✷✠ ➋✡☛☞ ❖✌☞☎❱☞☎
D AILY
P LANNER
❚❖❉❆✽
✾♦✿❀❁ ❂❃ ❄♦❅✿❀❁❇ ❈❊❋❂●
❍❍❇ ■❏❑ ▲▲❍■❏ ✿❀❁ ♦▼ ❍◆▲P◗
✾❏❑❋❑ ❀❋❑ ❍❘❙ ✿❀❁❃ ●❑▼■ ❂❅
■❏❑ ❁❑❀❋◗
▼ ✁✂❆❨✱ ❆✄☎✆✝ ✞✞✱ ✞✟✶✾
LOCAL
Q: When was La Grande’s Sacajawea Hotel torn down?
Force cadets training to be-
come military pilots. The
young men were attending
classes at Eastern Oregon
University, then named
Eastern Oregon College of
Education, as part of the
A: 1970
✱✓✤✒ ✧✦✥✤✏ ✜✿ ✒✦✏✘✓ ✒✓✥✘✣✘✣✸✵
❚❖❉❆✽❨❯ ❱❲❳❱❩❲❳❱❚
❬❅ ❈❊❋❂● ❍❍❇ ❍◆◆◆❇ ❂❅ ❀ ✿❋❀❭
♠❀■❂❪ ❊❋❑❭✿❀❫❅ ❋❀❂✿❇ ❀❋♠❑✿
❂♠♠❂✐❋❀■❂♦❅ ❀✐❑❅■❃ ❃❑❂❴❑✿
❵●❂❀❅ ❛♦❅❴❀●❑❴❇ ■❏❑ ❜❝❞❀❅
❞♦❁ ❀■ ■❏❑ ❪❑❅■❑❋ ♦▼ ❀ ❪❝❃■♦✿❁
✿❂❃❊❝■❑❇ ▼❋♦♠ ❏❂❃ ❋❑●❀■❂✈❑❃➆
❏♦♠❑ ❂❅ ❄❂❀♠❂❤ ❵●❂❀❅ ❫❀❃
❋❑❝❅❂■❑✿ ❫❂■❏ ❏❂❃ ▼❀■❏❑❋ ❀■
❈❅✿❋❑❫❃ ❈❂❋ ❡♦❋❪❑ ❢❀❃❑ ❅❑❀❋
❣❀❃❏❂❅✐■♦❅◗
❖❥ ❚❱❲❯ ❉❆❚❦
❧❅ ▲♥♣q❇ ❜♦❅✐❋❑❃❃ ❀❝■❏♦❭
❋❂❴❑✿ ■❏❑ ❝❃❑ ♦▼ ■❏❑ ❊❏❋❀❃❑ ➇❧❅
❛♦✿❣❑✾❋❝❃■r ♦❅ s◗t◗ ❪♦❂❅❃◗
❧❅ ▲♥P♥❇ ❫❂■❏ ■❏❑ s❅❂■❑✿
t■❀■❑❃ ❀❅✿ t❊❀❂❅ ♦❅ ■❏❑
✈❑❋✐❑ ♦▼ ❫❀❋❇ ■❏❑ s◗t◗ ✉❀✈❁
❞❑✐❀❅ ❞●♦❪✇❀✿❂❅✐ ❜❝❞❀❅
❊♦❋■❃◗ ❜♦❅✐❋❑❃❃ ❀❝■❏♦❋❂❴❑✿
❪❋❑❀■❂♦❅ ♦▼ ■❏❑ ▲❃■ s◗t◗①♦●❝❅❭
■❑❑❋ ❜❀✈❀●❋❁❇ ❀●❃♦ ✇❅♦❫❅ ❀❃
■❏❑ ➇②♦❝✐❏ ②❂✿❑❋❃◗r
❧❅ ▲P❘❍❇ ❀❅ ❀■♦♠❂❪ ■❑❃■
❂❅ ✉❑✈❀✿❀ ❞❑❪❀♠❑ ■❏❑ ③❋❃■
❅❝❪●❑❀❋ ❑④❊●♦❃❂♦❅ ❃❏♦❫❅
♦❅ ●❂✈❑ ❅❑■❫♦❋✇ ■❑●❑✈❂❃❂♦❅
❀❃ ❀ ❙▲❭✇❂●♦■♦❅ ❞♦♠❞ ❫❀❃
✿❋♦❊❊❑✿ ▼❋♦♠ ❀ ❢❭❘◆ t❝❊❑❋❭
▼♦❋■❋❑❃❃◗
❩❖❚❚❦⑤✽
⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩❶❷❸❹❺ ❻❼ ❽❾❿❿❾➀➁
▲❭P❭▲◆❭▲▲❭❍▲❭❙♥
⑥⑦⑧⑨ ⑥➂➃➃➂➄➅❹❺ ❻➈➉❼ ❽❾❿❿❾➀➁
▲♥❭❍❘❭q❙❭qq❭❘➊❭❍❘❭④q
➋➄➌⑦➍⑩⑨➃➃❺ ❻➈➎➏ ❽❾❿❿❾➀➁
❙❭❍➊❭❙◆❭♣❙❭♣❘❭➐❢ ▲❭④❙
➑➂➅ ➒➄➍ ➓➂➒⑦❺ ➔→➣❾❿ ❼➏
❙❭▲❍❭q♥❭♣♣
➋➂❷❸ ↔❺ ➔→➣❾❿ ❼➈
↕ ➙ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➙➟➠➟➙➟➡
↕ ➢ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➤➟➥➟➢➟➠
↕ ➤ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➠➟➠➟➙➟➦
↕ ➙➡ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➥➟➧➟➨➟➡
➋➂❷❸ ↔❺ ➔→➣❾❿ ❼➏
↕ ➙ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➠➟➦➟➢➟➤
↕ ➢ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➢➟➙➟➨➟➙
↕ ➤ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➠➟➥➟➨➟➩
↕ ➙➡ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➦➟➦➟➙➟➡
➋➂❷❸ ↔❺ ➔→➣❾❿ ➈➉
↕ ➙ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➡➟➢➟➡➟➦
↕ ➢ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➠➟➡➟➤➟➤
↕ ➤ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➢➟➤➟➥➟➨
↕ ➙➡ ➛➜➝➜➞ ➥➟➩➟➨➟➠
P❀❁❂❁ ❃❁❄❅❂t❆❈ ❁❉ ❊❁❋ ❊❄●●
❇✂ ✄☎✆❦ ✝✞✟✠✡
❚❤☛ ☞✌✍☛✎✈☛✎
Forty-nine years have
passed since the Sacajawea
Hotel, a seven-story region-
al landmark, disappeared
from the local skyline.
The building’s demise
ended a glorious four-de-
cade run highlighted by
countless community gath-
erings, visits by celebrities
and daily marches of Army
Air Force cadets. Sadly the
hotel’s story was also one of
painful paradox, for it was
ultimately betrayed not by
weakness, but strength.
Constructed in the late
1920s, the Sacajawea was
torn down in 1970 in part
because it would have been
❥❦➷❯➫❆➫❦⑤ ❩❆❚❦➬
➮➱✃➣❐ ✃❒❒➀➣❮ ❾❰ ❽ÏÐ✃ ❮➀ Ð✃Ñ
❿❾➱✃➣ ❐➀Ò➣ ÓÔ❰✃➣➱✃➣ ❾➁ Ï ❮❾❽✃❿❐
❽Ï➁➁✃➣Õ ÓÖÖÏ❰❾➀➁Ï❿❿❐ Ö➀➁Ð❾Ñ
❮❾➀➁❰ ✃×❾❰❮ ❮ØÏ❮ ❽ÏÙ✃ Ð✃❿❾➱✃➣❐
❽➀➣✃ Ð❾❒ÚÖÒ❿❮Õ
Û➒ Ü➄❶ ⑨➍⑦ ➅➄Ý ➄➅ ⑨ Þ➄Ý➄➍
➍➄❶Ý⑦ß Ð✃❿❾➱✃➣❐ ❰Ø➀Ò❿Ð Ô✃
➲➳à➻➵➳ ➩➞➥➡ ➛➜➝➜ ➚à á➻➯ ➹➻ ➪➻➺
➣✃Ö✃❾➱✃ ❐➀Ò➣ →Ï→✃➣ →❿✃Ï❰✃ ÖÏ❿❿
➎â➈Ñ➉ãäÑä➈ã➈Õ
åæ❖❚❦ ❖ç❚❱❦ ❉❆✽
➇❣❏❀■➆❃ ✈❂❪❑ ■♦✿❀❁ ♠❀❁ ❞❑
✈❂❋■❝❑❇ ■♦♠♦❋❋♦❫◗r
è éêëìí îïêðñïëòó ôëòðïõö
ë÷øêðïõù úû÷ìë ùöïõ ñüùê ïë
ýþÿþó ñïêñ ïë ýþ ✼ ✁
✣✏✤✤ ✜✙✚✏✤ ✥✣✗ ✜✒✦✏✓ ✧✛✓✢
poses. This was not fea-
sible, though, because the
Sacajawea’s walls were so
thick and solid they could
not be easily torn down to
allow for remodeling, ac-
cording to the late Jack
Evans, a highly regarded
La Grande historian who
died in 2006. Evans spoke
to The Observer many
times about the history of
La Grande’s buildings.
The Sacajawea Hotel was
built by La Grande busi-
nessman Julius Roesch in
✏✑✒✓✏✔✏✕✖ ✗✘✙✚✛✕✒ ✒✜ ✓✏✢
★✩✪✫ ✥✣✗ ✜✙✚✘✥✕✕✖ ✜✧✏✣✏✗
model so it could be leased
for use as something other
than hotel rooms. Hotels
were falling out of favor
with travelers at the time,
victims of the growing pop-
ularity of motels.
The owner of the
Feb. 18, 1928, according
Robert Bull’s book “A Little
Bit of This and a Little Bit of
That: La Grande and Union
County Trivia.”
The 95-room hotel was
one of the tallest build-
ings between Boise and
▼✺✻✽✾
Sonya Adams is one of the
students who led the class.
“I was a little nervous
Continued from Page 1A
⑤❖❆❉ ⑤❦➫❖⑤❚
➭➯➝➲➳➵➸ ➺➻ ➼➽➾➾➞
↕ ➚➪➸➶➹➳ ➘➵➳➴➻➪➞ ➦➡➡➟➨➤➤➟➠➥➠➦➜
↕ ➘➯➺➸➶➹➳ ➘➵➳➴➻➪➞ ➩➡➥➟➩➦➦➟➧➨➢➙➜
Sacajawea Hotel was hav-
ing a hard time making
money and wanted to con-
vert it into a space that
could be rented for busi-
“It’s awesome. They love
it,” she said, noting there
have been more people at-
tending each week. “It has
been really cool to watch
the progression.”
The class had music
games as well as songs. One
involved going around the
room and introducing each
person to a rhythm. Anoth-
er included a “magic drum”
where one person played a
drum pattern and everyone
else repeated it — call and
response style — using their
tambourines and shakers.
Some residents were con-
tent to watch the activi-
ties and listen to the music
while others sang along
enthusiastically. Many re-
quested songs for the next
class.
➟➠➡➢➤➠➥➦➧➨
➩➡➦➫➭➡➦➥
➯ ➲➡ ➳➦➡➵➫➥
➩➡➦➫➭➡➦➥
✥✲✜✛✒ ✘✒ ✥✒ ✱✓✤✒ ✲✏✚✥✛✤✏ ✳✴✔
not a huge social person,”
✤✦✏ ✤✥✘✗✵ ✶✷✦✏ ✱✓✤✒ ✚✕✥✤✤
went really well. Things just
fell into place and I left in
a really good mood. Ever
since then it keeps getting
better. I’ve gotten more
comfortable with it and I
think (the residents) really
✕✘✭✏ ✤✘✣✸✘✣✸ ✥✣✗ ✤✒✛✹✵ ✷✦✏✖
don’t get a lot of opportuni-
ties to do it otherwise.”
Nikki Randal is another
EOU student leading the
class. She explained the
classes have evolved and
changed a lot as the stu-
dents have gotten to know
the residents and what they
enjoy doing.
Portland according to Bull.
The buildings features in-
cluded a ballroom, mezza-
nine, hand carved walnut
tables, “exquisite furniture
designs’’ and many archi-
tectural features according
to articles in February 1928
editions of The Observer.
A story in the Feb. 6, 1928
Observer described the
building’s architecture as
“imposing.’’
A number of Oregon
governors visited the
Sacajawea, including Gov.
Douglas McKay, who
stopped at the Sacajawea
Hotel in 1951 to get a
haircut during a visit to
La Grande. Other well-
known visitors to the
Sacajawea Hotel were
members of the cast of the
1956 western “Pillars of the
✬✭✖✮✯ ✰✦✘✚✦ ✰✥✤ ✱✕✔✏✗ ✘✣
the La Grande area, and
Gov. Tom McCall.
The Sacajawea Hotel,
during World War II, was
home to many Army Air
Each school day they would
march in formation to and
from Eastern, according to
a March 12, 1970, Observer
article. A military patrol
guarded the Sacajawea Ho-
tel each night “to prevent
young cadets from slipping
out to enjoy the night life,”
the story said.
The Sacajawea Hotel’s
popularity began falling
in the 1950s when more
people began traveling by
automobiles rather than
train, according to the 1970
Observer article. More trav-
elers began using motels as
a result because they were
more convenient to stop at.
La Grande’s most famous
hotel was not alone when it
closed.
“Hotels in small cities
have long since given way
to the motel. One could
make an impressive list
of the ones over the state
and nation that have gone
out of business and many
more that are in troubled
✱✣✥✣✚✘✥✕ ✰✥✒✏✓✤✮✯ ✥✣ ✏✗✘✒✜✢
rial in the March 12, 1970,
Observer stated.
With its popularity wan-
ing, the Sacajawea Hotel’s
level of service began to
decline. For example, room
service was discontinued in
1961.
Businesses and organiza-
✒✘✜✣✤ ✒✦✥✒ ✦✥✗ ✒✜ ✱✣✗ ✣✏✰
homes with the closure of
the Sacajawea in 1970 in-
cluded KLBM radio, the
La Grande Chamber of
Commerce and a barber-
many community groups
meet at the hotel for no
charge.
“There is hardly an or-
ganization of note that has
not had to use of the two
ballrooms or smaller rooms
for meetings,” the editorial
stated.
The editorial also stated
perhaps it would have been
✲✏✒✒✏✓✮ ✱✣✥✣✚✘✥✕✕✖ ✤✧✏✥✭✢
ing, if the Sacajawea had
charged groups for meet-
ings. This, though, would
not have kept in line with
the hotel’s community
spirit.
“The Sacajawea has been
a good citizen,” the editorial
said.
The hotel was torn down
after U.S. Bank made an
✜✹✏✓ ✿✜✓ ✒✦✏ ✕✥✣✗ ✒✦✏ ✲✛✘✕✗✢
ing was on, according to a
February 1970 issue of the
Eastern Oregon Review.
U.S. Bank wanted to start
construction of its new
building in 1970 at the site
of the Sacajawea Hotel, ne-
cessitating that the struc-
ture be torn down.
The demolition of the
Sacajawea attracted so
many onlookers that a
small grandstand was set
up across from it, accord-
ing to a June 23, 1970, Ob-
server article. A sign at the
spectator site described the
Sacajawea’s
destruction
as “The Biggest Show in
La Grande.”
✎✏✑✏✒✓ ✔✕✖✗✘✒ ✎✗✙✗✖✚
✛✜✜✢✜✣✤✥ ✦✢✧✢★✩ ✪ ✫✤✣✢✬✤✭✤★✣ ✦✢✧✢★✩
✮✯✰✱✲✳
✴✯✵✵✶
✷✯✸✳ ✹✺
✻✳✲✳✼
✤✦✜✧✵ ✷✦✏ ✦✜✒✏✕✴✤ ✚✜✹✏✏
ãäåæçäèäéå êæëæéì
shop and Sand and Sage
lounge were closed perma-
nently.
The Sacajawea was long
a big part of La Grande’s
social scene for it allowed
íîï éäëäç ðääé èñçä
òóïåñèæôîðõäö
÷øùúûü ýþÿûø øø ✁✂✄☎ ü ù ✄✆
ø ✄✝ ø ✞✝ ù ✂✟ ø ✄✝ ✠ ùûø ✆ þ ✄ ✝ ýø
✞ ø ✝✂✞ ø ✟ ø ✄✝ ✁ úù ✄ ✡☛☞ ✌ ýþþûø ✍
“Every time you come
Dottie Wilkes sat in the
here, it’s always trial and er- front row and participated
ror,” she said.
wholeheartedly. “I loved it,”
❐❒❮❰ ÏÐÑÐÒÐÓ ÔÕÖ × ÔØ ÏÓØÕÙÐ
Resident Darlene Bartlett she said. “I love anything
ÚÛÜÝÞßàÝÛáââ
said she enjoyed the class with music.”
and thought the students
were fantastic. She said she ⑨⑩❶❷❸❹❺ ⑨❶❻❼⑩❽❶❾
will return for more.
Zondra Hensley also said ✇✇✇❥❦❧♠♣qr✉✈①③④⑤⑥④③✈❥⑦❧⑧
she would return. “I do
hope they keep it up,” she
said. Of the EOU students
she said, “They have very
good manners.”
Gekeler agreed the stu-
❿➀➀➁ ➂➃ ➂ ➄➅➆➇➈➉➊➈➄➅➆➇ ➋➀➌➍➂➎➅➏➀➐
dents are especially kind
➑➒➓➔→➣↔→↕➙➓
➛➒➜➝→➛➔↔➞➟➠➒
with the residents. “The ➡➢➤➥➦➧➨➩➫ ➡➫➭➩➯➤➲➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳ ➵➥➧ ➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➸➡
level of engagement for ➺➻➧➭➯➼➩➽➾➭➩➯➤➲➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳ ➵➥➧ ➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➸➡
such young people and the ➺➾➤ ➚ ➧➥➪➪ ➩➭ ➢➨➥➤ ➶➯➤➥➲ ➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳ ➵➥➧ ➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➸➡
amount of caring — they re- ➹➯➘➥➾➴➪➥➲ ➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳ ➵➥➧ ➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➸➡
member everyone’s names ➷➯➬➾➭➩➯➤➲ ➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➳➵➯➻➦ ➮➯➻➧➥➳➳➳ ➱➬➦➯➧➧ ✃➯➢➤
✩✪✪ ✫✬✭ ✮✯✰✱✲✳② ✲✫✴ ✳✴
— I can’t say enough about
✷✸✷✸✹ ✺✻ ✼✽✾✿❀❁❂❃❄ ❅❇❉❊ ❋❁✿❉●❊ ❍❀❂■
how awesome they are,” she
❏❑▲✷▼ ❖❖P◗✸✹▲❖ ❇❄ ❂❇✿✿ ❯❄❃❃ ❏❱✸✸▼ ❖❱✹◗✸❑❱❳
❩❬❭❪❫❫❴ ❬♦♥❵❜ ❪♥❜ ❬❝❵❞❪❡❵❜ ❢❬❞ ❬❣❵❞ ❤✐ ❴❵❪❞s
said.
❈✂✄❈☎ ✆✝✞ ✞✂❚✟ ✠✄✡☛
♣qrst✉s✈✇① ② ♣qr③④s⑤⑥✇④⑦ Red Blood Cell screening for Anemia/Polycythemia
❲✂❚☛✄ ✟✝☞☞☛❚✄✟ ☛✡✟✞
⑧③⑥⑨✇③⑤ ⑩✇❶✇⑨ ❷③①q✉⑦ Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, & Triglycerides
❙✌✍ ❙❛✎✏✑ ✒✓✔✕ ✖✵✗✘ ✙✚✚
❸✉❹⑤s❺q⑦ Blood Sugar Count
❻❼ ❽❾❼❿➀➁
- ➂➃➄➅➆➇➃➈➉ ❼➊➆➌➍ ➎➏ — ➏ am- ➐➑ ➃➒
➓➔→ ➣↔↕➙➛➙➜➝➞
909 Adams Avenue, La Grande, OR
✗✏✍❘ ✛✕✖✙❘✙✙
First Come—First Served ✍ ✎✏✑✒✓✔ ✕✖✗ ✘✖✙✗ ✚✑✛✜✒✢✜✣
◆✜✢ ✜◆✣❨ ✤✦✧★
ö÷øù ùúûö ÷üýþø ÿ ❆t ÿ ✥✶✁
✎✜✔✛✒✤ ✥✔ ✦✥✧✥★✜✩ ★✖ ★✏✜ ✪✗✔★ ✫✬✬ ✚✜✖✚✦✜✭
➸➸➺➺ ➻➼➽➾➚➪ ➶➪➹ ➘➴➷➼➚ ➬➮➱✃ ❐ ❒❮❰Ï❒ÐÑÏÑÑÒ❰
ÐÐ❰Ð Ó➽Ô➴ÕÖ ×Ø➼➹ Ù➴ ÚÛÜÝÞß ❐ ❒❮❰Ïàá❒Ïá❰❒Ð
â➾ÕÖ➴✃Ïã➚➮Ö➴✃ ÒÏà ❐ äÜ➪å➚Ö➴æ çÏà ❐ ➶åÕÖ➴æ èÏ❒
éêëìëí îëï ðññòíìïóìðëô ëôñõ
✮✯✰✲✳✰ ✴✲✳✵ ✸ - ✹✺ ✻✼✽✿✳ ❀✿❁✼✿ ✵✼ ✵✻✰ ❂✿✲❃ ✴✼✿ ✼❀❄❅✽❅ ✵✰✳✵ ✿✰✳✽✯✵✳❇ ❈✽✵ ❂✿❁❉❊ ❀✯✰❉✵❋ ✼✴ ❃✲✵✰✿●
❍■ ❏■❑▲◆◆■P◗ ❘▲❙ ❚❯❲❏■ ❘▲❙❏ ❏■❚❙❳❩❚ ❬❭❩❯ ❘▲❙❏ ❪❏❭◆❲❏❘ ❑❲❏■ ❪❏▲❫❭◗■❏❴ ❵■❚❛P❜ ❭❚ ▲P❳❘
✲❝✲❁✯✲❈✯✰ ✵✼ ✵✻✼✳✰ ✹❞ ✲❉❂ ✼✯❂✰✿● ❡✼✿ ✰❝✰❉✵ ❁❉✴✼✿❅✲❄✼❉❇ ❢✲✯✯ ✵✻✰ ❣✿✲❉❂✰ ❤✼❉❂✰ ✐✼✳❀❁✵✲✯
✮✽❈✯❁❢ ❤✰✯✲❄✼❉✳ ❥✰❀✲✿✵❅✰❉✵ ✲✵ ❦❧✹ - ✸♠♥ - ✹❧✹❞ ✼✿ ❦❧✹ - ✸♠♥ - ✹❧❞♦●