Rhs Newsletter May 2008

d on m

Reco er rd

MAY 2008 NEWSLETTER

Red

THE

REDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

VOLUME 10, NUMBER 5

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!

F

rom Arizona with Love

R

iver Races Revisted

Talk about dedication to our cause: Society President pro tem Judy Lang and husband John Davies (he’s our videographer at general meetings!) set out last month on a rescue mission to Arizona to retrieve the oak dining room table and chairs of Redmond’s longest-serving mayor, Bill Brown.

An outboard race driver makes a turn during the 1961 Sammamish Slough Race as hundreds watch from the banks and a bridge in Redmond. Taken by a Bob Miller, this photo is now in the MOHAI photo collection. (Photo courtesty of the Museum of History and Industry.)

The set has been in the possession of the children of the



Believe it or not, Redmond has a rich history of boat races on

late Mal Reilly and Loana Renee

the Sammamish River! From the 1928 to 1976, the Seattle Outboard

‘Barney’ Johnson-Reilly, who was

Association ran the famous Sammamish Slough Race each April. The

Bill Brown’s niece.

river culture grew to include water ski and even raft races (see page 5)!

Their son Brian Reilly from Sun West City, Arizona, contacted the Society way back in November 2006 to see if we wanted the table set. We sure did, but didn’t want

Alas, the events quickly died out starting in 1976 when a spectator was hurt by a wayward boat and the outboard race insurance became too expensive. Fortunately, some of the history has been preserved in photos and

to pay the hundreds of dollars it

even film that we’ll be showing at our May

would take to ship it here.

meeting, along with stories told by some

So Judy and John decided to make a vacation out of it, adding a trailer to their pickup truck and setting off. Judy does seem to miss home, or at least our famously mild

racers and fans back in the day. The Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum in Kent will be providing some of that history. Museum

climate. “The hot weather has hit

Director (and raceboat driver) David

here,” she wrote in one e-mail, “and

Williams attended each race from

it is way too warm for me. Over 90

1960 to 1975 and recalls crowds of up to

(degrees) today.”

l

The Redmond Recorder ~ May 2008

NEXT RHS MEETING: SATURDAY, MAY 1OTH 10:30 TO 12 NOON at the

Redmond Public Library 15990 NE 85th in Redmond

5,000 at the Bothell end of the course. l

1

History is Happening in Redmond!

UPCOMING 2008 RHS GENERAL MEETING SATURDAY, MAY 10TH 10:30 to Noon AT THE

REDMOND PUBLIC LIBRARY Picnic replaces June Meeting! See page 3!

T

hird Grade All Over Again



This story just goes to show you never know who you’ll run into.

President pro tem Judy Lang shares what happened: “(Husband) John and I were on a trip to Canada’s Princess Louisa inlet a couple years ago. I got to chatting with the gal behind me on the bus and come to find out

2008 Executive Board Judy Lang President pro tem Chris Himes Vice-President Miguel Llanos Vice-President Joanne Westlund Treasurer Margaret Wiese Corresponding Secretary Beryl Standley Recording Secretary Board of Directors

she was the sister of my third grade teacher, Mary Louise Burke.” That gal is Barbara Monks and she reunited Mary Louise with Judy as well as Eileen McCoskrie, who knew her from working at Redmond Elementary, for a lunch last year. “Miss Burke had brought with her school work from her students, including some of mine,” Judy recalls. Mary Louise taught at Redmond Elementary during the 1940s, and then taught for a spell at military schools abroad, including Germany. She

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

later returned to the Seattle area and worked in administration for the

Office Manager

happened,” Judy says looking back at how it all unfolded.

Beryl Standley

Attorney

Charles Diesen

Birthday Card Coordinator Amo Marr

Lake Washington School District until retirement. Unfortunately, Mary Louise passed away just a few months after the reunion in March 2007. “It's a real wonder that this meeting ever After Mary Louise’s death, Judy “called Barbara and asked that she consider passing on all the Redmond related stuff to us. It is a grand gesture that she did so.” Judy also has a special memento: “a picture that was taken of Miss Burke and meI back in 1948 or ‘49.” l

Library Liasion 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 e-mail [email protected]. State your preference of e-mail or U.S. Mail (e-mail is cheaper for the city and the photos look better on-line).

The Redmond Recorder

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

Major Sponsors Mary Louise Burke (far left), Judy Lang (center) and Eileen McCoskrie reunited in March 2007 at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center to reminisce about their school days in the 1940s.

The Redmond Recorder ~ May 2008

2

History is Happening in Redmond!

O

ur 2008 History Hero: Dianna Brodie Most RHS members probably never met

June 14th Picnic There is no general meeting next month, instead it’s our annual picnic, where all are invited. We’ll provide soft

Dianna Broadie, but she truly merits our 2008

drinks and a barbecue, but folks are

Heritage Hero award.

encouraged to bring potluck! We’ll hang

Although she recently took a planning job in

out 11 a.m to 2 p.m. at Anderson Park! l

Montana, Dianna was always an advocate for Redmond’s heritage during her career at the City’s Planning Department. That’s her at left, dressed in period clothes

Happy 100th: Irene Dudley

with others when the City dedicated the Historic Redmond kiosk at Leary Park. Society co-founder Nao Hardy called Dianna the unofficial City historian. She created a database of old properties, wrote up the “History” stories in the City’s “Focus” magazine,

We’ve got a special birthday

(with cake!) to celebrate at our May 10th general meeting: Irene Dudley turns 100 on May 30. Irene, who was married to the late Lenard Dudley, moved to Redmond from Juanita in 1944 and lived at Weber Point on East

and served as a trustee at Marymoor Museum

Lake Sammamish for 57 years!

before it merged with the Eastside Heritage



Center.

Happy Valley Grange for more than 63

For Dianna, the satisfaction included creating the City’s historic program “after four

She’s been a member of the

years and now resides in Snohomish with Jean Etta Goshorn and family.

l

years of hard work sometimes doubting that it would happen. “Knowing that it will remain in place even if I will not be the person to be implementing it in the future is rewarding,” she adds. One highlight was dedicating the downtown Our History Hero, Dianna Brodie, dressed in period clothing.

kiosk. “Not only was this a quality piece of work,” she says, “but the dedication with the old-fashioned dress up was a blast!”

“To award grants was also fulfilling. Redmond now has a façade easement on the Oddfellows Hall and a better downtown with the partial restoration of

Happy 100th birthday, Irene Dudley!

the El Toreador.

Saturday Market Shift Help



“I was also thrilled to work with Randy and Patty Reeves on the (historic)

designation of the Stone House. I remember one of the commissioner's comments at that hearing. He remarked that he thought it was going to be just another bungalow designation and there are plenty of those. He said that he then opened to the photo and realized what a treasure this was. “Lastly, I always loved to listen to the individuals that would start talking

The Redmond Saturday Market starts up in May and we hope to man a booth the first Saturday of each month. If you can donate two hours for a shift please let us know

about past Redmond experiences. Each person brings something special to

by e-mailing redmondhistory@

what they remember and adds a little piece of perspective to history that

hotmail.com or by calling the office

reminds us of how we each uniquely view our joint heritage.” l

at 425.885.2919.

The Redmond Recorder ~ May 2008

3

l

History is Happening in Redmond!

W

ere You at Our April 12th, 2008 Meeting?



Our attendance sheet didn’t get passed around

A Heap of Historical Thanks to: Betty Lambert for a 1989 “Redmond

completely, so our apologies in advance if we didn’t get your

Today” magazine guide published by the

name. But we know these folks were at our gemeral meeting.

Journal-American.

First time attendees are noted in BOLD TYPE!

Linda Jaton, daughter of Eric & Caroline

Bartley, Dave

Magruder, Joan

Johnson, for family photos, postcards and even

Bartley, Elsie

Marr, Amo

a high school graduation program going back

Campbell, Sally

Martin, Bob

nearly a century.

Dudley, Irene

Martin, Daryl

Emmanuel, Tony

McCoskrie, Eileen

Garland, Lillian

McCoskrie, RuthAnn

Goetschius, Millie

Miller, Larry

clippings of bridal gowns worn by relatives.

Goetschius, Russ

Montgomery, Mary



Goshorn, Jean Etta

Muñoz, Alexa

Hahnlen, Charlotte

estate of her sister, Mary Louise Burke, who

Park, Monica

Hammersberg, Clara

Phillips, John

Hammersberg, Jerry

Phillips, Roxana

Hansen, Tom

Roe, Julie

Himes, Chris

Roe, Phil



Hobbs, Jana

Rosenbach, Patsy

Bridge construction dated 1931.

Hobbs, Michael

Salmi, Anne

Hudson, Carolyn

Standley, Beryl

Jaton, Linda

Tollfeldt, Anne

Jaton, Wayne

Tollfeldt, Harvey

Johnson, Mary Ann

Torell, Jerry



Johnson, Roger

Townsend, Joe

team at Lake Washington High School circa

Keeley, Elaine

Vallene, Arlyn

1947.

LaBrie, Euclid

Weiss, Rose

Llanos, Miguel

Westlund, Joanne

Lutz, Brian

Wiese, Margaret

Betty Goudy for photos, map of East



Lake Sammamish Parkway, and newspaper

Barbara Monks for photos from the

passed away last August. The pictures are of Redmond Elementary staff and classes from Mary’s teaching days. (See page 2.) Jerry Torell for a photo of the Aurora



Clara and Jerry Hammersberg for a

WWII Navy uniform, and newspapers from the 1950s through 1970s. Arlyn Vallene for a photo of the tennis

Larry Miller for helping take attendance at the April meeting. Ilene Clark for her response to the Tosh/Buettgen query that appeared in the

Movie, Anyone?

April newsletter.

This ad appeared on October 28, 1926. l

Help Plan Our Future Should the Society work towards a

museum? Build an endowment fund? Have more meetings/speakers? Those are the types of questions we’ll be brainstorming and for which we need volunteers to serve on a committee. If interested please email [email protected] or call the office at 425.885.2919. l The Redmond Recorder ~ May 2008

4

History is Happening in Redmond!

Walking Tours Are Back

One for the Road . . . er River!



The popular walking tours

along Leary Way are back, with guide Tom Hitzroth lining up three Sundays:

•

May 18



•

June 22



•

September 21

as long as it doesn’t rain! Reserve your spot via 425.885.2919 or redmondhistory@ hotmail.com. The cost is $6 per person and proceeds will go to purchase a bench for the walking route. The 1:00 to 2.30 p.m. tour

(Photo courtesy of Sammamish Valley News.) Raft Racer: RHS member Jerry Torell won the raft race one year.

starts at the Justice White House across from Half-Priced Books.

l

Redmond’s river tradition included the annual Jaycee Raft Race (as in human-powered, notice the two men in the water pushing this entry depicting a bar!)

The caption in the July 29, 1970, Sammamish Valley News states:

“No doubt about it, the Classiest Award went to the Red-Sam Mining Company, the crew of which had the foresight to put all the comforts of home aboard.” l

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

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 ~ May 2008

5

History is Happening in Redmond!

Can You Tell Us What This Mystery Tool Is? Amo Marr donated old tools recently, two of



which were mysteries. One was identified by Jerry Hardy as a roofing hammer used to split shakes and nail them on. Jerry’s significant other, Nao Hardy, notes: “The Marrs lived on the historic Red Brick Road. Across the street, on property that’s now a City owned park and trail, stood the Arthur Johnson Shingle Mill, which burned down in 1932 ~ and again in 1935. Naturally, I wonder if this shingle tool might have been from the Johnson Mill.” The second tool, shown here, remains a mystery. If you can identify it, please e-mail us at redmondhistory@



hotmail.com or call the RHS office at 425.885.2919. 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

❍ 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: E-Mail: _________________ U.S. Mail: __________________