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The Eatonville Bank experienced two big hold ups — one in 1922 and another 1933. 1922 Robbery On a March afternoon three robbers drove into town. At 2:55 — five minutes before closing time — two men entered the bank and the other stayed outside. Inside, one robber pulled down the shades while the other drew…
This postcard of the La Grande tavern is courtesy of Jeff Morrison who found it on Ebay. Although the building is no longer there, Jeff says it was located where the motel once stood. For those of you who aren’t familiar with La Grande’s history — like me — Roger Hoskins says that, “It’s above the…
Drive up to La Grande and you can’t miss the Alder Dam, built in the 1940s. But there was another dam before this one — smaller and built in the 1910. “The water was forced through a pipe bridge that carried the water across the valley and then down four large pipes (5 feet wide) to…
in 1959 the Dispatch had a 50th Anniversary section. It was filled with information of years gone past. This particular piece shows the women behind the town’s men — and a few of the kids a well. I wish they had listed the women’s first names and not just their husbands’ names. But I guess…
This is a wonderful letter from The Assistant to the President (Dwight D. Eisenhower) dated December 21, 1954. It’s addressed to Mr. Tone, regarding Eatonville’s Bootstrap efforts. Mr. Tone had sent “Robin Hood” hats for the President’s children. Thank you Nancy Iams for sharing this letter. Click to enlarge image.
This photos, taken in the early 1900s, includes (left to right): Susie Scoggins, Emma Parshall, Bud Scoggins, Flora Lish and Bessie Fiander. The Fianders are some of the easliest settlers. Here is an excerpt from the 1959 Eatonville Dispatch 50th Anniversary Section: Robert Fiander was the first white made to settle in Southern Pierce County.…
In the early 1900s, the American Nitrogen Products Company built a large plant on the rail line — on the north side of La Grande — to produce nitrate of soda crystals. Although I don’t know who American Nitrogen Products Company’s customers were, sodium nitrate is used in making potassium nitrate, fertilizers, and explosives. The…
You probably know it better today as Sorensen’s — the automobile repair shop on Mashell. But it was built back in around 1946 and was known as Van Eaton’s Chevrolet. Here are few number of pictures of its building and finished product. The people in the snow in the last photo are Roy Mack and…
I just drove down Canyon Road yesterday. It’s loaded with twists and turns and I take it whenever I can just for that reason. Just found this picture (courtesy Rich Williams) of the road back in the 1920s. Looks a bit more hazardous. Click to enlarge.
There’s word that the La Grande post office may be closing. If so, it will be an end of an era. The post office has been in operation since it opened in 1910 — back when Taft was in office and people were singing “Let Me Call you Sweetheart”. History behind the store It was…
The Great Depression was a hard time for families and from 1933 to 1942 the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) offered some relief. Wikipedia states: It was a public work relief program for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, it provided unskilled manual labor jobs related to the…
Recognize this building? It’s Charlie Williams Garage — today known as the Tall Timber restaurant, located on Mashell Ave. Charlie’s garage was built with money from the 1898 Yukon Gold Rush. The Stage (far left) is a 1912 or 1913 automobile. The other cars are 1913 Model T Fords (aka Tin Lizzies). The first three…
Eatonville To Rainier 