A2 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
THREE MINUTES WITH …
COMMUNITY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2021
HERMISTON HISTORY
Fair courts reminisce during royalty luncheon
25 YEARS AGO
Aug. 6, 1996
NICK ROSENBERGER
Journalist and the Hermiston Herald/
East Oregonian’s 2021 Snowden
Reporting Intern
When and why did you move to Hermiston?
I’m brand new to Hermiston and moved from
Eugene on Saturday, July 17. I moved here to work
for the Hermiston Herald/East Oregonian.
Where is your favorite place to eat in
Hermiston?
I haven’t tried a ton yet but I’ve enjoyed Obie’s and
La Palma so far. I’m a huge fan of food so any sug-
gestions for places to eat are welcome!
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I run a lot, read a lot and cook a lot.
What surprises you about Hermiston?
I love how close everything in town is and how
everyone seems to know everyone! I’m used to big-
ger cities so it’s refreshing.
What was the last book you read?
The last book I read was “Bird by Bird” by Anne
Lamott. Would defi nitely recommend it for any writ-
ers out there. Currently reading “The Lost City of
the Monkey God” by Douglas Preston, which is
blowing my mind.
What website or app do you use most other
than Facebook?
Spotify. Defi nitely Spotify.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you
go, and why?
To be honest, I just want to travel everywhere. If
I had to pick, though, I’ve always wanted to go to
Istanbul, Turkey, because there’s so much history
there. Or maybe Nepal for the mountains.
What is the funniest thing that’s ever hap-
pened to you?
A couple weeks ago, I accidentally walked into a
light pole, broke my glasses (again) and almost gave
myself a concussion. That was pretty great.
What is one of your goals for the next 12
months?
To write as much as I possibly can!
What is your proudest accomplishment?
After high school, I worked as a cashier at Safeway
and saved up every dollar I earned with the goal of
solo backpacking Southeast Asia for fi ve months.
The only money I spent was on ramen and gas to get
to work (not recommended — I almost passed out at
work multiple times because I didn’t want to spend
money on real food), but I did it and turned 19 at
Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
Some extra guests were invited
to this year’s Umatilla County Fair
Court luncheon.
Every year, before the parade
down Main Street, the fair court
has a parade feast. This time, keep-
ing with the fairs “Let’s Reminisce”
theme, the court invited all past fair
court members since its beginning in
1933, to come and join in on the bar-
becue feast.
The 1996 Fair Court members,
Stephanie Fialka, Carrie Ann Bakker
and Crystal Bevin, sat at the entrance
and greeted members of other county
fair courts and members of the Uma-
tilla County Fair courts past.
Fialka’s mother, Ann Fialka, spent
time searching through old Herm-
iston Heralds and on the telephone,
tracking down former princesses and
queens far and wide. Fialka’s search
led her to places as close to home
and as far away as New York and
Australia.
All in all, 16 former court mem-
bers confi rmed they would come.
Fialka said it was easy to track down
the recent court members. The older
ones, she said, were a little more
tricky. Most of them, whether they
could come or not, said Fialka, called
and gave thanks for the invitation.
Making the longest trip to attend
was Pat Watson-Brendl. Now mar-
ried to Dick Brendl, formerly of
Pendleton, the two live in Elvis coun-
try, Memphis Tennessee. The two
were planning a trip up to the area to
visit relatives anyway, and the lun-
cheon, she said, fi t right in. Watson
was a princess in 1957.
Gloria VanPatton, the fi rst Fair
Queen, was crowned in 1933. She
said she never misses going to the
fair.
“There has sure been a lot of
changes,” she said. “We didn’t get
a fl oat, we had to ride horses in the
parade.”
Hermiston Herald, File
Gloria VanPatton, the fi rst Umatilla County Fair Queen crowned in 1933, receives
a round of applause at an August 1996 fair court lunch.
50 YEARS AGO
Aug. 5, 1971
Bruce Giddens, owner and man-
ager of Burnham’s Department Store,
announced this week that a complete
toy and bicycle center will open soon
in the building recently vacated by
the Button Hole.
The scheduled opening date for
the new store, to be called The Three
Boys Toy Center, is August 17. Gid-
dens returned Saturday from a week-
long buying trip to New York City,
during which he looked at about 140
lines of toy manufacturers.
“The whole idea is to bring in
a fi ne selection of bicycles, tricy-
cles, scooters, educational and con-
struction games, and leading brands
of toys of all types that have never
before been available in Hermiston.
He added that they have over 400
dolls on order in all brands and sizes.
75 YEARS AGO
Aug. 1, 1946
•The weatherman has turned on
the heat during the past two weeks
with a high of 107 being recorded
here on Sunday, July 21. Cool tem-
peratures have been enjoyed during
the past few days, with more pleasant
summer weather predicted.
The recordings as reported by
Chas. Taylor, include temperatures
over 100 degrees on fi ve days. They
were, July 20, July 21, July 23, July
25 and July 28.
•Troop 52 Ordnance Boy Scouts
was reorganized last week with
James Ennis as the scoutmaster at
a meeting and picnic of scouts and
Hermiston Herald, File
Denny Culp and his granddaughter, Keyle Ledbetter, 2, rides a John Deere tractor
during the August 1996 Umatilla County Fair parade.
their fathers at the Quick Farm on the
Umatilla River.
Two patrols were formed with
Billy Hunsinger, senior patrol leader;
Merrill Manning, junior patrol leader
of one troop, and James Pitzer, patrol
leader of the other troop.
Don Edwards was chosen as the
Patrol Scribe. Other boys of the troop
are, Doane Mueller, John Grant Jr,
J.C. Barnes, Norman Knowles and
Charles Lindquist.
Plans are now being made for the
troop to spend a week at the Boy
Scout Camp at Wallowa Lake begin-
ning August 3.
100 YEARS AGO
Aug. 4, 1921
•Adventist camp meeting ser-
vices are being held at a Tent Tab-
ernacle on Gladys Avenue between
Fifth and Sixth streets. The meetings
began Sunday evening and will con-
tinue indefi nitely, perhaps for several
weeks.
Three persons are conducting the
work, Elder G.F. Watson, H.L. Rudy
and Mrs. Rudy. They came here from
Boardman where they have been
holding meetings. One service a day
is the rule here at 8 p.m.
Mr. Watson and Mr. Rudy alter-
nate as speakers. Meetings are held
every day except Monday. Mr Wat-
son leads in the singing, which can
be heard anywhere in the East end
of town in the evenings. Mrs. Rudy
plays the piano.
•Umatilla’s bathing beach enjoyed
perhaps the biggest day of the season
Sunday. How many were in bathing
at any time during the day is impossi-
ble to tell. Conservative ones place a
number at 300, but some insist that it
should be 500.
Fifty-three cars were counted at
the beach at one time and this is not
nearly all that were there for they
were coming and going all day. Peo-
ple again came from miles in all
directions. It looked like most every-
body from Hermiston was there and
there were many from Stanfi eld,
Echo and Pendleton. Some came
from up in the state of Washington.
The beach is now equipped with
dressing rooms for both men and
women. The bank is covered with
small trees and there are tables
among them for picnic parties.
Visitors from Portland say the
beach has as many swimmers as
many of the ocean resorts can boast.
Its fame seems to extend every week
and each week brings a bigger crowd
to swim.
BY THE WAY
Farm-City wrangles in family night at the rodeo
Get ready to wrangle in some fun during Family
Night at Farm-City Pro Rodeo. Tickets for kids 12
and under are $5 each (others are $17 and up) for the
Wednesday, Aug. 11, rodeo performance at Eastern
Oregon Trade and Event Center, Hermiston.
Each child will receive their own back number. Other
activities include autographs from the rodeo clown and
bullfi ghters, face painting and more. For more infor-
mation or a link to purchase tickets, visit www.farm-
cityprorodeo.com. For questions, call 541-567-8500.
• • •
It’s time to get physical. Student-athletes from
Hermiston High School and Sandstone and Armand
Larive middle schools who plan to participate in
sports can receive low-cost physicals Thursday, Aug.
12, at the high school, 600 S. First St. The schedule is:
• 9-10:30 a.m., seventh and eighth graders
• 10:30 to noon, ninth and 10th graders
• 1-2:30 p.m., 11th and 12th graders
• 2:30-4 p.m., all student-athletes
The cost is $20. To fi nd out if your student-ath-
lete needs an updated physical examination this year,
call the athletics secretary at 541-667-6115. For more
information, visit www.hermiston.k12.or.us/apps/
events.
• • •
After waiting a year because of the global pan-
demic, Wheatstock Music Festival is ready to wel-
come the Texas-based Randy Rogers Band as its
headliner. In its 13th year, the event is Saturday, Aug.
21, from 2:30-11 p.m. at Quantum 9 Arena in Helix.
The lineup also includes Tylor and the Trainrob-
bers, Wanderlost, Norman Baker and the Back-
roads, Great American Trainwreck and Hillfolk
Noir. The festival off ers free camping, food vendors, a
beer garden and bouncy castles for the kids.
General admission is $40 and VIP passes are $149,
which includes a general admission ticket, a limited
backstage pass and event swag. For more information
or tickets, visit www.wheatstock.org.
• • •
The Harkenrider Senior Activity Center menu for
Thursday, Aug. 5, is Turkey casserole, fruit and des-
sert. The menu for Tuesday, Aug. 10, is baked fi sh,
baked potato, coleslaw and dessert. As of Aug. 1, the
cost of meals increased to $5.
For a Meals on Wheels delivery in Hermiston, call
541-567-3582 before 10 a.m. to place an order. To pick
up a meal from the center at 255 N.E. Second St., call
the same number before 11 a.m. Meals can be picked
up between 11:30 a.m. and noon.
The Boardman Senior Center now is providing
meal delivery. Meals are $4 paid upon delivery. Call
541-481-3257 to order.