Bucknum’s Tavern celebrates 100 years
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John Gochnauer, owner of Bucknuni's Tavern in Heppner which is celebrating 100 years in business, is
pictured behind the antique bar which came to Portland by ship around the cape before the Panama Canal
was built.
By John Gochnauer
Bucknum’s Tavern in Heppner
will celebrate 100 years as a
continuous
bar/tavem
on
Thursday, December 23, which
makes Bucknum's one of the
oldest existing bars in the state of
Oregon..
An article from the December
28, 1899 edition of the Gazette
covers the event as follows:.
"McAtee
Opening"
VOL. 118
NO. 51
12 Pages
Wednesday, (December 22,1999
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
Annie Hisler crowned Round-up Princess
2000 Round-Up Court (left to right): Princess Darci Severe, Princess Brittany Smith, Queen Shana Anderse.i,
Princess Amy Y’anderPlaat, Princess Annie Hisler.
Annie Marie Hisler of Heppner
was crowned a princess of the
2000 Pendleton Round-Up Court
at a breakfast held Saturday,
December 18, at the Doug and
Heather Corey Ranch at Helix.
Hosts of the event included Doug
and Heather Corey, George and
Joan Corey and Steve and Susan
Corey.
Princess Annie, 19, joins 2000
Round-Up
Queen
Shana
Anderson and Princesses Darci
Severe, Brittany Smith and Amy
VanderPlaat, all of Pendleton.
Annie, the daughter of Paul and
Susan Hisler and the sister of
Shaun Paul and the late Shad
Anthony Hisler, is a 1998
graduate of Heppner High
School.
While at HHS, Annie was a
standout in varsity volleyball,
varsity basketball and high
school rodeo. A four-year
member of the Intermountain
High School Rodeo team. Annie
went to the National High School
Rodeo Finals twice in barrel
racing and poles. She has been
riding horses since she was two
years old.
She is in her second year at Mt.
Hood Community College where
she plays volleyball and
basketball.
Last year she
received the Mt Hood basketball
team's "Newcomer Award." This
year she was voted most valuable
player of the "Everett Cross Over
Tournament" held Dec. 3-5.
Annie worked for the Morrow
County Sheriffs Office last
summer. She was a member of
the drill team and flag bearers for
the Hermiston Farm City Pro
Rodeo.
She enjoys photography,
hunting,
fishing,
rafting,
traveling and shopping.
Annie follows a long and rich
family tradition of involvement
in the Round-Up. Her great-
aunts, Ella and Rhoda Lazinka,
rode in the first relay race and
they and her grandmother,
Kathryn Lazinka Healy Thome,
were on the Round-Up Court.
Her aunt, Francme Hisler
Bristow, was a princess of the
court when her grandmother was
queen. Her mother's sisters. Patti
and Janice (Healy) were also
Round-Up Queens.
Heppner Elem entary to sponsor
solstice moon watch
Heppner Elementary School
invites community members to a
“Moon Watch” on Wednesday,
Dec. 22 around 5-6 p.m. at the
Willow Lake Reservoir rest area,
weather permitting.
December 22 is the Winter
Solstice (first official day of win
ter) and the moon will be full. In
union with these events, the lunar
perigee (the point in the moon’s
orbit that is closest to the earth)
will also be occurring. This will
make the moon look 14 percent
larger. In addition, the earth is clos
est to the sun during this time of
year. These events together
should make for a very bright and
full moon.
Everyone is invited to bring hot
chocolate and their telescope and/
or binoculars to view what could
be one of the brightest moons to
be seen during our lifetime. If
there is heavy cloud cover, rain,
snow, this activity will be can
celled. until it occurs again around
130 years or so from now.
and
Swaggerts
"Saturday night the doors of the
elegantly furnished refectory
were unlatched to the throng
gathered on the outside, and such
a display of admiration eclipsed
all former occasions of the kind.
It was a continued round of
pleasure until the drawn of day.
Its proprietors are jointly proud
of their new brick, furnished
second to no other bar room in
the Northwest,
The massive antique oak bar
and sideboard with its colonial,
pillars is one of the finest ever
brought to the coast, and will
exact the admiration of all
frequenters from metropolitan
cities. The huge mirror was
neatly draped with an elegant
flag, hiding from view the injury
sustained in shipment. (March
21, 1899 issue of the Gazette
tells of the back bar mirror being
broken in shipment). Covering
they wall on the opposite side of
the room is an immense case,
enclosing a fine array of bottled
goods, the finest the market
affords. New tables, chairs,
stoves, pictures and decorations
of the club rooms lend a magic
influence and will entice those
appreciating the comfort of
elegant surroundings. These
gentlemen
(McAtee
and
Swaggart) propose sustaining
this a strictly first class place,
winning the esteem of the public
in general and making it an
ornament to our little city."
The antique back-bar is still in
use with the original mirrors
which are about one-half inch
thick. (The mirrors were
resilvered in 1937). This huge
piece came to Portland by ship
around the cape before the
Panama Canal was built. The
heavy red oak piece came to
Heppner from Portland by train
and was moved from the station
to the saloon by dragon to its
present location. Since the back-
bar weighs over a ton, the move
was accomplished with some
difficulty and a great deal of care
by wagon.
Mirrors came into extensive
use in saloons only after Wild
Bill Hickock was shot in the back
of the head by Jack McCall 41
1876. McCall was hanged for the
killing but gave his reason that
Hickock killed his brother.
Bob Smith endorses Greg
Smith for state rep
Hickock was playing cards at the
time and held two pair - aces and
eights (from that day forward
known as a dead man's hand).
Bucknum's still uses the 1889
safe manufactured by Hall's Safe
and Lock of Cincinnati and San
Francisco. It stands in the front
window and is hand painted with
scrolls of (flowers and designs.
The safe weighs over 3800
pounds.
In March of 1903 McAtee and
Swaggart added a Peerless
Electric Piano by means of a wire
from the electric plant. The
patrons were amazed with the
continuous playing of music
from a roller.
It is unclear when the transfer
from McAtee to Bucknum's took
place, but the bar is still intact
with many of the old fixtures
Current owner John Gochnauer
has tried to keep the "old homey"
theme while updating much of
the decor and fixtures. John takes
much pride in his establishment
and welcomes patrons to offer
any stories or information they
might have as to the origin and
colorful past that the bar has had.
As one of Heppner's favorite
meeting places, Bucknum's is
excited to offer a gathering place
for all occasions. Because this
month establishes its 100th
birthday, Bucknum's wants
everyone to join them for
"Karaoke Christmas Carols” on
Thursday,
December
23,
featuring Teresa Hintz. Singing
starts at 7:30 p.m. Everyone
is invited to help celebrate their
birthday. In addition, Bucknum's
will be open to help bnng in the
new millennium. "Drop by and
say hello and have a glass of
bubbly on New Year's Eve for
our
continued
birthday
celebration," said Gochnauer.
Lex fire Dept,
needs volunteers
Round-Up Princess Annie Hisler
Greg Smith (left) and Bob Smith
Winners drawn
in punch card
contest
There were five winners drawn
in this week's punch card contest:
Deb Wright won a $25 gift
certificate to Peterson's Jewelers;
Judy Chastain won a gift
certificate to Coast to Coast; Dale
Conklin won a $25 gift certificate
to Murray's Drug; Brian Price
won a gift certificate to The Shoe
Box, and Cam Wishart won a $25
certificate to Les Schwab Tires.
There will be five $25 gift
certificate winners drawn again
next week. The grand prize
drawing where one person wins
$550 in gift certificates will also
be held, so be sure to get your
punch cards entered. Last day to
enter the contest will be Monday,
Dec 27. Drawing will be held
Tuesday, Dec. 28. All cards
entered throughout the contest
will be eligible for the Grand
Prize
Former U S. Representative
Bob Smith has announced his
endorsement of Greg Smith for
State Representative in District
59.
Congressman
Smith
represented
Oregon
2nd
Congressional District for 14
years.
"Greg has the exact background
and experience that District 59
needs,” Congressman Smith said
"As a business development
professional for the Port of
Morrow, he understands the
economic needs of our area and
the role natural resources and
agriculture play in our economy."
Greg Smith, who is not related
to Bob Smith, is from Heppner
and a graduate of Eastern Oregon
University. He has also been
endorsed by current 2nd District
Congressman Greg Walden,
State Senator Ted Ferrioli and
current State Representative
Lynn Lundquist.
"We have a great opportunity to
provide
the
exceptional
leadership that District 59
deserv es in the Oregon House of
Representatives," Congressman
Smith said.
Distrct 59 includes Baker,
Crook, Gilliam. Grant, Sherman,
Wheeler and parts of Morrow
and Wasco counties The current
State Representative, Lynn
Lundquist, cannot seek re-
election because of term limits.
The Lexington Fire Department
is in real need of volunteer fire
fighters, says Lexington Mayor
John Renfro.
"We want to be sure Lexington
continues to have a fire
department,' says Renfro. "It's
very beneficial to the town. We
just really need some folks."
Renfro says that they especially
need people who are able to
attend training sessions to
become qualified fire fighters.
Renfro says that everyone is
invited to join, young and old,
and adds that formation of a
junior fire department is also
being contemplated.
Renfro also said that a newly-
formed fire department auxiliary
is very active.
Gazette-Times
closed Friday
The Gazette-Times will be
closed Friday, December 24, for
the Christmas holiday.
Merry Christmas from everyone
at the G-T.
W e w ill clo se on D e c e m b e r 23rd at noon
and w ill be closed D e c e m b e r 2 4 th , 25tb
and S a tu r d a y , J a n u a r y ist.
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M o r r o w C ounty G rain G ro w ers
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396
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