Highline Historical Society NewsVolume 77

IN THIS ISSUE

The Mission of the Highline Historical Society

is to collect, preserve, and tell the stories of the Highline region and its

people.

2015-16 TrusteesTerry Anderson

Michael EmersonLloyd HermanLynda Isernio

Gary LongKitty MilneFran Reid

Sili SavusaJeff Taylor

Cyndi Upthegrove

From the President Page 2 How Can You Help ? Page 6 Upcoming Programs and Events Page 3 New Donations Page 7 Stanley G. Craig’s Memories Page 4 SeaTac Memories Page 8 Latinos in Highline Page 6

Museum Building Committee

Gary Long, ChairDavid Clark, AIAHal Duncanson

Michael EmersonKent MathesonPat Patterson

Cyndi Upthegrove

Advisory Board Members

Scott AndrewsMauricio AyonRichard JordanJoe McDermott

Karen KeiserHoward Lovering

January 2016

Now Is The Time!

Coming Soon to Olde BurienWe are ready to begin the renovation of our building at 819 SW 152nd Street in Burien. Our ten-ants have vacated the property and the building is being prepared to become a museum.

Above is architect David Clark’s initial rendering of the building. The false brick facade on the east wall will be removed and the original siding will be restored. There will be a 5 foot overhang on the north and east walls so visitors can walk to the entrance under cover. Faces of our won-derful diverse Highline population will adorn the exterior of the builidng. Many are our former Trustees, and others are representatives of those that have moved here from other countries. Ad-ditional painted figures are shown walking toward the door.

The present timeline for the project calls for the demolition of the interior beginning in January, with construction moving forward shortly thereafter. We have a goal of being ready for exhibit installation in seven months. With a lot of hard work, and a lot of help from all of you reading this, we are hoping to be open for business as a museum for the holidays next year.

How can you help, you ask? Aside from the obvious continuing need for capital donors to as-sist with funding, we can use everyone’s assistance with exhibit research and development. For example, if you have lived here for many years you might help with “proofing” our exhibits to make certain the detail in them is correct. Call Curator Nancy McKay to see if she has a project you can help with. She can be reached at 253-670-1398.

Highline Historical Society www.highlinehistory.org

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Highline Historical Society News

is published by the Highline Historical Society

P.O. Box 317Seahurst, WA 98062

Comments or information for publication may be sent

to Editor, at the Society address, or email at

editor@highlinehistory.org

Note: The Highline Historical Society respects

our donors’ and friends’ confidentiality. We do not make our mailing lists available to other

organizations.

The Society is a proud member of Discover Burien,

the Assn. of King County Historical Societies,

the South King County Cultural Coalition,

Washington Museums Assn. and the

American Association of State and Local History.

We are also funded by grants from the cities of

SeaTac and Burien.

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Mike Emerson

Have Projector, Will Travel! If you know of an organization in High-line whose members would be interested in seeing a presentation on Highline’s history and how the Society is preserv-ing it, please have the organization con-tact us. 206-246-6354

“Happy New Year!” is a toast or greeting usually meant to look forward to the forthcoming year in a positive way--which I intend to get to. First, however, I’d like to acknowledge and re-cap our very successful 2015.

While there were many less visible victories re-sulting from hard work and diligence throughout the year, I want to specifically recognize four ab-solute home run events that advanced us well on the way toward achieving our goal of building and opening a regional museum for the Highline area. Early in the year we revised our ambitious plan of full demolition and new construction, and focused on a smaller project renovating the existing building at our site in Burien. We hired a well-respected and experienced architectural firm, David Clark Associates, and established both an initial design and a construction plan. Second, with revised design plan in hand, we successfully sought and received an extension and re-appropriation of our state grant of $328,000 “matching” funds towards construction progress. Third, we were excited and determined to take advantage of the opportunity to disassemble and remove to storage beautiful existing display cases from the Rosalie Whyles Doll Museum in Bellevue, a donation in itself worth over $300,0000 to our project. Last, and certainly not least, King County granted our Historical Society $1,000,000 towards this project. What a great base of donations and grants for us to sprint into the fund-raising necessary to finish this project and welcome our museum to our public!

NOW, TO 2016:Fund-raising (see prior paragraph) will be a top priority, made somewhat easier by success in 2015. This project is not paid for just yet.

Mini-demolition (i.e., building still standing) will have already started by the time you read this. General requirements include a new roof, installation of a fire wall on the west side, sixteen foot ceilings, new interiors, electrical and plumbing, new exterior windows, façade, signage and parking. Exhibit installation is scheduled to start in August; and a “soft” open-ing as early as November.

NOW TO YOU, OUR MEMBERS AND DONORS:

Thanks to all of you for your continued support, both financial and volunteer effort. We appreciate it and depend upon it.

Highline Historical Society www.highlinehistory.org

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We are recognized by this top charity rating organzation.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EXHIBITS

Exhibit at SeaTac City Hall (4800 S 188th Street) Alan Hovhaness- Exhibit runs until mid-March. This exhibit is a tribute to one of the finest composers in America. The late internationally reknown Alan Hovhaness lived in SeaTac and his music speaks to all of us. Parking is free. The exhibit can be viewed from 9 AM - 5 PM weekdays.

Traveling Exhibit - Based on our recent November program, Latinos in Highline, and a se-ries of oral histories with Latino families in Highline, we will open a March exhibit at SeaTac City Hall and move it every 3 months through the cities of SeaTac, Burien and Normandy Park. Members should watch for your invitation to the opening reception.

Meet Milt Prigee, Sunday, Jan10, 2016 - SeaTac City Hall (4800 S 188th Street) at 2 PM.Milt is upholding the finest tradition of editorial cartooning when he pres-ents “Cartooning the Evergreen State.” In an entertaining presentation that is designed to invite debate, political cartoonist Milt Priggee challenges audience members’ personal beliefs on issues by sharing a collection of images specifically to explore what is considered acceptable commentary in the 21st century. He also shares some of his favorite published local cartoons, as well as some that were rejected for publication. Parking and admission are free.

Online Auction - March 1 - 20, 2016 - Participate in our online auction and help us raise money for the new museum and specific items we will need to operate it. We hope you will think of us by donating items for auction, and think of us when the auction begins by bidding and encouraging your friends and family to bid. Watch for more information as the time approaches. This is something the entire community can participate in to help ensure the success of the museum.

Highline Garden Tour, Saturday June 11th - Fans of beautiful gardens will love this year’s tour, our 13th. Its not too early to offer one more garden to visit, or volunteer to help host a garden. We want this year’s tour to be the best ever. New volunteers are welcome.

SeaTac ExhibitRemembering Alan

Hovhaness

Latinos in HighlineTraveling Exhibit

Cartooning the Evergreen State

Online Auction

Save the DateHighline

Garden Tour

Please patronize ournewsletter sponsor

Highline Historical Society www.highlinehistory.org

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A small memoir was recently donated to us. It is a compilation of the memories of Stanley Gordon Craig. Mr. Craig was born in 1928 in Edmonds, Washington, and lived through his teen years in Burien. We are reproducing some of his childhood memories here because he recalls so much about what the area was like when he and his sister, Helen, were children. His complete memories are on our website at www.highlinehistory.org - Ed.

...In March of 1937, I was in the 3rd grade, we moved to 4905 Dawson Street in Seattle. We went to Whitworth Grade School. The house was old and creaky with two bedrooms. That first summer Dad and I raised part of the roof and made room for a place for me to sleep. It never got finished past boards over rafters for a floor.

The neighborhood was nice. We lived about one mile from Seward Park on Lake Washington. There was lots of vacant land to play on, some open and some wooded. One of my friends owned a horse. My sister and I both had lots of friends and enjoyed living there.

A bunch of us formed a baseball team and played other teams around the area. This was when I was ten, eleven and twelve. There was no organized play at that time. I joined the Cub Scouts and went to summer camp on Puget Sound somewhere. They required us to wear short pants and I didn’t like them so I dropped out.

When I was 10, I got a bicycle. Most of my friends already had one so I was very happy. We took some pretty long trips on our bikes. I mowed lawns and had quite a few regular customers. One of our favorite pastimes was playing Robin Hood in an area we called the “Big Woods.” Eventually this evolved from swords and bows to BB guns. We would choose sides and fight mini battles. There were strict rules about not shooting above the waist. Miraculously none of us lost an eye. Rubber guns were real popular. We made our own pistols and rifles. These each shot 3-5 rubbers each. At close range they stung pretty good. We build numerous “cabins” in the woods. Lemonade stands were popular with Helen and I. We lived on a busy corner with lots of foot traffic.

In late 1939 or early 1940 my parents bought two acres about 2 miles southwest of Burien. The area was heavily wooded in large second growth trees. We hired a bulldozer to clear a road to the property and clear an area for a house. We worked hard falling trees, cutting them into 4 foot lengths. These lengths were split with sledge and wedges and stacked to be cut later with a buzz saw.

My parents hired a contractor to build our house at 1955 SW 168th. We moved into the new house in June 1941. I was

was very lonesome that first summer. We did not have any near neighbors so I spent most of my free time exploring. There was lots of work to do; clearing brush, cutting up trees that had been pushed into a huge pile. We had lots of stumps to remove. My Dad would split them by placing dynamite under them. That was always exciting.

The whole area was criss crossed with old logging roads. One day while I was exploring, a couple of horseback riders came by. One was a boy my age and the other was a girl that was 3-4 years older. They stopped and visited with me. That was when I met Dave Elkins, (I was 12 years old) and his cousin June. It was about that time I decided to get a horse of my own.

I started 8th grade that fall of 1941 at Highline Jr. High. The Junior High (8-9) was on one end of the High School (10,11,12). School was 3 miles from our house and bus service was a long way away. Helen and I walked back and forth to school. We soon got to know other kids that we met also walking to school.

In September 1941, I got a morning paper route. It was tough getting up at 3:30 AM. My route took me from Seahurst, around Three Tree Point and almost to Burien. The customers were far apart and up and down some crazy places overlooking Puget Sound. It didn’t take me long to figure out why no one else wanted the route. One morning I developed a bad side ache

The house at 1955 SW 168th Street today.

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while I was on my route. Finally I saw a house with a light on. I called home and my mother came and took me to the hospital in Renton. I had an inflamed appendix. That day, 10/13/41, they removed my appendix. I was out of school for two weeks. It was quite some time before I could return to my paper route.

The following summer, 1942, I had money for my first horse. She was a short, stocky grey that I named Smokey. That was the name of the horse in my favorite book, “Smokey” by Will James. Smokey was a great little horse. I never lost a race with her. Her one bad habit was “running away with you.” She was very hard to stop once she started running. I could write pages of nothing but “running away” stories. I tried everything and finally learned to reach forward and grab her bridle at the bit and pulled her head around until she couldn’t see ahead and she would stop running.

Dave Elkins and I became very good friends and did a lot of horseback riding together. Shirley Bowland (Elkins) got a horse about this time and the three of us also became very good friends. Others around got horses and soon we had a large group. We rode everywhere. I got a better paper route and delivered the weeklys on Smokey. She soon learned my route so I could let her go and she would stop at each paper box and I could fold my papers between customers.

In the summer of 1943 I sold Smokey and bought a larger horse, “Smokey II.” Smokey II was a disappointment. I kept him a short time. He was very barn balky. Whenever I would try to get him to go he would rear up. An old rancher from Montana advised me on what to do when a horse continues to rear. His instructions were to pull him over backwards at the peak of the rear. The trick was to pull the horse straight backwards while stepping to the side. When I tried it, I pulled him over on top of myself. The pommel of the saddle landed on my left knee cracking my kneecap. I didn’t go to a doctor and it bothered me for years. This rancher from Missoula, Montana invited me to come to live with him and his wife in Montana. I just didn’t want to leave home at that time. I didn’t forget the invitation.

I traded Smokey II for a ‘34 Chev coupe. I was 15 and when I drove my new possession home my parents were upset. I couldn’t drive it so I sold it and bought another horse. Shirley, Dave and I rode two horses to a horse trader named Bill Settles. He had a larrge place (acreage) where the south end of Boeing Field is now. I bought a young filly (3-4 years old). She was just off the range and had never been handled. We put her between the two horses and led her home. It was 10 to 15 miles. She had never been led but learned quickly and was doing fine by the time we got her home. The three of us worked with her patiently and in no time she was a nice saddle horse.

Bill Settles, the horse trader, put on an amateur rodeo on week-

ends during the summer. I made my first rodeo appearance there on an exhibition bareback ride. It wasn’t much of a ride but I managed to stay on until the end. The experience was very exciting and satisfying to this 15 year old.

My back was becoming a real problem. I was having trouble sleeping and sitting in class was torture. I wore a brace most of the time, but it didn’t help. The decision was made to put me in the hospital and keep me in traction. I was scheduled in the hospital for January, 1944. In November 1943, I decided to quit school. As I remember, Helen and Shirley decided to quit with me. Helen and I would leave for school in the morn-ing, pick up Shirley and hang out.

When the time came I entered the Swedish Hospital. I was in the hospital about a month. It was not pleasant. I had heavy weight through-pullys strapped to each foot. I had a bag of sand about 4 inches in diameter and 18 inches long under my back just below my shoulder blades.

There were six of us in the ward. They all had osteomyelitis, a bone cancer. They were in their late teens and early twenties and had been hospitalized for years. The guy next to me was 21 and celebrated his third year in the same bed. I got lots of visits and they rarely got any. The nurses and student nurses treated us great. The other patients were the same age as the student nurses. They let the students practice giving them shots and anything else they wanted to do. They enjoyed the nurses’ company. I was impressed by the nurses and the com-passionate care they gave.

While I was in the hospital my folks moved from Burien to West Seattle. There was no place for my horse so I kept her at Shirley’s. When I got out of the hospital, I was required to wear a very restricting back brace at all times when I was not in bed. On top of that, I was not to ride my horse. After a couple of weeks of this nonsense, I decided to leave home.

I packed a few things and hitchhiked to Burien to get my horse. Shirley tried to talk me out of leaving because she knew I wasn’t supposed to ride. After I left she called the police to get them to stop me. They didn’t find me. I rode through Renton and followed the old highway toward Sno-qualmie Pass. I got as far as Newcastle the first night. I found an empty barn and spent the night there. The next day I rode to North Bend. I paid a farmer to feed my horse and walked to town and rented a room in a small hotel. It wasn’t long before there was a knock on the door. A Washington State Police of-ficer picked me up. My folks came and got me and paid the farmer to haul my horse home. This was in February, 1944. I sold my horse and saddle and bought a real working saddle. On April 13th my mother took me and my gear to the bus depot and I bought a ticket to Toppenish, Washington.

Highline Historical Society www.highlinehistory.org

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I had heard of two brothers that ranched in Toppenish. When I got to Toppenish I checked my gear and walked to the ranch. It was about two miles. The two brothers, Melvin and Carrol Lawrence, lived about a quarter mile apart on the ranch. Their ranch was in two places. The home ranch, where they lived and farmed, and grazing land on Toppenish Creek. In addi-tion to this, they were half Cherokee Indian. This made them eligible to graze their cattle on the reservation’s open range at the base of Mt. Adams.

In the spring, after the calves were born and the weather warmed, they drove their herd up to Mt. Adams. The cattle roamed free until fall when all the Indian ranchers would round them up and drive them home so they could feed them through the winter. The summers were used to put up hay, hun-dreds of tons of hay, 30 ton to a stack. I had arrived in April, asked for a job. They hired me for 40 dollars a month plus room and board. I was a very happy kid.

Updating our Film CollectionWith the assistance of a generous Collections Care grant from 4Culture, the Society has partnered with the Special Libraries at the University of Washington to digitize some of our old-est film. A number of reels from Camp Waskowitz, and early newsreels (like you used to see in movie theaters prior to the feature) of White Center’s famed boxer ‘Kid’ Matthews, have been conserved and digitized. First the film was cleaned and any needed conservation work was done. Some of the film was so old that it had to be sent to the University of Kentucky for preservation work. The UK is is the only facility in the country that works with certain types of old films. Then it was digitized and rewound and put into archival storage cases. The digitized materials were stored on DVDs as well as on a backup server.

The film can now be used in exhibits in the museum. Our initial use will be to talk about ‘Kid’ Matthews, as the restored foot-age can be excerpted in an exhibit, or shown in the theater in its entirety.

The photo below shows some of our unrestored film awaiting funding for its turn at the University, as well as the bright blue newly restored footage.

continued from previous page

This photo shows the digi-tized film and the small server that backs up all of the materials.

Highline 2016 ••••••••••••••••••••••• Highline 2066

LET’S DO A TIME CAPSULE!

Society Trustee Kitty Milne is working on a Time Capsule to be placed in the wall of the museum this fall before we open to the public. By participating you can be part of Highline community history.

We are seeking information on what items should be included in a Time Capsule. If you have ideas or items you would like to share, please contact Kitty with the following information:your name, telephone contact information and email.

Please tell us your ideas for the Time Capsule. Do you have an item? If so, tell us about it and why it should go into the Time Capsule. Would you like to write a letter to someone in the future about your life here today? If so, to whom would you like to write it?

Please send your information to: Kitty Milne, 11913 27th Place SW, Burien, WA 98146, or you may call the Society office at 206-246-6354 to leave information for her to contact you.

Highline Historical Society www.highlinehistory.org

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A Painless Way You Can Help Us Many of you may not be aware that you can help the So-ciety raise money by identifying us as the recipient of match-ing funds by local businesses. For example, Fred Meyer (and their other Kroger business, QFC) have rewards cards that many of you may use. By going to their website and check-ing Highline Historical Society on their list of participating charities, you will make it possible for us to receive dollars when you shop, without affecting the rewards you receive.

To register the Society (Organization # 83185) for your rewards card at Fred Meyer go to this website:http://www.fredmeyer.com/company_information/FM_Community/Pages/community_rewards.aspx

You can do the same thing for Bartell Drugs at

www.escrip.com/merchants/identity/bcaringcard/index

Recent Donations and MemorialsThe following items were recently donated to the Society. Special thanks to these far-sighted individuals for helping HHS preserve authentic artifacts and archival materials of the recent and not-so-recent past, as well as for both restricted and unrestricted cash donations. For more information about donating items to HHS, please send an email to editor@highlinehistory.org, or call 206-246-6354. You are helping to tell our stories.From Ruth Feil, for the collections, a Highline H S “H” letter sweater. The sweater belonged to Richard G. Quantz who graduated from HHS on June 6, 1935.

From Jean McCain, for the collections, an antique curling iron (@1900s) with wooden handles, 1 tobacco can, 1 ceramic jar. For the archives, a map book of South King County with Plat maps of the Burien area @ 1940s. 3 - 1800s newspapers.

From Judie Shape, for the collections, Six pickets from the fence at the old Hughes mansion in SeaTac.

From Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Fitz, for the collections, a doll house belonging to Mary Ambaum DeLeuw (constructed for her by her father Jacob Ambaum), and a rocking horse belong-ing to Mary Ambaum DeLeuw. For the archives, 28 digital photographs, file folders on the following subjects: History Burien Area - Marian Deleuw Ambaum, Multiple recollections from different sources, Streetcar Lines and Roads, Highline School District and Mr. View School information, Glendale Golf and Country Club, Historical Facts and Notes, Notebook.

From Mary and Richard Carr, for the collections; Fifty (plus) family artifacts, including tools, cameras, eyeglasses, suitcases, a bowl and others.

From Alice Caldwell for the archives; the personal collection of Alice Caldwell, who graduated from Highline H S in 1941. She organized their class reunions. A card from her daughter Nancylee Davidson, shares that she diligently looked for the members of her class, spending hours searching, calling and writing. She kept in touch with many of them, sending birthday, anniversary, get well, and yes, sympathy cards. Her collections: Obituary, Newspaper clipping, 5 school certificates from the 1930s, composition notebook 1938, School Project, 2 High Lines newsletters May 29, 1941; Highline High School 50th Class reunion paperwork (1941), Highline High School Class of 1941 contact information, 2 The Pirates Log 1941 - 1991, Highline 30 year reunion 1941- 1971, Highline 60 year re-union September 2001, Highline High School Alumni directory 1995-hard cover, Yearbooks 1937, ‘38, 1938- ‘39, 1940, 1041, Highline High School - Class of 1941

From John and Cyndi Upthegrove, for the education library, a book, Where the Salmon Run - The Life and Legacy of Billy Frank Jr. by Trova Hefferman and the Washington State Heri-tage Center Legacy Project.

Collected by staff; 2015 political campaign materials from various Burien races, including materials from candidates Darla Green, Austin Bell, Bob Edgar, Holli Giffin, Jon Scherer, Joe McDermott and “Yes on JC Prop 1- Best Starts for Kids.

From Dr. and Mrs. Mel Sturman, for the capital campaign, a collection of 50 German (Christian Ulbricht and Christian Steinbach) nutcrackers, to be sold for museum funding. see them at www.highlinehistory.org/nutcrackers.html

From Lindy Aliment, for the archives; Glacier High School Annuals and reunion books, Tyee H S annuals. Total items: 21

From Don Dorres for the collections, 2 coffee mugs (Burien and Dick’s Cameras) and a bottle of Mrs. Stewart’s Whiter Washing Liquid Bluing. For the archives, various maps and pamphlets from Burien Library, Seattle Trust & Savings

Highline Historical Society www.highlinehistory.org

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SeaTac MemoriesWe never know what is going to come in the door at our collections. Frequently mem-bers of the community spot something that needs to be saved, and bring it to us. These half dozen pickets from the original Hughes property in SeaTac are an example of what we are talking about. Thank you to the late Ralph Shape and his wife Judie for finding them and realizing that we need to remem-ber this family and property with something tangible.