On this June 17 Day in Pacific Northwest News History, June 17, 1980, 700 employees are striking at Willamette Industries, the Circus Vargas comes to town, a general is denying rumors, Reed Rainey saves the day for Albany baseball, and cars are super cheap!
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June 11 1908, Wallace, Idaho, Mysterious Woman Wears Gown and Blows People’s Minds
Here’s a funny story I discovered looking through old Pacific Northwest newspapers.
On June 11, 1908, a mysterious woman appeared on the streets of Idaho in a directoire gown and shocked people enough that she made it into the news a few hundred miles. She must have been one hell of a woman.
The full clip can be read here: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79405998/
This is part of my Northwest News Nuggets, which explores fun and/or fascinating news stories from the Pacific Northwest’s past.
To LSD or Not to LSD–The Washington State LSD Legalization Debate of 1967 (Another Northwest News Nugget)
In 1967, Mark Litchman, representing Washington State’s 45th District, proposed House Bills 45, 467, and 536, all of which dealt with LSD. Litchman, having been counselled by acid guru Timothy Leary, wanted to keep LSD legal to some degree (not as a street drug).
I stumbled upon these news articles and found it to be a fascinating piece of Pacific Northwest history, as respectable members of society were openly discussing the legalization of LSD, which is something I have a hard time envisioning in our supposedly more enlightened and open-minded society of 2021.
Just a tasty little Northwest News Nugget.
Sources:
“A Political Viewpoint,” Port Angeles Evening News, February 14, 1967: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79156020/
“Praise Claimed for LSD Bill,” The Spokesman-Review, February 5 1967: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79156133/
House Journal of the Fortieth Legislature of the State of Washington at Olympia, the State Capital: https://leg.wa.gov/LIC/Documents/Historical/FloorJournals/House/1967HouseJournal.pdf
hike to winter block: Dirty Harry’s peak isn’t only for rock climbing (the hike is pretty good too)
I wasn’t trying to do Dirty Harry’s Peak Trail. I actually went looking for the Birdhouse Trail, which was supposed to somehow be connected to the DHPT. I never saw any sign of the Birdhouse Trail and am as baffled as to its location now as I was before arriving at what I thought was the trailhead.
Much like the Melmont Ghost Town, the Birdhouse Trail remains a mystery. All is well, however, my friends. The Nomad drives on.
What I ended up doing was hiking about two miles of the Dirty Harry’s Peak Trail. After hiking about 1.5 miles I stopped at Winter Block, which affords some nice views.
It was a rainy, muddy day, and I wasn’t in the mood to go all the way to the top. I meant for a nice, leisurely hike on the Birdhouse Trail and didn’t go out with the intention of doing anything overly strenuous (I have a sports injury).
I can’t say my experience on the DHPT was too mind-blowing, but it was nice. The trail climbs in elevation pretty steeply and has a lot of bare rock to traverse, which is something I’ve always found oddly pleasing.
There are various spur trails to rock-climbing spots, such as the Grit Scone pictured below.
I will be summiting Dirty Harry’s Peak at some point, but for now figured I’d discuss the trail as a simple two-mile day hike. You can get up on Winter Block after a pretty straightforward but frequently steep ~1.5 mile hike.
The hike won’t won’t rob your soul like Mount Storm King, but it will get the blood pumping. The rock climbing here looks fantastic, but I’ll have to wait to say that definitively.
In the meantime, if you’re looking for something new, you could do worse than the Dirty Harry Peak Trail to Winter Block. It’s worth a gander.
Happy nomadding, friends.
(I have no idea what the issue with WordPress right now, but the sytem isn’t allowing me to embed the map. This will link will show you how to get to the trailhead: https://goo.gl/maps/cc2RDdae8TcSDBir7)
Butler Cove, Washington for Sale: January 13, 1893
Most Olympians don’t know the name Butler Cove. If they know the area at all, it’s usually as “that spot over by golf course” or “that neat little neighborhood off Cooper Point Road.”
Historical Hotspot
Butler Cove, however, has quite a bit of history packed into its small space. It’s a beautiful place that emanates calm, contemplative energy.
In 1854 it was the site of the murder of a Queen Charlotte Islands Indian and the probably revenge-murder of Colonel Ebey that resulted. For a time it was also an important center of commerce. In the 1870s it was the site of a long wharf constructed on the properties of the French and Brown families. The road leading to Butler Cove, by the way, is French Road.
Well, that wharf got people going to Butler Cove (then called Butler's Cove), and those people quickly decided that it was a great spot for some picnicking and clambaking (clambakes were apparently a very big thing in early Olympia). That made Butler Cove, for a time, one of the favorite recreation spots in Olympia.
Not Top Dog Anymore
According to the Olympia Historical Society, the spot fell out of favor after automobiles became readily available and the steam ships became less popular. After that, it became a neighborhood, as it remains today.
Recently I found an interesting news article related to that transformation from recreational spot to residential.
The article announces that the Butler Cove Land Company will be selling properties at Butler Cove for $125 each, which could optionally be paid with just $10 down and then $5 a month until paid in full. $125 would be about $3,700 in 2021 dollars.
The sales were to be done in rooms 13 and 14 at "Woodruff Block," which I assume to be the Labor Temple where the Brotherhood now is.
For me, it’s kind of surreal finding this. 1893, in my mind, is ancient history. For whatever reason, I never imagine it having newspapers. I especially never would have guessed that the papers would have survived to be digitally today.
So, there’s your Historical Northwest News Nugget for you.
Happy nomaddig, friends.
