THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016
COMMUNITY
1B
GNOME MISSING
CAN YOU HELP?
MYSTERIOUS MANZANITA
ur neighbor, Columbia County, has an odd problem. The Daily
News of Longview, Washington, reports that almost 50 gar-
den gnomes, snatched out of people’s yards, were unceremoniously
dumped on private property in rural Scappoose a month ago (http://
tinyurl.com/gonegnome).
The land owner turned over the gnomes to the Columbia County
Sheriff’s Office, who posted the photo shown of the little fellows on
their Facebook page, in the hopes their owners could identify and
retrieve them. The sheriff’s office will hold on to the gnomes for a
couple of months. If you recognize one, and want it back, contact the
sheriff’s office at 503-366-4611 before 5 p.m., or call dispatch in the
evenings at 503-397-1521.
Nope, nobody knows who the gnome-napper(s) are. “It’s pretty
common for people to dump stuff on people’s rural property, or
they’re scared they’re going to get caught,” Lt. Dustin Hald told
TDN. “It could be a situation that they’re high school students, or
maybe they’re cleaning out their car.”
Kendra Rawling of Salem recognized one of the gnomes,
because she had repainted it for her sister in St. Helens. She plans to
contact the sheriff’s office about getting it back, because the gnome
originally belonged to their grandmother, and has sentimental value.
“It’s sad that people have to take other people’s things,” she noted.
“I just can’t believe that someone would steal all those gnomes.” But
then, who could?
O
CASTING CALL FOR MINIMALISTS
ere we go with another, rather exuberant (!), casting call. “Tiny
House, Big Living” on HGTV is looking for “couples, families
and singles (w/sidekicks) who are leaving behind their conventional
lives to build and live in a tiny house!” the press release says. “We
are seeking people who are just beginning or have recently begun
building their tiny house project! The series is looking for enthu-
siastic, fun-loving folks who are open to sharing their downsizing
adventure with HGTV and their audience!”
Interested? For information, go to http://thbl.orionentertainment.com
The show has been picked up for two more seasons. Downsizers,
go for it: They want you to “tell us your story!”
H
T
his item in the Sept. 4, 1897 issue of The Daily Astorian
sent the Ear on a history chase: “The U.S. lighthouse
tender Manzanita will be launched from the Smith’s Point
ship yards between 4 and 5 o’clock this afternoon. As this is
the first large ship building contract ever taken in Astoria it is
anticipated that every body in town will be there.”
But the Ear could not find a Mazanita, built in 1897,
in Astoria. The only lighthouse tender named Manzanita
of that vintage was a wooden-hulled, steam powered ship
built in New York in 1880 (http://tinyurl.com/manzan2).
Sad to say, she was off to an inauspicious start.
In 1881, lighthouse inspector Charles McDougal made
an inspection trip up the California coast on the vessel. As
they neared Cape Mendocino, he strapped on a money belt
holding the lighthouse keeper’s pay in gold coins. Heading
ashore, the launch capsized in the breakers, and he and two
members of the tender’s crew drowned.
Some felt the deaths cast a pall over the Manzanita,
which was only the second lighthouse tender to serve in the
Pacific. She transferred to the 13th District (which includes
Astoria) in 1886, and the historical references say that she
was rebuilt in 1887, but do not mention specifically where.
On Oct. 6, 1905, a dredge ran into the tender on the
Willamette River. She sank, but wasn’t done yet. A month
later she was raised, and towed to Tongue Point. Decom-
missioned, she was unceremoniously sold to a tug com-
pany, and eventually replaced with a new lighthouse ten-
der, also named Manzanita (pictured), built in 1908 in San
Francisco.
Around 1912, the original Manzanita was rebuilt again,
this time to be used commercially, and served until the
1940s. In 1944, she met a sad end, and was burned for
scrap metal.
Back to the original 1897 Daily Astorian story: The
Ear suspects that it is not referring to a new vessel being
launched at all, but to the launch of the rebuilt 1880 Man-
zanita. If so, the historical accounts putting the date of the
rebuild at 1887 are wrong by 10 years. And, if it weren’t
for The Daily Astorian snippet, no one would be the wiser.
Mystery unraveled … hopefully.
LOVER THAT COVER
T
he Jim and Susan Bryant family, owners of the historic Peter
Cherry House on 15th street, were puzzled one day last week
to find a record album on their front steps. “Who had left it?” they
mused. “A friend? A band handing out promo records? But upon
opening it, we found a pleasant surprise — a photo of the band, taken
on our street with our house in the background! The band is called
Hey Lover from Portland, and are actually really good.”
If you’d like to hear some of Hey Lover’s music, go to www.hey-
lovermusic.com, where they describe themselves as an “enthusias-
tic garage pop” group, consisting of husband and wife Justin and
Terah Beth and Tim Janchar.
The album the band left off for the Bryants is their newest, “Sink-
ing Ships,” and the cover is shown in the photo. “Good thing we are
a household that owns record players!” the Bryants noted.
FROM DREAMS TO REALITY
HAMLET FIRE TO THE RESCUE
HAVE BARGE, WILL TRAVEL
atie Rathmell, owner of Pacific Window Restoration, is restor-
ing windows and building sashes for the oldest house in Astoria,
the Hiram Brown,” Mindy Stokes wrote. “Katie has also restored win-
dows in other treasures found around Astoria: The Astoria Column, the
Norblad, and the Astor.” Mindy’s photo of Katie is shown, inset.
Of course, the Ear was intrigued, and wanted to know more about
the house, which was originally built in Adairville (East Astoria) —
which is not where it is now. So why did it get moved? According to
the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for the
Shivelv-McClure Historic District (http://tinyurl.com/brownmove):
“Adam and Caroline Van Dusen, who settled in Astoria’s east-
ern district in 1847, were among the first prominent families to real-
ize Col. Adair’s dream was simply that: a dream. In 1864, they
moved to Shively’s Astoria since it was apparent Adairsville was not
progressing, and they desired to be near a thriving business district
… Capt. Hiram Brown (a bar pilot) is another prominent individual
who lost faith in Col. Adair. Not only did he move to central Asto-
ria, but in 1862, Brown moved his entire 1852 Gothic-style house —
barging it from Adairsville (to 12th Street, then rolling it to) its cur-
rent location at 1337 Franklin Avenue.”
Amazingly, it came through the ordeal “without even cracking
the wallpaper or breaking a window,” the plaque on the side of the
house says. And, as Paul Harvey said so often, “Now you know the
rest of the story.”
o you know these boys? We need your help!” Olivia McClel-
land of Portland wrote. “We are trying to find the two little
boys in the foreground of this picture. My partner, Alan Linhares
(the little boy in the back of the photo), and his two brothers, John
and Robert, were separated in the Oregon foster care system in the
early 1980s. This is the only picture he has of them.”
“We have learned that John and Robert were adopted together to a
family near Astoria,” she explained. The boys were living in Portland
at the time the adoption, when they were 4, 3, and 2 years old. Alan is
also pictured, inset, as he looks now. His brothers may resemble him.
Do you recognize the front two boys in the old photo? If you
know who they are, and which family adopted them, please contact
the Ear at 503-325-3211, ext. 257, or ewilson@dailyastorian.com,
and the information will be passed on to Alan.
“Unfortunately, Alan remained in the system until he was 18,”
Olivia added. “It would be amazing to find his brothers. Please help
us reunite these boys.”
‘D
‘K
ichael Anthony Cain of Hammond (pictured inset), a 2010
Warrenton High School grad, is now a graduating senior at
the Art Institute of Portland. His senior project, a short film called
“Remain,” is being shown today in the 3 to 5 p.m. time slot at the
Portland Film Festival, his proud father Ray Cain, told the Ear.
“I think it’s really neat,” Ray said. “We’re really excited about
what’s going on.” And he has reason to be. Michael is both the
writer and director of the film, which is described as a “survival
drama that takes place after the fall of civilization,” on the film’s
website, www.remainfilm.com, where you can also see the teaser/
trailer.
For updates on the movie (like when it will hopefully make
its way to Astoria for a viewing), check out www.facebook.com/
RemainFilm. Trailers from Michael’s other projects can be seen at
http://macainfilms.com
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a passion for sto-
rytelling,” Michael wrote. “My goal in life is to create engaging sto-
ries and share them with the world; to provide refuge within the com-
fort of the imaginary. In my opinion, nothing is more gratifying than
watching your dreams become a reality.
“ … The last few years have been an exciting journey and I’m
proud to say I have grown as both a filmmaker and a person. I look
forward to honing my skills and seeing what stories the future holds.”
M
T
he Hamlet Volunteer Fire Department’s Facebook
page had a heartwarming post on Monday: “This eve-
ning, Hamlet Fire was called to Saddle Mountain. A slightly
unusual situation greeted fire personnel: The injured party
was furry and had four legs.
“A family and their two Bernese Mountain dogs had
completed the hike to the summit and were on their way
back down the mountain. The hike proved to be a lit-
tle too much for one of the dogs; with a little more than
a mile left to go, she simply couldn’t go any further.
A stokes basket, wheel, and some padding were put to
use, and the canine was treated to a downhill ride … ”
“We carried the 100-plus pound dog … down the trail back
to the parking lot,” Fire Chief Matthew Verley told the Ear.
Pictured, a grateful Remi, being assisted by, from left, Will
Cochran, Shane Mergel, Susan Oxley (paramedic), and
Dayton Vetter. Also helping out was John Benson. Remi’s
four-legged pal, Aspen, looks on in the background.
Grateful family member Stephanie Brockett Smith
posted, “You guys and gals are Rock Stars!” Indeed.