The Good Ol ’ Days
By Tobie Finzel
remodel, and caring townspeople gave
Del and Sally a shower at Washington
Newspapers of the Upper Nehalem, Grade School with household items and
Part Two
a money tree.
Last month we discussed
We are still researching the final
the Nehalem Valley Journal, Weekly publication date of the Freedom, but
Sentinel and the Vernonia Eagle, weekly another biweekly publication began in
papers that focused coverage on the 1982 titled Country Echoes, Viewpoint
Upper Nehalem in succession from from the Nehalem Valley. Reproduced
1889 to 1974. Jerry Moore and a partner by mimeograph on 8½ by 11 paper,
purchased the Scappoose Spotlight and its multiple pages stapled, it carried
Vernonia Eagle in 1970 from Marvin advertising, classified ads, articles
Kamholz. Moore quickly bought out about city business and items of local
his partner then continued to operate interest. The staff for this “non-profit
the two papers as separate enterprises newsletter printed for the benefit of
until September 1974. At that point he the community” included Marilyn Van
merged the papers into the Columbia Winkle, Pat Stacklie, Valerie De Witt,
Herald. Just seven months later, Moore Cherie Califf, Joan Washam and Louise
died of a heart attack. The Herald ceased Hamnett. The museum has a number of
publication a year later.
the editions in its archives as one of the
Other weekly or semi-monthly former resident curators, John Stofiel,
papers serving the Upper Nehalem was a subscriber. Two articles from
Valley followed for varying lengths of 1983 and early 1984 cover the formation
time. The Vernonia News Weekly was of Vernonia Cares, and the January
launched April 29, 1976, with William 20, 1984, issue announced Pat Ray’s
G. Rhoades at the helm. Other Rhoades promotion from Assistant Manager to
family members comprised the staff with Manager at the Vernonia Branch of U.S.
Wayne Rhoades as editor and William Bank. An October 1, 1982, article noted
C. Rhoades the advertising manager. the passing of long time bank manager
It struggled to obtain advertisers in the Ralph Bergerson. As with the Freedom,
beginning, but by October of 1977 had we don’t have the last publication date
grown to the eleventh largest paper for Country Echoes.
in the state, but by July 1978 it ceased Next month’s column will feature
publication. News of the last Mass at newspapers from the mid-1980s to the
the old St. Mary’s Catholic Church on present.
Corey Hill and the dedication of the new
sanctuary on Missouri Street on July From Virgil Powell’s Diary
9 dominated the news in the last two Virgil Powell (1887-1963) was a long-
editions. The Weekly’s office was on time resident whose family had a farm
the east corner of the Joy Theater block, in the Upper Nehalem Valley between
Natal and Pittsburg. Each year from
now the new home of Vernonia Florist.
The first edition of the Vernonia 1906 until 1955, he kept a regular diary
Freedom was published November 16, of his activities. The friendship with
1978. Ned Mawhirter was the publisher Ada Fisher whom he met September 15
and editor with Jenelle Wiggins, at the Natal Grange continued. We don’t
formerly of the Eagle staff, as reporter know the details about the dentistry
for the weekly publication. Initially he experienced. Novocain had first
mailed free to each house in the Upper been synthesized the prior year, but
Nehalem, the publisher wanted the paper nitrous oxide (laughing gas) was long in
to promote local businesses and present use. What may have been available to
news pertinent to local residents. Their Vernonia dentists of the day must be a
editorial policy was to be informational matter for speculation.
and not express opinions or take sides Monday, October 15, 1906:
on issues. Arnold and Mary’s Western Rained awful hard all day.
Auto, now Vernonia True Value, was Fixed up the barn a little bit
an early advertiser, as was Brunsman’s and also put some hogs up
True Value Hardware. Mike’s Tavern – to fatten. Mailed postal to
now All in Pub – offered free pool on Geroge. Went up to Pittsburg
Monday nights. Vernonia Market Place, in the evening and got the
now R&S Market, took out a full page mail. Just one month ago
today I visited Natal Grange
ad.
A number of stories in the first No. 302.
edition cover people who still reside in Tuesday, October 16: Went up
Vernonia. The front page feature story to Vernonia in the morning
covered fall mushrooming and has a and got a calf at Lon Emmons
picture of Jim Buxton heading off into the place. Rained awful hard all
woods with mushroom buckets in hand. day. Got home from Vernonia
Another front page story reported the fire at 2:30 P.M. Mailed a postal
that destroyed Sally and Del Harrison’s card to Ada.
Certainly
home while they were away at a Loggers remember one month ago
football game in Chiloquin. The Loggers today .
won that game and qualified to advance Wenesday, October 17: Went
to the semifinals. Tim McLeod scored up to Pittsburg and fished all
a touchdown in the fourth quarter, and day. Caught 20 trout and
Chris Cota made a safety that cinched one salmon.
The salmon
the final score. The Harrisons found were not running very thick.
a temporary home in a Gene Weller Rained pretty hard most of
Vernonia’s Voice is published twice each month on the
1st and 3rd Thursday. Look for our next issue November 3.
in other words
october20
2016
the day.
Saturday, October 20: Went
down to Mist horseback. Got
to Mist at 10:30. Mailed an
aluminion (sic) postal card
to Ada. Grange day at Natal.
Very bright and clear all day.
Got back from Mist at 3:15.
Came up with Albert the mail
carrier.
Sunday, October 21:
Went
down to Natal Grange Hall
about noon in the buggy.
George F. came up. Fine and
bright all day. Got back home
about 5 P.M. George and I
started back for their place at
11:15 P.M. Awful cold going
down we might near froze.
Got down to Fishers about
1:30 A.M. Coldest night we
have had yet this fall. Ada
went out to Clatskanie today.
Monday, October 22:
Left
Fishers at 10:30 A.M. Came
up home in one hour and
27 minutes. Came from Mist
bridge home in one hour and
seven minutes. Got home at
11:58 A.M. Very bright and
clear all day. Sawed down a
tree for wood in the afternoon.
Dr. Hiatt of Vernonia stopped
over night.
Tuesday, October 23:
Had
7
my teeth fixed, had three
pulled and four filled. Will
have the rest filled in front
tomorrow.
Rained a little
in the afternoon. Got postal
card from Effie and E.M.H.
Wednesday, October 24: Had
the rest of my teeth fixed
had four gold fillings put
in front. Finished fixing my
teeth about noon. Sawed a
little wood in the afternoon.
Cloudy and looks very much
like rain.
The Vernonia Pioneer Museum is
located at 511 E. Bridge Street and is
open from 1 to 4 pm on Saturdays and
Sundays (excluding holidays) all year.
From June through mid-September,
the museum is also open on Fridays
from 1 – 4 pm. There is no charge for
admission but donations are always
welcome.
Become a member of the
museum for an annual $5 fee to receive
the periodic newsletter. We now have
a page on the Vernonia Hands on Art
website, www.vernoniahandsonart.org
If you are a Facebook user, check out
the Vernonia Pioneer Museum page. The
museum volunteers are always pleased
to enlist additional volunteers to help
hold the museum open and assist in
other ways. Please stop by and let one
of the volunteers know of your interest in
helping out.
Congratulations
MIKE PIHL LOGGING
for being nominated for the
Oregon Board of Forestry's
OPERATOR OF THE YEAR
AND MERIT AWARDS
The awards recognize exceptional performance in
carrying out the Forest Practices Act, with requirements
that include post-harvest re-planting, sound construction
and maintenance of forest roads, and protection of
stream buffers and habitat for fish and wildlife.
Paid for State Senator Betsy Johnson
