World Gone By …
Published 1:30 am Saturday, August 16, 2025
85 YEARS AGO
August 9, 1940
Wendell Willkie, Republican presidential nominee, has two “cinch” votes in Central Park in the persons of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Francis.
Born and raised in Willkie’s hometown of Elwood, Ind., friends and fellow church members with Willkie’s parents and casual acquaintances of the nominee when he was a boy, the two elderly Harborites will go to the polls in November with but one thought in mind — “Willkie for President.”
August 13, 1940
The first taste of 1940 political campaigning, streamlined and ultra-modern, was relished by more than 1,000 Southwest Washington Republicans at a rally and banquet last night in Aberdeen.
Crowding the Weir theater almost to its rafters, the party members heard a score of candidates bid for their votes, watched a six-act vaudeville program, laughed when a fire bell “gonged” the speakers to silence and cheered to echo the names of Wendell Wilkie and Charles McNary, leaders of the national Republican ticket.
August 14, 1940
A spark from two clashing cables at 1:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon started a slashing fire at Simpson camp 5, upper Wynooche River country, that covered 200 acres before nightfall, District Fire Warden. O.B. Wedekind said today. About 160 firefighters had the blaze under control this morning.
Wedekind said a logger was standing near where the spark fell from the butt rigging but the brush took fire and spread so rapidly he could not halt it.
August 15, 1940
The annual American Legion drum and bugle corps contest, one of the most colorful events of the three-day conclave, will be staged at 7:30 o’clock Friday night at the Hoquiam Olympic stadium.
Six of the state’s outstanding Legion corps will go through a vast variety of brilliant marching maneuvers at the big show. In addition, there will be a fireworks program and drill exhibitions by the Aberdeen Elks and Eagles lodge teams.
60 Years Ago
August 9, 1965
After 30 years, six months and 25 days as a clerk in the office of Grays Harbor County Treasurer, Mrs. Margaret DuBruler retired yesterday and was guest of honor at a party given by courthouse employees.
Having joined the staff on Jan. 13, 1935, Mrs. DuBruler saw three treasurers in office, Steve Trask, Mrs. Minnie Moak and incumbent Don F. Smith.
August 13, 1965
The 1965 Grays Harbor Fair got off to a slow but fun-filled start yesterday with an opening day attendance of 4,042, down almost 2,000 from last year. Blame for the low attendance has been placed on the rainy weather. Several times during the day the sky opened up to drench fun seekers.
August 14, 1965
No doubt the “strongest” woman on the Harbor, Mrs. Gertrude Stotts, can hold up a dozen cars with one hand. She is a flagman for Page Paving Co., working on the Highway 410 four laning project east of Aberdeen.
Dressed in high top boots and a fluorescent vest and cap, Mrs. Stotts flags traffic every afternoon. She says she likes her work and enjoys working outdoors.
Duffy’s and the Smoke Shop from Aberdeen rode to easy opening round victories in the Washington State Slow Pitch Tournament in Olympia last night.
Duffy’s slammed Time Finance of Othello, 14 to 4 as manager Larry Dianovich and shortstop Sonny Luke both collected three hits for the Harborites.
Bill Gill, a veteran campaigner, pitched a rare slow-pitch no-hitter and allowed only three base runners as the Smoke Shop blanked Field’s Insurance of Othello 8 to 0. Wayne Brando with three hits including a double and Ron Langhans with a first inning two-run homer led the Harbor champs into the winner’s bracket.
August 16, 1965
Sunny skies and feature attractions brought people in large numbers Saturday and Sunday to boost 1965 Grays Harbor County Fair attendance to 23,400 for the four-day period.
The largest single event attendance was at the races Sunday with nearly 3,000 persons in the stands and bleachers.
35 YEAR AGO
August 9, 1990
If Tokeland represented a garden patch of recreation in a rain-swept wilderness, the grand hotel was its flower.
The Tokeland Hotel and the tiny community have both faded from view a bit since their heyday when the rustic two-story building was the hub of a bustling resort on placid Willapa Bay but its operation had been sporadic since the 1970s and it was vacant for the past three years.
This year a Seattle couple Scott and Katherine White reopened the hotel, hoping to restore its old charm for new customers.
Originally William and Lizzie Kindred (the daughter of Toke Point’s original homesteaders, George and Charlotte Brown) opened their home to visitors. They added to their house in 1899 and again in 1910 and established what became known as Kindreds’ Tokeland Hotel. Eventually a golf course and club house, a post office, a general store and bridle paths were established around the hotel.
August 13, 1990
Ray Sundquist, the Washington State College basketball All-American who became synonymous with Cougar booster activities on Grays Harbor, died Saturday at a local nursing home.
A Hoquiam High School graduate, Sundquist became a successful businessman, founding Harbor Millwork with his father and brother and operating the Misfit restaurants Ocean Shores and Pullman.
Aberdeen dentist Marc Tomlinson had been forewarned. But he was surprised at how bad the problem really was when four Latvian teenagers visited his office last week. “Some needed 20 fillings,” he said.
Tomlinson is among a number of dentists in Washington and Oregon giving free dental treatment to about 20 students and counselors from the West Coast Latvian Education Center, a foreign exchange camp in Shelton.
Tomlinson learned of the students’ dental problems from Juris Macs, a surgeon on the Harbor who had received a call from the camp. Macs’ family is from Latvia.
August 14, 1990
Amy Eko, a June 1990 graduate of Aberdeen High School, recently spent four weeks at the National Youth Science Camp in West Virginia’s rugged Monongahela National Forest.
The camp provided two of the most promising science students from each state with an opportunity to hear lectures from a variety of disciplines and to participate in several hands-0n learning experiences, ranging from making laser holograms to studying Appalachian music.
August 15, 1990
A spectacular fire destroyed a commercial building and 12 apartment units in Aberdeen early this morning.
“Right now, the information we have is that everybody got out,” Fire Chief Lowell Killen said this morning.
At daybreak, all that remained of the building at 510 W. Wishkah was mounds of charred rubble and smoldering embers. The fire wiped out R&M Equipment Co., owned by Doug Ewen and Mike & Fred’s Autoparts owned by Mike Maine, Fred Elder and Bob and Pat Byron.The apartment dwellers also lost virtually everything.
Fire officials weren’t sure how many tenants lived upstairs in the building owned by Fred Potts, but feel certain everyone is accounted for. Potts, 79, a long-time Realtor, said the building was insured. He was philosophical this morning about the loss. “What else can you do? You can get all worked up and raise your blood pressure … Over the years I’ve learned to roll with the punches. I could cuss and swear but what good would it do?”
He said he empasizes with his renters, most of whom probably don’t have renters insurance.
August 16, 1990
Quick. That’s the motto at a new, locally-owned, fast-food hamburger emporium opening today in East Aberdeen.
And who better to invite to taste-test Quick’s Burgers than Jack VanDerbeek, owner of the first drive-in built at 1015 E. Wishkah.
“Jack was the original owner here in the 1950s,” said Sonny Bridges, co-owner of the venture with Joe Illing of Olympia. “He opened Jack’s Drive-In and it was extremely successful. It was the place to be all through the ’50s.”
Bridges, 46, also owns Bridges and Billy’s restaurants in Aberdeen, is a partner is the Breakwater Seafoods group and is half-owner in Zelasko & Co. Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate in Aberdeen.
Many criminals would still be on the loose if it weren’t for Zac, a 3-year-old German Shepherd that tips the scales at 100 pounds.
Through his amazing scent-detecting abilities, the Westport canine is able to track down criminal suspects. In fact his partner, Westport Police Officer Chuck Cunningham, credits him with 35 arrests.
Zac makes a good police dog because of his good health, courage, even temperament and the desire and ability to defend himself, his partner said.
Aberdeen has a 3 1/2 year old German Shepherd, Erol, while the county has Seizer, a 6 1/2 year old chocolate-colored shepherd. Hoquiam’s Dasko, a Rottweiler is currently on inactive duty.
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom, Editorial Assistant at The Daily World. You can contact her at karen.barkstrom@thedailyworld.com or call her at 360-537-3925.
