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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 31, 2016)
SEPTEMBER 2016 | 17 CHINOOKOBSERVER.COM Beach Barons: A decades-long tradition of pride Beach Barons: In memory D uring the 1950s the Beach Barons Car Club was formed by a bunch of local fellows involved in street racing flat-head Fords, small-block Chevys, and a few Oldsmobile-powered hot rods. The club flourished during its first years. The “Hangout” was Ferguson’s Richfield gas station in Long Beach near the intersection of 8th Street and Pacific Highway. Memories Long-time Beach Barons mem- ber Duey Ames recalled those early days: it was 1957 and at 16 years he had just been admitted to the club. “The club wouldn’t let me vote until I was 18, but they let me in because they figured I’d be hanging around anyway-and they were right.” Meetings took place at the service station, and the Barons would plan dances that were held in Ryan Hall above a pharmacy that was located where the Long Beach City Hall parking lot now is. “I don’t think I ever slept,” Ames says of his teen years. “I went to school, helped my dad cut wood and clean fish, and worked in the oysters during the summer.” Of course he spent all of his spare time tinkering with his 1950 Ford 2-door. “Right from the start the Beach Barons motto was a pledge to safe driving,” according to Ames. Orig- inal members were Al Degenhart, Monty Baker, Bill Morse, Bill and John McNamara, Brian O’Neall, Dave Gradt, Mike Connolly and Jack Mosher. Some were stationed here with the Air Force, serving at the radar station near Naselle. Jim Howerton has sometimes been in- cluded in this original group. In 1962 Ames left to seek his for- tune in Alaska, and he says, “About that time the Beach Barons sort of folded.” He returned to the area in 1964. Back to life In 1982 the Ocean Park Area Chamber of Commerce looking for ideas to encourage visitors to the north end of our peninsula ap- proached Bob Langendorfer and Max Morehouse, two local car buffs. They came up with the idea of a car show. With Max’s sugges- tion of “The Rod Run to the End Duey Ames, one of the orginal Beach Barons, showed off a 1930 Ford Model A sedan “hot rod” a few years ago. of the World” as a name, the show was born. A total of 68 custom cars arrived that first year on Labor Day weekend. The following year 120 attended. With this growing interest some- one suggest reforming the old car club using the Beach Barons name. Along with Morehouse and Lan- gendorfer, John Fredrickson, Gene Andrews, Larry and Gary Wirkkala, Dan Gove, Bill Snook, Jay Stayton, Tyler Payne, Stuart Clark and others were key to the revival. The first few years the event was held on the field across from the Ocean Park School at Roy Sheldon Field. With the growing number of spectators and participants in 1986 the show was moved to the old Klipsan Airport. In 1991 with 700 entries and the first engine raffle, the Beach Barons were faced with find- ing another location and a lease was signed for the field on “U” Street. Again in 1998 with 1,500 entries the Beach Barons were forced to find a bigger location. They were also asked to move their event to another weekend due to the number of par- ticipants and spectators. Move to the big field In 1999 the show was held on the current Wilson Field and on the weekend after Labor Day. On Oct. 27, 2001, Beach Barons gathered at the clubhouse to celebrate the burn- ing of the mortgage papers. The 27- acre Wilson Field was now property of the Beach Barons. The club is one of few in the U.S. that owns its own grounds. Today the End of the World Rod Run is recognized throughout the Northwest as a premier car show last- ing two days hosting over 900 cars. On Friday night there are slow drags in Ilwaco, Saturday is show and shine with an auto swap meet, brick-it car, and lots of music, and on Sunday more show and shine, music, a poker run, seafood barbecue, and trophy presentations. There is a swap meet, numerous food purveyors and other vendors, and ATMs near the north gate and the souvenir T-shirt booth. With Langendorfer as its first president, the Beach Barons Car Club was incorporated in 1985 as a non-profit group to promote interest in various forms of street rodding and ownership of a special vehicle is not a requirement for membership. Today’s membership is about 100 individuals and families throughout Washington and Oregon. The Beach Barons take pride in planning and presenting a show that offers tourists an exciting event — one they look forward to coming back to each year. The club gives an enormous amount of support and recognition to the businesses in the area promoting tourism on the Pen- insula and the neighboring cities. They donate funds to local groups and charities, and sponsor higher-ed- ucation scholarships. Contact information: Beach Barons Car Club P.O. Box 237 25515 Sandridge Rd Ocean Park, WA 98640 360-665-3565 www.beachbarons.com Deceased Beach Barons Members John Fredericks -1987 Bob Slagle - 1990 Louis Jaren Andrew - 1997 Wayne Lokkeburg -1998 Genevieve Caldwell -1998 Art Alexander - 2000 Bernda Englehart - 2001 Caroline A. Welsh - 2002 Everlyn Walker - 2002 Erv Neff - 2004 Bill Harkins - 2005 Darlene Andrews - 2006 Judy Klingler - 2006 Truman King - 2008 Lance Iiams - 2009 Bobbie Mathews - 2010 Candy Benning - 2011 Larry Wirkkala-2011 Dee Ellenwood - 2012 Keith Mahoy - 2012 Rich Hall 2013 Roxy Snook - 2013 Dick Bonney - 2014 Bill Snook - 2014 Don Higdon - 2014 Tracy Davis-2014 Fred Karthauser - 2014 Sandy Welsh - 2014 Dan Brooks - 2015 Gene Andrews - 2015 Jerry Benning - 2015 Marian Morehouse - 2015 Lee Scheeler-2015 Jerry Davis - 2016
