Coulee Recollections

Ten Years Ago

The recent awarding of a grant to the town of Coulee Dam could ensure the restoration of Douglas Park to its original condition. Rod Hartman announced at the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon last Thursday that the town received a $98,996 matching grant from Okanogan County’s Board of Commissioner.

David Reese, 18, was presented his Eagle Scout Award at a BSA Eagle Court of Honor Aug. 21.

Lake Roosevelt High School senior Shane Proctor’s several activities have earned him a spot in the national magazine “Country.” “He rides bulls at the national High School Rodeo, plays varsity football and baseball, wrestles, raises hogs - and he makes his own shirts,” said Shane’s mother Kathy.

Several groups in the Eastern European country of Belarus will soon benefit from items Coulee Community Hospital had intended to throw away. CCH’s former chief surgeon Gene Gross and his wife Maureen supervised the shipment of supplies donated by the hospital Friday. Donated furniture included two birthing beds, two hospital beds, eight mattresses, three bassinets and a crib. The hospital has also donated some medical supplies, including bandages, tape and outdated gloves.

Twenty Years Ago

A proposed agreement between the state and the Colville Confederated Tribes that would allow casinos on tribal lands is up for public comment at two meetings this week.

New superintendent of schools for the GCD School District is Dennis Przychodzin.

Thirty Years Ago

Wright Chevrolet of Grand Coulee will be changing hands soon. Dale Marston, formerly of Cheney, has purchased the business from Red and Helen Wright.

In a letter to the GCD School District, Superintendent Chris Fitzgerald tendered his resignation effective June 1, 1983. He plans to go to Ireland on business.

A record number of runners took part in the “Over the Dam Run” despite 95 degree heat. Taking first was Chuck Bartlett with second going to Don Kardong.

Forty Years Ago

Grand Coulee Dam Schools opened on August 30 with a first day enrollment of 1,479 students. This is a decrease of 53 students from last year.

Fifty Years Ago

The George Alling family of the Rex area and Mike Alling of Warden spent Thursday and Friday at the World’s Fair in Seattle.

New officers recently elected for the Grand Coulee Chapter Indian Association are Mrs. Sue Winegarden, Mrs. Wayne Rawley and Mrs. William Samuels.

Sixty Years Ago

Patty and Nancy Ludolph and Patsy Hilson were at Wenatchee over the weekend to attend the Grand Ball given by the DeMolay boys following their conclave.

Seventy Years Ago

The Bureau of Reclamation purchased a second-hand locomotive from the Denver and Rio Grande railroad to use on the Grand Coulee Dam-Odair-Coulee City line. The locomotive was to replace that used by Consolidated Builders Inc.

Wartime dam builder families were plagued by grasshoppers. The insects did not pass up anything that remotely resembled food. Not only did they feast on the lawn and schrubs at the Grand Coulee Library, but residents reported the grasshoppers polished off the lawns in a 24-hour period.

War years - The USBR photographic staff took pictures and fingerprinted 1750 dam workers.

Nearly 8700 feet of railroad track were laid by CBI from the west end of the dam to the powerhouse and dropped 350 feet from the top of the dam to the powerhouse entrance.

The USBR announced plans for a 72-foot working model of Grand Coulee Dam to be built and placed in a permanent location. This model was to be used for test of a model of a caisson in which behavior of the caisson in rough water could be observed. Officials are also planning to study the control of the flow of water through draining tubes well in advance of future spillway operations.