Iceland ..... A lot like Washington!?

The ridged basaltic cliffs look much like home except here lots more moss turns them green.

Visiting relatives.........NOT what you imagine.

This wonderful picture tells the whole story; it takes "visiting relatives on summer vacation" to a whole new level.

Beach wear............not what it used to be for sure.

What do you wear when you go to the beach or the lake? As little as possible, right? And don't we have to both laugh and wonder when we see folks at the beach in days of yore. They must have been so hot!

They fully protected themselves from the sun but the "proper-ness" of their lives extended even to the beach. See the suits, white shirts and hats on the gents?? Sitting on the sand, sweltering in all those petticoats. Notice the "beach chairs" too.

We have come a long way; some better and some not. Swim wear, and going into the water and not just looking at it, is way better. Bet you agree. 

Nine Mile Falls Historic Site............ever been there?

Ever been out to Nine Mile Falls in the northwestern-most corner of Spokane? It's not just a name but is a FALLS, albeit a dam-created falls. Judy Benson shares these photos with us:

Nine Mile Falls Historic Site

The Nine Mile Falls hydroelectric plant was completed in1908 to provide power to the rail network outside of Spokane. Street cars had become the preferred mode of transportation allowing for the city’s continued expansion. Because the distance from downtown to the dam was more than 16 miles, in1928 ten English brick bungalow cottages (7 are still standing and being renovated) were built for the power plant workers and their families.

This Hydroelectric Power Plant Historic District is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and one of the best-preserved historic power sites in the state. It’s a perfect destination for lunch in the provided picnic area; while watching the beautiful views of the falls and strolling through the street of days past with these cozy charming homes. 

This would be a fun summer drive. Go west on Francis to the end, down the hill (only one road) and stay on this road until you get to the dam (at the "town" of Nine Mile Falls). Turn left over the dam and the cottages are on your right. They appear to be still lived in. 

As you imagine, or visit, think upon what historic things to see are in the areas or towns where your ancestors lived?? Ever been there?

OCIP...... an EWGS project that you didn't know about

This photo is of most members of the OCIP project group. What what is this, you ask? Obituary Clipping Project! Our goal is to make available any Spokane obituary since our newspaper began about 125 years ago and in the easiest and quickest way possible for the researcher. 

Left to right: Donna Phillips, Patricia Flint, Lynda Keenan, Jeanne Coe, Sonji Rutan and Charles Hansen. Missing that day were PJ Farrance-Rabel and Sandi Gaffney. 

Here's the plan: In the near future, a researcher wanting a certain obituary (say 1942) from Spokane will click to our EWGSI.org website. There will be a link to a master list of where to request an obit from that year. Some will request from EWGS; some will request from the Eastern Washington Historical Society Library (MAC). We were given a 4-foot stack of fairly recent newspapers collected by John Ellingson and have been clipping them, gluing them to archival sheets and will next index them. The boxes in the photo show a really good start on the work of this part of the project.

Want to shout out a big kudo to this team for their dedication. When we began this project in January, we really had no idea how involved it would be. But we are dedicated to see it through to the end.   

Don't YOU think this is  worthwhile project and will be a valuable family history resource in the future?

Ramona

Did that one word title catch your eye? It surely did catch my eye back on June 10th when Patricia Flint honchoed the EWGS Find-A-Grave project day in Greenwood Cemetery. 

Who were you, dear Ramona???? At the time, didn't think to look at the surnames on the nearby grave markers. I just stood and shed a tear for Ramona. 

Grandma's Feather Flowers................Really?

Back in the day when every day life included lots of feathers (chicken for dinner), our great-grandmothers (who were just as "crafty" as we are today) used some of those feathers as decoration.

These feather flowers were in my dear friend, Janet McKinnon's guest bedroom and they were so lovely and so different to my eyes.

It was back in 1873 that a craft book of instructions (of the day, remember) came out showing how to make feather flowers. 

Any feather flowers among your family heirlooms???

Ballard Reuse: Salvage To The Max

Was just in Seattle with my daughter and we visited Ballard Reuse. This place brought me new understanding of "building salvage." When a building is ready for demolition, the last folks to be called in are licensed salvage folks. They can take whatever they find that's left: old oak flooring, old brass fixtures, old windows and doors, old chandeliers, old anythings! Wandering the stuffed warehouse of this place I was just amazed.

Where else might you find a long-forgotten 1900s baby carriage or a pink or green or yellow bathroom sink????  If you're really into vintage for your home, remember to check out the building salvage businesses. Just might surprise you. 

Hallowed Ground

It is a couple weeks past Memorial Day but I just got around to watching a PBS special titled Hallowed Grounds.

This hour-long special tours 23 Overseas U.S. Military Cemeteries located in eight countries, the final resting place for thousands of American men and women who gave their lives in WW I and WWII. (The program pointed out that since WWII casualties are returned to the U.S.) 

Sitting with my iPad, I just Googled "hallowed grounds PBS" and it came right up. Using my $8 earphones, I spent a memorable hour remembering. Remembering. Remembering. I do recommend it to you. 

Needing info from a Washington State newspaper???

Do you need information from a Washington State newspaper? Do you know about the new Washington State Digital Newspaper website?

I would not be so bold as to say this website has every newspaper for all dates from every Washington city or town but they have lots. 

Wouldn't you like to know your Bloomsday time from a decade ago? Or Grandma Ethel's obituary from 1967? Or what was happening in your home town the day you were born?

Check it out. 

Photos hide where you would never think to look!

Vera Rock was an active and stalwart member of EWGS for decades. Isn't this a great photo of her??

Let's suppose that this is one of THE best photos of Vera ever taken. Let's further suppose that it's a photo her family has never seen. And the point of my story is that they likely never will.

This photo was one of 200-some photos of EWGS members that were recently indexed and placed with our EWGS historic materials in the Joel E. Ferris Library, Eastern Washington Historical Society.  How many of Vera's descendants will think to look THERE for a photo of her???

Think about it. Your ancestors were involved with clubs, organizations, churches, societies, etc. in the place where they lived. These are not federal or even state records but papers of private organizations. Papers and collections from such organizations end up in local HISTORIC societies. In your research, have you ever thought to inquire of a historical society if they have in their holdings materials from your Great-grandma Ethel's Garden Club? And maybe a picture????/

Think about it. 

Joseph Aloysius Albi & His Stadium: Bet you didn't know!

EWGS does so many wonderful projects! One current project concerns gathering/correlating obituary information for over 100 years of Spokane history. A group of dedicated members gathers monthly at the MAC Ferris Library to work on this project. 

I recently came upon the obit for Joe Albi, Joseph Aloysius Albi, who was wonderful Italian founder of many good things in Spokane. 

Born to Garibaldi and Louise (Ottoboni) Albi on 5 Oct 1892, he married Mazie Lyons and they had four children; Joe died from what's called Lou Gehring's Disease on 8 May 1962 after a long and illustrious career serving Spokane. 

Anybody remember going to high school football games at Joe Albi Stadium? Joe was behind the movement in 1949 to build the stadium, named in his honor. The above photo is of the bronze statue of him near the stadium. 

There is history all around us if we but look and ask. 

GEG: Our airport code; how came the name?

Our Spokane International Airport has the code GEG. Ever wondered why???  Well, for starters, there are many airports/cities with names beginning with "S" and not very many with "G." So that makes us unique. Here's the story, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Spokane International Airport (IATA: GEG, ICAO: KGEG, FAA LID: GEG) is a commercial airport approximately 5 miles (8 km) west of downtown Spokane, Washington. It is the primary airport serving the Inland Northwest, which consists of 30 counties and includes areas such as Spokane and the Tri-Cities, both in Eastern Washington, and Coeur d'Alene in North Idaho. The airport's code, GEG, is derived from its airfield's namesake, Major Harold Geiger.

As of 2015, Spokane International Airport (GEG) ranks as the 70th-busiest airport in the United States in terms of passenger enplanements. At 3,998,272 total passengers served in 2018, it is also the second busiest airport in Washington. GEG is served by six airlines with non-stop service to 15 airports in 13 markets.

Did you catch that new word enplanements? New to me!