It was a small group. There were twelve of us in attendance, including guest speaker Henry Balsiger
who explained his process of preserving photos for individuals, families and museums.
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| Henry from a 2007 Ruralite Article |
The meeting started with the traditional blessing before the potluck meal, traditional good food, a traditional song led by Hazel Parsons, which is usually "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain" followed by the business meeting.
As I said, it was a small group. Compared to this 1915 gathering at the Colburn Hotel in White Salmon, we were a very small group.
The September 15, 1955 issue of the Mt Adams Sun made an effort to try and identify the Camas Prairie and Vicinity Pioneers in this photo.
Thanks to Jeffrey Elmer, this list is easier to read.
"Editor's Note
With the help of John Wyers, Mrs. Jennie Stump and Mrs. O.V. Lemley, the SUN has been able to identify most of the persons pictured in the above photo of the Camas Prairie and Vicinity Pioneer Association.
The picture of the annual reunion was taken by C.C. Hutchen in front of the old Colburn Hotel, White Salmon, June 11, 1915.
For the benefit of our files, the editors will appreciate receiving any names of not included in the following lists. Reading from left to right:
In Front of Fence
Elna Cavin and sister, Alex Miller, Georgia Thomas, William Miller, J.A. Morris, Jake Prahl; Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Wright and children, Bernice and Lawrence; Al Bertschi, Mr. and Mrs. George Purser and son, Elliott; Claus Staack, Betsy Leathers, C.W. Moore, John Wyers, Mrs. Jim West, Mrs. Jake Prahl, Mrs. Tillie DeVoe and Margaret.
Behind Fence
Johnny Quaempts, Marion Locke, George Rankin, Charley Quaempts, Gilbert Knutson, Pete Thams, William Jebe, Stanley Locke, Henry Restorf, Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Larsen, Wm. Fordyce, Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Borde, Herman Bertschi, Paul Kuhnhausen, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Jewett, Lila Bartholomew, Mrs. Frazer, Mrs. N.M. Wood, Kathleen McClintock and brother, Mrs. Victoria Waldron, H.D. Cole, Wade Dane, Georgia McClintock, W.B. Cole, Mrs. Jasper Gunning, Kate Lane, Mrs. Al Bertschi, Mrs. Bob Fordyce, Mr. and Mrs. Dan Hunsaker.
Top Porch Steps
C.L. Colburn, Mrs. Frank Frazer, William Wright, Orpha Leaton Duus, Anna Coate, Mary Brown, Mrs. Jenny Stump.
On Porch
Mrs. Plank, Mrs. Maude Robertson, Jack Stump, Bert Diamond, Oliver and Maggie Kreps, G.A. Thomas, Abe Groshong, Mrs. T. Wyers, Sr., Mrs. Rhoda Kreps, Mr. and Mrs. Matt Wilkins and Mrs. Lydia Colburn."
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You will notice the beginning year for the organization was 1901, which means this year, 2016 was the 115th anniversary of the organization. There were members in attendance who are descended from some of the above names.
From a previous history written in 2002 about the beginnings of the organization......
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"The Organization started with 53 people signing the roll call on January 1, 1901, whom became the Charter members. From this organization's summer picnics in June came the Glenwood "Ketchem Kalf" Rodeo Association and annual rodeo......The Organization met January 1, and the second Friday in June. We now meet the first Sunday in May and October. As we know to date, we are the oldest historical organization that has been meeting continually in Washington State, for almost 100 years....."
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In years past, if you weren't born and raised in the valley, it was tough to become a member of this organization. I moved to Glenwood in the fall of 1970. I was 22 years old and shy, but I loved history, so I got up my nerve to attend the following spring Camas Prairie Pioneer meeting. All I wanted to do, was sit in the corner like a quiet mouse and listen to the history of the area. One of the older "born and raised in the area" members, made a point to state that newcomers were not allowed to join. I went home with my head bowed in embarrassment and never went back. Until last year.
After 45 years, and no longer shy, I decided I wanted to become a part of the local history.
Some think, because of the small number attending the meetings, the organization should be disbanded. Some think that pioneers no longer exist, so the organization should be disbanded.
I believe that those early pioneers made an effort to gather and preserve their history because they recognized they had something important and something special. I don't believe they wanted their names nor their history to be disbanded and forgotten.
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I debated on adding photos of the meeting, but finally decided it was history. Thanks to Henry Balsiger for the photos. Speaking of history....the meeting took place in the portion of the church that was built in the 1890's. It originally stood just east of the old Grange Hall. Once the town of Glenwood became more established it was moved up town.
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| Hazel Bertschi Parson led us in the traditional opening of a song. Hazel's traditional song is, "She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain." Hazel has some extra verses that I have never heard before. But, that isn't unusual for Hazel. |
We had fun discussing our memories of "did we have a barn where we grew up?"
Teunis is not having as much fun because he is missing Sunday Football. Hazel Parsons said her father and grandfather were responsible for many of the barns in the valley. She lived on the Bertschi farm out by Lakeside where there were two large barns, since torn down by the Refuge. Frank Ward used some of the timber beams from those barns in his new home along Bird Creek.
Hazel later moved to the "flat", which is by C&H shop and helped her father build the barn that is still standing there. Her brother and father built the barn that has since fallen down.
Henry Balsiger, who grew up on the Bingen bottoms, saw his barn floating down the Columbia River in the 1948 flood.
Teunis Wyers says, when he was a child, his grandfather tore down a barn in White Salmon and moved it across the river to their home in Hood River. His grandfather thought they needed a milk cow and if they had a cow, they needed a barn.
There are 19 barns in the Gilmer Valley and they all have names. Timber smith Michael Low is helping restore one of the barns.
Tillie Williams said when she and Rich came to Glenwood to visit his parents, they lived on the old Chris Restorff place where there was a large barn. Ben Langfield lives there now.
Bonnie Parsons Harris said she lived at several of the Bertschi farms here in Glenwood that had barns and then she moved to BZ Corners where there was a log barn. She said the log barn is still standing.
Wanee Kuhnhausen, said she and her husband Manuel Gravelle built the house that is across the street from the church. They also built a barn but it caved in with one of the heavy snows.
Jerry Ladiges said he had one of the old barns in his field torn down before it fell down on the cows. The Ladiges home originally sat out by that barn and was later moved along Ladiges Road.
Laurene Eldred, (that's me) grew up in Washougal on the original Tanner donation land claim. Tanner was related to the Elisha Tanner who came into Camas Prairie in the 1860's with his milk cows. We had a large dairy and hay barn built in a swamp which my dad decided to tear down, then wished he hadn't.
Joann Sheridan Hutton said she had baby pigs under a heat lamp in her family barn called "the old Radford Place", which caught the barn on fire. She said some of the barns on the north side of the valley were built by Ivan McCumber. He used a lot of tamarack in his barns.
Brent Hart said she didn't have any barns where she grew up, but she married someone who likes to restore old barns.
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I do have a GLENWOOD HISTORY PHOTO PAGE which features some of the old barns in the Valley.
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| President Joann Hutton, Treasurer Teunis Wyers, Vice President/Secretary Bonnie Parsons Harris. |
History is based upon the words of the story teller and sometimes I fall into the trap of believing the words. Or....as Henry Balsiger says..."History is based upon the last story teller".
