Redmond Historical Society

June 2013 NEWSLETTER Vol. 15 NO. 6

Our PURPOSE:
To Discover, Recover, Preserve, Share and Celebrate
Redmonds History

If Its June, Its Time for Our Picnic

The Old Time Fiddlers perform at the 2012 Redmond Historical Society picnic.

Music, friends, potluck and soft-serve
ice creamwhat else could you ask for on
June 8th? Thats part of whats on tap at
our annual picnic, where well also hand out
the 2013 History Hero award (see Page 4).

The Society will contribute burgers,
hot dogs, pop and coffee, but feel free
to impress others with your own potluck
goodies to share.

The Old Time Fiddlers, seen above
and led by David and Elsie Bartley, will
be back as will the ice cream machine
contributed by Fred and Fran Stray!

Join us rain or shine

since were in the
Anderson Park
Picnic Shelter.

RHS June Picnic :

SATURDAY, JUNE 8,
11:00 A.M. TO 1:00 P.M.
Anderson Park,
7802 168th Avenue N.E.

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond

2013
Executive Board
Chris Himes President
Judy Lang Senior Vice-President
Joe Townsend Vice-President Finance
John Phillips Vice-President Collections
Mary Hanson Secretary
Board of Directors
Rosemarie Ives
Janice LeVeck
Judith Simpson
Sherry Stilin
Kris Swanson
Margaret Evers Wiese

Attorney Charles Diesen

AKCHO is also known for its
annual history awards and this years
list of winners is online at akcho.org/
AKCHOAwards-2013.pdf.

Our finances are public record and may

be viewed at the office.
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Table of Contents
PAGE

The Redmond Recorder

is published nine times annually.
Miguel Llanos Editor
Patti Simpson Ward Design Consultant
pattisimpsonward.com
Janice LeVeck Graphic Designer
janiceannleveck.com

region are easy to find via the website

of the Association of King County
Historical Organizations. It has a great
calendar at akcho.org/calendar/,
and while there sign up for the free,
emailed Heritage Advisor newsletter.

AKCHOs own membership
meeting is on June 25 at the Neely
Mansion, an 1892 Victorian farmhouse
in Auburn. All are welcome for the
presentation on preserving Neely amid
rapid development.

Office Manager Monica Park

MAJOR
SPONSORS

Whats New
Online
Heritage events across the Seattle

COVER FEATURE & WHATS NEW

1 RHS Annual Picnic
2 2013 RHS Officers & Board
2 Whats New Online
Seattle Area Heritage
RHS NEWS
3 Silhouette Dance Club
4
2013 History Heros: Cheryl & Gene
Magnuson
5-6 Our New Looks, Speaker Series
6 History Day Students/City Council
7
Eastside Heritage Events
8 Historical Thank Yous Derby

Saturday Market
9 Redmond Reflections
Gift Ideas from RHS
MEMBERSHIP & CONTACT INFO
10 May Meeting Attendees

List of RHS Lifetimers
11 Membership Form
12 Address & RHS Contact Info

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond

Showcasing Our History:

Lets Dance

WHATS

NEW

Members of the Silhouette Dance Club, circa 1968. (Cory DeJong Collection)

Society member Tony Emmanuel contributed this reflection on a

Redmond tradition from the 1950s-1980s.

Trees, lakes, streams, creeks, mountains, woods, farms and the people

were the reasons we moved to Redmond from North Hollywood, Calif., when the
population of Redmond was 1,400. There was one other development that made
those ideal conditions complete: The Silhouette Dance Club.

Anybody who was anybody was in the clubthere were also a few nobodys

like me. We had the dances at the Pine Lake Community Club up Thompson Hill
Roada place that then had a Redmond address but now is in Sammamish.

A half dozen dances were held through the year when everyone was huddled

down for the winter. Some of the younger folks would ski the next day, but most
would rest their feet the rest of the day after church.

Committees would decorate, provide food and (ahem) refreshments, contact

and arrange the band, make all the purchases and pay the bills out of the treasury,
which was supplied by dues.

We had a president, treasurer and board, all elected by the members. Just

like Boeing, Weyerhaeuser or Puget Power -- the only difference was our treasury
had fewer zeros! There is something we had that they didnt: a mayor, chief of
police, city attorney, doctors, dentists, lawyers, farmers, business owners, trades
people and teachers. Also, our one single purpose was to have fun.

It was our fun time during the dreary doldrums of wintertime. The dance club

may have dissolved on the surface, but not deep in my mind.

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond

RHS

NEWS 2013 History Heros:

Cheryl and Gene Magnuson

Cheryl and Gene Magnuson pose after the 2012 Derby Parade. (Photo by Miguel Llanos)

Each year the Society presents a History Hero award recognizing
exceptional efforts to share Redmonds heritage. This year its the dynamic duo
of Cheryl and Gene Magnuson. In her congratulatory letter, Society President
Chris Himes wrote that they have managed in one year to surpass all of our
expectations. Here are just a few of the things accomplished:
Reorganized our office, adding name tags for all artifacts.
Regularly update our bulletin board.
Created a photo album with flip pages of now/then pictures. It can also be
displayed on large panels.
Set up multiple displays at the library, the schoolhouse community center
and downtown businesses.
Wore period costumes in the 2012 Bike Derby Parade, helping us secure
the best Centennial theme entry.
Volunteered at Saturday Market booths.

Since they never get tired, they even did a complete inventory of all the
items we have stored at Leroy Olsons barn, Chris stated. At our monthly
programs, Chef Gene comes with trays of homemade yummy treats for the
members.

They are a dream come true, noted Society VP Judy Lang. Its amazing
to see them taking on a project, working in sync and seemingly effortlessly,
added Society co-founder Miguel Llanos.
We also have another name for them: The Magnificent Magnusons! Now is it
any wonder, concluded Chris, that they are our 2013 History Heros?

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond

RHS

NEWS

Our New Looks:

Logo, Online Facelift, Speaker Series

By Chris Himes, Redmond Historical Society President

Over the past few months your Board has been working hard to freshen
and update our wonderful Redmond Historical Society image. The Societys
longevity depends on having a growing membership and an increased
stable source of funding. To that end I would like to let the membership
know where we are and what we are doing to accomplish this.

First, we will have a new logo (above) thanks to the design work of
Graphic Designer / Board member Janice LeVeck. We felt it was important to
keep the penny-farthing bike and the same typeface, but with a contemporary
twist to our icon.

Also, we are updating our website (header mock-up above) to make

information easier to find. Janice, as well as Board member Sherry Stilin
(marketing), Richard Morris (webmaster) and Monica Park (office
manager), with input from the rest of the Board and Miguel Llanos, have
been working hard on the website updates.

Finally, we have been searching for ways to create additional

awareness about the Society, as well as share our wonderful speakers with
more people. We believe we have found the key. Continued on page 6...

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond

RHS

NEWS Our New Looks

Continued from Page 5

In the past, by referring to our monthly

get-togethers as meetings we realized
that we may have scared off people who
love history but hate meetings. So moving
forward we will call those programs and
name them The Redmond Historical
Society Saturday Speaker Series. The
poster draft (right) displays our new look.
What changes will you see? First,
we will announce speakers for half the
year, instead of one month at a time.
Secondly, we will spend some program
time letting folks know why it is important to
support historical preservation. Ultimately
we hope they will be interested enough
to join the Society. In addition, we will
be asking non-members to contribute a
suggested donation of $5 at the door.

And now, an appeal to you, our supporters. Please let us know of
businesses, churches, etc., that would put up a Speaker Series poster and/or
take some flyers to help us spread the word. We would relish your input, help
and enthusiasm. We are very excited about these changes and hope you will
embrace them as well.

National History Day Winners Honored

As part of National Preservation Month in May, Mayor John Marchione and the City
Council congratulated Redmond High and STEM school students whose research projects
won National History Day awards. The City also honored Tom Hitzroth for his dedication to
the walking tours and researching Redmond history. (Photo by Miguel Llanos)

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond

Eastside Heritage Events

RHS

NEWS

Historic Redmond Walking Tour

Sunday, June 16: 1:00 p.m to 2:30 p.m.
Justice White House, 7730 Leary Way N.E.
Historian Tom Hitzroth is the man with the stories, gossip, and names that make
Redmonds early history so interesting. A $10 per person suggested donation
supports Society programs and is payable by credit card on our website, or by
check sent to our office. Registration is required by June 14. The tour will not be
held if it rains.

Northwest Railway Museums Train Shed Tour

Saturdays in June, starting at 1:00 p.m.

Snoqualmie Depot, 38625 SE King St.

Board a train to a building that includes freight and passenger carsamong

them the nationally significant chapel car 5 Messenger of Peace. The group
then reboards the train to view a large power plant project, watch water go over
Snoqualmie Falls and get a breathtaking view of the river and valley. Limited to 15
people. Adults are $20, seniors $18 and children $15. Check trainmuseum.org
for more information.

Downtown Issaquah History Hike

Saturday, June 29: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Issaquah Depot Museum, 150 First Avenue N.E.

Museum Director Erica Maniez will lead hikers on a 2-mile walk through the
history of Issaquah. Advance registration and signing a release form are required.
You can register online or order tickets by mail. Call 425-392-3500 or email info@
issaquahhistory.org with any questions. Suggested donation is $5 per hiker ($3
for members). For more, see issaquahhistory.org/events/downtown-history-hike.

Redmonds Pioneer Cemetery Tour

Sunday, July 21, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Cedar Lawns Memorial Park, 7200 180th Avenue N.E.
In conjunction with the City, Tom Hitzroth will explore Redmonds pioneer history
through those put to rest here long ago. Cedar Lawns will host a mini-bbq and
King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert will welcome the group before Tom
and Kim Dietz, the City of Redmonds planner for historic preservation provide an
introduction to cemeteries, including the architectural, design and siting techniques
and adaptations used as people settled and developed North America. The event
is free, but RSVP is requested via redmond.gov/government/historicpreservation.

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond

RHS

NEWS Huge Historical Thank Yous to:

Janice LeVeck for her long, hard work on updating the look of our website.
Tom Hanson for providing treats at the May speaker program.
Marge Hanson, Cheryl Kenyon, Judy Aries Lang, Cheryl and Gene
Magnuson, Fernando Ramos, Beryl Standley, Sherry Stilin, Joe
Townsend and Don Watts for volunteering for our Saturday Market booth.

Derby Days Reminderand Remembered

Reminder:
The annual Derby Days
parade is on Saturday, July
13, and wed love to have
you join us on Butch Kents
school bus and fire truck.
The parade starts at 10:00
a.m., and well be gathering
around 9:00 a.m. across from
City Hall.

Remembered:
Former RHS Board Member Patti Simpson Ward created a new artwork
(above) titled The Mattson Place at Perrigo Plat, with a Derby Days theme
incorporated into the bike and kite! The piece is on display and available at
the Kirkland Arts Center Store (kirklandartscenter.org) and by visiting her
website at pattisimpsonward.com. The 1922 home still stands at 16715 NE
79th. By July, Patti also plans to have a 2014 calendar of historic Redmond
properties, the Mattson home among them.

Have Fun, Help Out at Saturday Market

Interested in meeting new residents and catching up with old friends?
If so, consider volunteering at our Redmond Saturday Market booth on July 6,
August 3, and/or September 7. Shoppers love checking out the artifacts and
old photos. You dont need to be an expert in Redmonds history, just a good
ambassador. To sign up, please contact Judy Aries Lang at
[email protected] or 425.823.3551.

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond

ORDER

Redmond
Reflections

$15

NOW

(INCLUDES TAX)*

SHIPPING & HANDLING: Please add $5.00 shipping & handling surchage

for any order that you would like mailed.

ORDERING INFO*:
NAME____________________________________________________ PHONE NUMBER_____________________
# OF BOOKS ORDERED_______ AMOUNT ENCLOSED (CHECK PLEASE) _$_____________________________

SHIPPING INFO:
name _______________________________________________________________________________________
street addRESS ____________________________________________________________________________
city state zip _____________________________________________________________________________

NOTE:

Redmond Reflections is also available at the RHS office at the Old

Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center. (Hours of operation on page 12.)

Great Gift Ideas for History Lovers

Need something special for someone
who appreciates our history? These
are available at our Society office:

GREETING CARDS, MAGNETS

& NOTE CARDS
featuring artwork by local artists:

Patti Simpson Ward

Dorisjean Colvin
Pat Dugan

Our Town
History of Redmond by Nancy Way

View of History DVD

This painting of Marymoor Park, Flying Kites at the Clise

Mansion, is the work of fine artist Patti Simpson Ward.
Visit her website to see more images of Eastside settings
pattisimpsonward.com).

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond

MEMBERSHIP

May Meeting Attendees

*Indicates 2013 membership paid by mid-May.
(Please notify us of any errors.)
First-time attendees are in BOLD ALL CAPS.

David Bartley
Elsie Bartley
Sylvia Bernauer*
DICK BLUMENTHAL
ELEANOR BOBA*
Tony Emmanuel*
Lillian Garland*
Thomas E. Hansen*
Marge Hanson*
Mary Hanson*
Roy Hanson*
Chris Himes*
Cheryl Kenyon*
Judy Aries Lang*

Miguel Llanos*
Cheryl Magnuson*
Gene Magnuson*
Carl Marrs*
Pat Marrs*
Dorothy Matsui*
YAS MATSUI
Rosemarie Matthes
Richard Morris
Alexa Munoz*
Kathy Murray
Helen Nash
Jan Norvold
Monica Park

Brian Ranck*
Patsy Cook Rosenbach*
Anne Salmi*
Doris Schaible*
Judith Simpson
Beryl Standley*
Sherry Stilin*
Fran Stray*
Fred Stray*
Joe Townsend*
Carol Trapp*
Juanita Verschuyl*
Gwen Walsh*
Don Watts*

Janice LeVeck*

Mike Patterson

James Wilhoit

Our RHS Lifetime Members

Eric Anderson
John Anderson
Barbara Neal Beeson
Brad Best
Marjorie Stensland
Costello
John Couch
Liz Carlson Coward
Tony Emmanuel
Frank Garbarino
Edward L. Hagen
Lucille B.
Hansen-Bellings
Wayne Hansen
Jerry Hardy
Naomi Hardy
Chris Himes
Rosemarie Ives

10

Patricia Weiss Jovag

Barbara Weiss Joyce
Glenn Lampaert
Roy Lampaert
Judy Aries Lang
Miguel Llanos
Jon Magnussen
Clare Amo Marr
Daryl Martin
Allison Reed Morris
John Phillips
Roxie Phillips
Charles Reed
Frances Spray Reed
Vivian Robinson
Laurie Rockenbeck
Margy Rockenbeck

William Rockenbeck
Beryl Standley
John Stilin
Sherry Stilin
Fred Springsteel
Fred Stray
Doris Bauer Schaible
Herb Swanson
Doris Townsend
Arlyn Vallene
Patti Simpson Ward
Don Watts
Rose Weiss
Joanne Westlund
Margaret Evers Wiese
James Windle

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond

MEMBERSHIP

Join the
Redmond Historical Society
To Discover, Recover, Preserve, Share and
Celebrate Redmonds History
Renewing Members, Please Send in Your 2013 Dues!

LEVELS OF MEMBERSHIP (Check one only.)

$5.00

$20.00

$35.00

$200.00

$250.00

$1,000.00

_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____

TRAILBLAZER (Student)
PIONEER (Individual)
HOMESTEADER (Family)
ENTREPRENEUR (Supporter)
CORPORATE (Business)
HISTORY MAKER (Lifetime)

All contributions are tax deductible.

Please make checks payable to: REDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Fill out the form below, cut it out and mail it with your check to:

Redmond Historical Society

Attn: Membership
ORSCC, Room 106
16600 NE 80th Street
Redmond, WA 98052

NAME
If FAMILY MEMBERSHIP, other names to be included
PHONE NUMBER
EMAIL ADDRESS
street addRESS
city state zip
birthday(s)
Newsletter deLIverY (check one): _______ Email

11

________ U.S. Mail

11

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond

Redmond Historical Society

16600 NE 80th Street, Room 106
Redmond, WA 98052

425.885.2919
PHONE
WEB SITE redmondhistoricalsociety.org
[email protected]
Email
Monday, Wednesday and Friday:
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and by appointment

Hours

June 2013 History is Happening in Redmond