Rhs Newsletter Jan 2009

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JANUARY 2009 NEWSLETTER

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

VOLUME 11, NUMBER 1 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!

P

resident Elect, Chris Himes



REDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

T

he Civil War ~ in Washington

Here in the “real” Washington,

Chris Himes takes the reins from Judy Lang as Society president this month. Ironically, Chris was born in that other Washington, the D.C. one! She’s also got her own political nickname ~ Hurricane Himes ~ and track record: •

Mayor of Redmond ~ 1980 to 1984. She was our first female mayor and first full-time office holder.

•

City Councilmember ~ 1978 to 1980.

•

Planning Commissioner ~ 1974 to 1975.

•

Redmond’s Justice White House is named after State Supreme Court Justice William White, who fought in the Civil War and walked on crutches to cast his vote for Abe Lincoln.

In 1976, she worked hard to pass a Parks Bond, and chaired the local Bicentennial Committee. Chris was married to Jack Himes

for 48 years until his death in 1997, and together they had five children. Chris now lives in Monroe but her heart and soul are tied to Redmond!

l



That’s the topic of our January talk by noted historian, Dr. Lorraine

McConaghy.

“In 2011, we will mark the first year of the sesquicentennial of the

Civil War, a war fought over principle that claimed nearly 600,000 American lives,” says McConaghy, who works for Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry. “We associate the war with battlefields in the

southeast, but the Civil War was a national war, that involved its citizens on the Pacific Coast. “This presentation will explore some of the ways in which settlers in Washington Territory became involved in the politics and violence of the war,” she adds. “Settlers did not leave the war behind them, but brought the war with them.”

RHS JANUARY MEETING SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 10:30 A.M. TO 12:00 NOON at the

OLD REDMOND SCHOOLHOUSE 16600 NE 80th Street

Join us on January 10 for histories and

images from our ties to the war. l The Redmond Recorder ~ January 2009

1

History is Happening in Redmond!

2009 RHS GENERAL MEETING SATURDAY, JAN. 10 10:30 to Noon AT THE

OLD REDMOND SCHOOLHOUSE COMMUNITY CENTER

2009 Executive Board Chris Himes President Judy Lang Vice-President Miguel Llanos Vice-President Joanne Westlund Treasurer Margaret Wiese Corresponding Secretary Beryl Standley Recording Secretary

O

ddfellows Comes Back to Life

Redmond’s original community gathering place is back in business as

“Oddfellow’s Grill on Leary.” The partners in the burger joint and bar ~ John Comstock, Joel Coval and Jimmy Boyle – named it “in tribute to those who frequented this hall, and whose guiding words are Friendship, Love, and Truth.” Formerly Edwardian Antiques, the 1903 building now showcases large photos, including the ones shown in the top photo below (to the left is Les Labrie’s orchestra.) Linda Comstock, John’s wife, worked with the Society on the displays that remind patrons of Redmond’s history and the building’s earlier use by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. On hand for the November 22nd grand opening was Mayor John Marchione, bottom right. l

Board of Directors Mary Hanson Nao Hardy Jon Magnussen Doris Schaible Joe Townsend Patti Simpson Ward

Office Manager Monica Park

Attorney Charles Diesen Birthday Card Coordinator Amo Marr

Library Liasion

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

FREE Newsletter

(Photo above): Historical photography prepared by RHS and Linda Comstock. (Photo below): Oddfellows Grill Grand Opening.

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

Major Sponsors

The Redmond Recorder ~ January 2009

2

History is Happening in Redmond!

A

Boy’s Joy on Christmas 1941

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

that includes nuggets about Redmond. “Most of the names I've used are fictional,” he says, “but all the events happened as described with just a pinch of embellishment tossed in here and there.” We’ll be running excerpts from the book over time. Here’s part of a chapter entitled “The Farm.”



I suppose almost every kid

and there it was ~ a miniature farm set,

has had a favorite Christmas gift.

complete with a red barn, white fences,

My favorite was given to me on my

a green tractor and wagon, a couple of

fifth Christmas in 1941.

farm hands, and of course, all the farm

In spite of the shock and

animals. There were cows and horses,

turmoil following Pearl Harbor,

and pigs and sheep, even chickens and

my parents tried to carry on our

ducks. . . .

family life as close to normal as was possible. . . . It had been a few days after

With a pencil, I made a check next

Bob Martin with his parents, Helen and Einar, around 1941.

they put the rest of the presents

to the picture. I continued on through

under the tree and quietly went next

the toy section checking off a dart gun

door for a few minutes.

Thanksgiving when Mom pulled

that shot suction cup darts, and a box

Our cat, Jerry, jumped up on

out “The Wish Book,” the Sears &

of Tinker Toys, but I kept going back to

my pillow at about 11:00 o’clock and

Roebuck Catalog, with its colorful

the farm set. What a wonderful present

woke me up. Thinking that it was

pages chock full of Christmas gifts,

to hope for.

early morning already, I climbed out

and asked me if I’d like to look

Christmas Eve that year was cold

of bed and hurried to the living room.

through it. “Santa needed some

and crisp. There was no snow, but

The lights were still aglow on the tree.

ideas,” she said.

a thick coating of frost covered the

And underneath, there it was, all set

lawn, the trees, and the roofs in our

up and everything, the big red barn,

about Santa Claus, but Mom still

neighborhood. Outdoor Christmas lights

the tractor, the animals ~ my farm set!

believed, so I played along. . . .

were banned because of the threat



from Japanese bombers, but inside the

twenty minutes later, I had the hay

colored lights glowed on the six-foot

in the barn, the cows milked, the

Douglas fir that Dad and I had cut from

horses turned out to pasture, the

the woods on Novelty Hil. . . .

sheep sheared, the pigs in their pen,

I was beginning to have doubts

I slowly turned the pages

My family always opened gifts

the chickens and ducks fed, and the

on Christmas morning, so Mom and

tractor and wagon parked in the

Dad insisted that I be in bed by 9:00

barn.

o’clock. Dad read me “The Night Before



Christmas,” and sent me off to bed. I

asked Dad.

tossed and turned until my covers were twisted like a pretzel and half on the floor, but eventually, I wore myself out thrashing about and dozed off. The neighbors had asked Mom and Dad to stop by for a Christmas Eve Bob Martin, author of "The Way I Remember it."

When Mom and Dad came home

nightcap, so after I was soundly asleep,

“Do you know what time it is?” “Ah, Christmas Morning?” I

answered, really not quite sure. Dad and Mom looked at each other and I thought I saw a wink exchanged, before they both asked in unison, “Do you like it?” “Wow!” I said. l

Editor’s Note: The chapter continues with a hilarious account of a girl who stomps all over ‘The Farm.’ Read it online at redmondhistoricalsociety.org under People. The Redmond Recorder ~ January 2009

3

History is Happening in Redmond!

W

ere You at Our November 8 General Meeting?



A

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

Adams, Ray

Hansen, Tom

Rau, Beth

ANDREASEN, GEORGIE

Hanson, Marge

Roe, Phil

Anspach, Ray

Hanson, Mary

Rosenbach, Patsy

Baker, Brian

Hanson, Roy

Salmi, Ann

Banning, Carolyn

Haslam, Carl

Banning, Lon

Himes, Chris

Bartley, Dave

Ingersoll, Jo Ann

Bartley, Elsie

Isackson, Diana

Becker, Teresa

Isackson, Lloyd

Bernauer, Sylvia

•

Betty Gaudy for her donation of pictures, newspaper clippings, and old business

Schaible, Doris

records

Smith, Elsie Solomon, Brad

Heap of Historical Thanks to:

•

Jody Norwood for

Standley, Beryl

Derby photos for our

Kenyon, Bruce

STENSLAND, JIM

archive

BROWN, IDA MAY

Kenyon, Cheryl

Stray, Fran

Brulé, Kay

Kuhl, Betty

Stray, Fred

CAMPBELL, JEAN

Kuhl, Howard

Trapp, Carol

boxes of labels for

Campbell, Sally

Lang, Angela

Tuck, Al

computer printing and

Costello, Marjorie

Lang, Judy

VERSCHUYL, JUANITA

name tag holders

DALGLEISH, G.B.

Llanos, Miguel

Walsh, Wendy

ELLIOTT, VAL

Lutz, Brian

Warner, Bill

Emmanuel, Tony

Magruder, Joan

Ford, Diana

Martin, Bob

Fowler, Joyce

McFarland, Doris

Frey, Marilyn

Miller, Larry

Frey, Stanley

Morelli, Dante

Garland, Lillian

Morris, Richard

Williams, Audrey

Goetschius, Millie

Muñoz, Alexa

Williams, Larry

Goetschius, Russ

Ottavelli, Ron

Williams, Lois

Gwerder, Frank

Park, Monica

Williams, Peggy

Hahnlen, Charlotte

Pickett, Virginia

Wolfheim, Janet

•

•

Joanne Westlund for Saturday Market ephemera

Warner, Norma

and menu from Workshop

Weiss, Rose

Tavern

Westlund, Joanne Wiese, Margaret

Jo Ann Potter for

•

Arlyn Vallene for taping an oral interview with Arnie Stray

•

Pam Maybee for Slough House Park photos

A

nderson Park Listed on Washington State Heritage Register



Built in 1928, Redmond’s first park was added to the

Washington State Heritage Register on October 17, 2008 ~ thanks to work by the City of Redmond and King County governments. The listing is honorary but it allows the state to now nominate Anderson Park for a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. Fullard House, Adair House and a community open-air kitchen were added in 1938 by the federal Works Progress Anderson Park, the City of Redmond's first park.

Administration (WPA), which also landscaped the park and built the rockery visible on its perimeter. l The Redmond Recorder ~ January 2009

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History is Happening in Redmond!

H

C

urrent Lifetimers



istory Happening (Free!)

Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition

Our list of lifetime members continues to

January 17, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ~ Redmond Public Library

grow. If you’d like to become a lifetimer yourself, please see the membership form on the back page. John Anderson Barbara Neal Beeson Brad Best Marjorie Stensland Costello Liz Carlson Coward Edward Hagen Naomi Hardy Patricia Weiss Jovag Barbara Weiss Joyce Glenn Lampaert Roy Lampaert Judy Aries Lang Miguel Llanos Jon Magnussen

D



2009 is the centennial of the AYP Exposition,

Charles Reed

which was the Northwest’s first world’s fair. Nearly

Clare ‘Amo’ Marr

4,00,000 people attended exhibits at what is today’s

Daryl Martin

Univeristy of Washington campus. Seattle’s Museum

Allison Reed Morris

of History & Industry will present photos, artifacts

Frances Spray Reed

and documents from the fair ~ using those to explore

Vivian Robinson Laurie Rockenbeck

the ideas, politics, music, fashion, food, medicine and

Margy Rockenbeck

boosterism of 1909 in depth. l

William Rockenbeck

O

Doris Bauer Schaible Don Watts Rose Weiss Margaret Evers Wiese



ur Rail Roots

Trains ran through Redmond for a century, but

we have little visual history to show for it. If you have

ues Are Due!

photos and/or artifacts, we’d love to borrow some for a display at the Redmond Library highlighting on our rail

Just a friendly reminder that we’re trying to collect

roots. Please contact us at 425.885.2919 or info@

annual membership dues this January ~ either at our



general meeting or via U.S. Mail (see form on Page 6).

redmondhistoricalsociety.org if you can help. l



Your support is greatly appreciated and helps keep

Redmond’s heritage alive! l

✂

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 ADDRESS TO MAIL BOOK(S) TO: three or more) 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 ~ January 2009

5

History is Happening in Redmond!

C

an You Reveal Secrets of the School Kitchen Table?

This table was once the centerpiece

of the kitchen at Redmond School and still is in use at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center. Phyllis Blower, who manages the center, is looking for any details about it. Was it made by students? When was it used? What kinds of meals were prepared on it? If you have insights and/or stories about the table or kitchen, please email them to us at info@ redmondhistoricalsociety.org or call us at 425.885.2919. 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: ___________________