Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (June 5, 2019)
COMMUNITY BlueMountainEagle.com Wednesday, June 5, 2019 A3 Gary Gregg will ride as ’62 Days grand marshal Annual celebration set June 7-8 By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Former rodeo rough- stock competitor Gary Gregg of John Day will ride as grand marshal of the ‘62 Days Parade, scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, June 8, in Canyon City. Gregg will have his wife, Loleita, by his side as they ride in a stagecoach driven by Prairie City resident Del Raymond. The June 7-8 festivi- ties, organized by the Whis- key Gulch Gang and oth- ers, include a long list of old-fashioned fun, celebrat- ing the discovery of gold in 1962 in Canyon City. Gary Gregg enjoys pro- moting the Grant County Ranch and Rodeo Museum in John Day as a member of the nonprofit’s board of directors. A saddle he won when he became the 1959 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Asso- ciation saddle bronc cham- pion in Casper, Wyoming, is on display at the museum. He also competed in bareback and bull riding for Oregon Tech in Klamath Falls from 1958-59. “I only had two years to go for it,” he said, noting that the college he attended was a two-year school. “I met a lot of good people through rodeo.” Gregg and other volun- teers introduce visitors to the museum to many of the rodeo cowboys and cow- girls of the past and pres- ent, with photos and mem- orabilia on display. Photos of ranchers and how ranch- ing and haying was done in the past before tractors and four-wheelers were used line the foyer and hallway in the museum. Gregg’s roots run deep in the county. He was in high school Contributed photo The Whiskey Gulch Gang held their annual mock hanging during the ‘62 Days event in Canyon City in 2018. The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Gary Gregg will ride as grand marshal of the ’62 Days Parade in Canyon City. when he moved to Kimberly in 1948, his dad working as a timber feller for the W4 Ranch. Gregg served in the Navy from 1951-54 in a naval avi- ation patrol squadron. The pine cone didn’t fall far from the ponderosa. When Gregg returned from military service, he became a truck owner and operator and spent 48 years hauling long logs. He said he enjoyed being self employed and could haul for anyone. Building old-time bug- gies was a hobby Gregg picked up about 30 years ago, and he has made sev- eral custom-made horse drawn vehicles, including meadowbrook carts, over the years. Gregg has worked with the Blue Mountain Eagle for 10 years, distributing news- papers to area businesses. He said he and his wife, who spent her early years in Dayville, enjoy living in Grant County. They moved away for short periods of time, but always found themselves returning to the place they call home. “As far as the whole Northwest is concerned, I wouldn’t want to live any- where else,” he said. The ‘62 Days Celebra- tion kicks off Friday with music from Copper Ridge at Sels Brewery at 9 p.m. Sels opens at 4 p.m. The People Mover will provide transportation every half hour in the paved area by the park. For more infor- mation, call 541-575-0329 or email whiskeygulch- gang@gmail.com. For more information on the parade, call Melissa Galbreath at 541-620-0898. ‘62 Days Celebration Friday • Sels Brewery opens at 4 p.m. with music from Copper Ridge at 9 p.m. Saturday • Breakfast at Mabel’s Cafe at 7 a.m. • Gold Rush Run and Walk, registration at 7 a.m., 5K starts at 8 a.m. in front of Sels. • Parade at 11 a.m., with registration starting at 9:30 a.m. in the Humbolt Elementary School parking lot. Inland Street and Nug- get Street bridges are closed off due to the spring flood. Portal or other streets to the north can be used. • Activities after the parade — bed races, ice cream social and vendors at the park. • Simulated gun fight and hanging re-enactment is scheduled for 2 p.m. out- side Sels. • Grant County Histori- cal Museum will offer tours at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. with an Oli- ver Milk Wagon presenta- tion at 10:30 a.m., Ameri- can fiddle tunes at 2:30 p.m., a Cy Bingham enactment at 3 p.m. and an Annie Luce enactment at 3:15 p.m. For tour reservations, call 541- 575-0362 or stop by the museum. Eagle file photo Sam Palmer with his mining float for the ‘62 Days parade in Canyon City in 2018. Eagle file photo One of the dragons from the Portland Lee’s Association Dragon & Lion Dance Team draws a photographer during the ‘62 Days parade in Canyon City in 2018. PROGRESS Celebrating our communities and showcasing achievements, industries and tourism Progress, a special publication of the Blue Mountain Eagle, highlights developments that enhance the economy and livability of Grant County. Show us YOUR progress by highlighting YOUR business! SALES DEADLINE 10AM June 12, 2019 The PUBLISHES June 26, 2019 Blue Mountain EAGLE Grant County’s newspaper since 1868 CONTACT KIM TODAY! 541-575-0710 kim@bmeagle.com 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR • MyEagleNews.com