l History is Happening in Redmond!

2009 RHS GENERAL MEETING

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14 10:30 to Noon

T

ell Us About the 1909 Fair

AT THE

OLD REDMOND SCHOOLHOUSE COMMUNITY CENTER

2009 Executive Board Chris Himes President Judy Lang Vice-President Miguel Llanos Vice-President Joanne Westlund Treasurer Mary Hanson Corresponding Secretary Beryl Standley Recording Secretary Board of Directors Nao Hardy Jon Magnussen Doris Schaible Joe Townsend Patti Simpson Ward Margaret Wiese



Office Manager

a good chance your family has souvenirs, postcards (like the one above, first

Monica Park

Attorney

Charles Diesen

Birthday Card Coordinator Amo Marr

Library Liaison

Andy McClung ................................................... Our finances are public record and may be viewed at the office. ...................................................

FREE Newsletter

If you don't already subscribe, please sign up. Call the office at 425.885.2919 or email info@redmondhistoricalsociety. org. State your preference of email or U.S. Mail. (We prefer email as it's inexpensive and the photos show up better online.)

The Redmond Recorder

Vintage Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition postcard

Do your Eastside/Seattle roots go back to the early 1900s? If so there’s

acquired by Margaret Evers Wiese’s grandfather Henry Evers) or even stories of courtships from the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. As part of a region wide 100th anniversary commemoration of the fair, the Society asks that you dig around and bring what you find to our next general meeting so we can photograph it, place it online and share it with the Seattle Museum of History and Industry. If you have something but can’t make it, call us at 425.885.2919 or email us at [email protected].

The fair drew four-million visitors during its five months on grounds that

today make up the University of Washington main campus. For more about the history, check out www.aype.org. l

Clise and AYPE? James Clise of Clise Mansion (Marymoor Park) fame supervised the livestock exhibits at the AYPE and his horses and cattle won several prizes! l

Published nine times annually Miguel Llanos Editor Patti Simpson Ward Society/Newsletter Graphic Designer

AYPE Scarf

Major Sponsors

to Margaret Evers Wiese’s

This scarf belonged grandmother Kate Bemberg, who acquired it at the fair which she likely attended with her husband-to-be, Henry Evers. l

The Redmond Recorder ~ February 2009

2

History is Happening in Redmond!

T

A

that includes nuggets about Redmond. “Most of the names I've used are

•

he Slough and Bare Butt Beach



Bob Martin has written “The Way I Remember It,” a look back at his life

Heap of Historical Thanks to:

Jimmy Boyle, co-owner of

fictional,” he says, “but all the events happened as described with just a pinch of

Oddfellows Grill, for two dinner

embellishment tossed in here and there.” We’ll be running excerpts from the book

certificates given away as door

over time. Here’s part of a chapter entitled “The Slough and Bare Butt Beach.”

prizes (won by Harvey Tolfeldt

“‘The Slough’ was the name

swap stories about bikes and baseball

and Mary Montgomery)

most commonly used by the

and girls. A few of the older boys lit up

old-timers in the Redmond area

cigarettes.

when they were referring to the Sammamish River.” “ . . . During summertime, the

Dan Becker for help with the January display at the Redmond

“Later, after a few more splashy

Library

plunges, the search for clothes began. If we were lucky and some prankster

water level dropped well within

hadn't tossed them into the blackberry

its banks and the Slough became

bushes, we'd pull on our pants and

a swimming hole for us kids. The

T-shirts, and pour the sand out of our

boys claimed a small stretch of

tennis shoes. The bike ride home dried

shoreline bordered on all sides with

us off.

thick brambles, and a short way

•

D

ues are Due!

Just a friendly reminder that

we’re trying to collect annual

“My fishing buddy and I used to try

membership dues in January,

up the river the girls had their own

our luck in the Slough during the warm

either at our general meeting

swimming hole.

days of July and August. Usually, we

or via U.S. mail (see form on

“Usually, no swimming trunks

never caught more than a few squawfish

were worn at the boys’ spot,

or bullheads, and now and then a

earning its beloved nickname, ‘Bare

small trout. But once, fishing below

Butt Beach.’ Despite unmerciful

the Marymoor Farm bridge, my fishing

teasing from the bare-assed-

partner caught a five-pound largemouth

bunch, a few of the more modest

bass that had migrated down from Lake

types wore their Jockey shorts.

Sammamish. We practically wore out

After a cool, refreshing dip, we'd

the pool after that, hoping for another,

lie on the moist, steamy sand, and

but the big bass turned out to be the

Page 6). Your support is greatly appreciated and helps keep Redmond’s heritage alive!

W

hat Time is It?

catch of the summer.” “ . . . Because of dredging, cutbacks in fish stocking, netting, pollution runoff, sea lion predation, and several other reasons, the river's fishing declined badly in the 1970s and has never recovered.” “Newcomers are not familiar with the oldtimers affectionate nickname, ‘The Slough.’ But, I consider myself

Bob Martin, author of "The Way I Remember it."

fortunate to have grown up in its



presence, to have fished and swum in its

familiar? If you went to school

lazy currents, to have wandered along

at what is today’s Old Redmond

its brushy banks. Every kid should have

Schoolhouse Community Center

a river. Be it ever so humble, mine was

it should since it came from an old

the Slough.” l

classroom. The City donated two

(Excerpted with permission from “The Way I Remember It.”) The Redmond Recorder ~ February 2009

3

Does the clock above look

for our artifacts collection! l History is Happening in Redmond!

W

ere You at Our January 10th General Meeting?



These folks were! First time attendees are noted in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS!

Ray Adams

Elma McCormick

Kim Allen

Eileen McCoskrie

Sharon Ballisty

Frances Meitzer

David Bartley

Larry Miller

Elsie Bartley

Mary Montgomery

Bob Bear

Alexa Munoz

Ron Bell

Ed Murphy

Tami Bresolin

Monica Park

Maureen Campbell

Mike Patterson

Sally Campbell

John Phillips

Gail Cerra

Roxana Phillips

Jim Coward

Virginia Porter Pickett

Liz Coward

Jutta Rhinehart

Tony Emmanuel

Jim Robinson

Joyce Fowler

Patsy Cook Rosenbach

Stan Frey

David Rossiter

Lillian Garland

Julianne Rossiter

Evelyn King Gilbert

Ann Salmi

Jerry Hammersberg

Doris A. Schaible

Clara Hammersberg

Brad Solomon

Martha Hanscom

Beryl Standley

Marge Hanson

Don Stensland

Mary Hanson

Fran Stray

Roy Hanson

Fred Stray

Chris Himes

Anne Tollfeldt

Duane Isackson

Harvey Tollfeldt

Elaine Keeley

Jerry Torell

Bruce Kenyon

Joe Townsend

Carol Kubby

Arlyn Vallene

Judy Aries Lang

Wendy Walsh

Miguel Llanos

Patti Simpson Ward

Cheryl Magruder

Rose Weiss

Pat Marrs

Joanne Westlund

Daryl Martin

Bob White

Ward Martin

Barb Williams

Lorraine McConaghy

Margaret Evers Wiese

The Redmond Recorder ~ February 2009

Brad Solomon signs in with Joanne Westlund before the meeting. Monica Park and Miguel Llanos are in the background.

City of Redmond Councilwoman Kim Allen and former Councilman Jim Robinson congratulate RHS on its efforts to share our heritage.

MOHAI’s Lorraine McConaghy talks about how the Civil War impacted the Northwest.

Board members, Margaret Evers Wiese and Patti Simpson Ward showed up in the same outfits. Great minds think alike!?!

4

History is Happening in Redmond!

C

urrent Lifetime RHS Members



Our list of lifetime members continues to grow. If

you’d like to become a lifetimer yourself, please see the membership form on the back page.

Redmond Historical Society President Chris Himes ordered – and then donated – a plaque honoring each of our lifetime members. There’s room for more names!!

John Anderson

Jon Magnussen

Barbara Neal Beeson

Charles Reed

Brad Best

Clare ‘Amo’ Marr

Marjorie Stensland

Daryl Martin

Costello

Allison Reed Morris

Liz Carlson Coward

Frances Spray Reed

Edward Hagen

Vivian Robinson

Naomi Hardy

Laurie Rockenbeck

Patricia Weiss Jovag

Margy Rockenbeck

Barbara Weiss Joyce

William Rockenbeck

Glenn Lampaert

Doris Bauer Schaible

Roy Lampaert

Don Watts

Judy Aries Lang

Rose Weiss

Miguel Llanos

Margaret Evers Wiese

✂ Redmond Reflections Order Form Also available at the Redmond Library!

Free shipping 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: $22.00 (Includes Washington State 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 ~ February 2009

5

History is Happening in Redmond!

N

ew Home for Our First School Bell

Our thanks to the City of Redmond for restoring and

finding a public place for Redmond’s first school bell! (And thanks to City Planner Jayme Jonas for keeping the project moving!) The bell is now anchored in an alcove on the outside of the police station, across from the senior center. The city plans to lock the knocker inside “so that hoodlums don’t come bother the police at 2:00 a.m.,” says Jayme. A sign describing the history, so much of which was researched by Doris Schaible and Nao Hardy, is planned, with funding from 4Culture. A public dedication is planned as well, so stay tuned! l

J

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

Renewing members, please send in your 2009 dues! LEVELS OF MEMBERSHIP (✓ Check one only.) $5.00 $20.00 $35.00 $200.00 $250.00 $1,000.00

❍ TRAILBLAZER (Student) ❍ PIONEER (Individual) ❍ HOMESTEADER (Family) ❍ ENTREPRENEUR (Supporter) ❍ CORPORATE (Business) ❍ HISTORY MAKER (Lifetime)

All Contributions are tax deductible.

✂

Please make checks payable to: REDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY Fill out the form below and mail it with ✉ your check to:

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

(PLEASE CLIP AND MAIL THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR CHECK.)

Name:______________________________________________________ Telephone: ____________________________________ (PLEASE PRINT YOUR NAME EXACTY AS YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO APPEAR ON YOUR NAME TAG FOR GENERAL MEETINGS.)

Address: __________________________________ City: _____________________________ State: ______ Zip: _____________ E-Mail Address: ______________________________________________ Birth Date (Month/Day/Year): _____________________ If Family Membership, other names to be included: ________________________________________________________________ How would you like our complimentary newsletter delivered to you: EMail: _________________ U.S. Mail: ___________________