A couple of years ago, a series of trailer camping tips were offered in the Columbia Basin Herald. A reader called and offered a few more tips, but I was busy at the time and was to call him back. In the meantime, I lost his telephone number.

Trailer camping tips are hereby requested for upcoming articles. Would this gentleman, or other readers with tips, please contact me with their tips.

Call Home: 762-5158 or Cell: 750-0541, but always try the home number first.

The Grant County Historical Society has compiled several volumes of Grant County history. The books are available for purchase at the Historical Society Museum gift shop in Ephrata.

I bought the series in 2009 and secured permission to relay some of the history through this column.

Memories of Grant County, compiled from taped interviews by the Grant County Historical Society.

Today we backtrack a bit and continue the story of Coulee City, by Alfred Twining recorded July 30, 1975:

In about 1902 Louie and Jake Young sold out their homesteads in what is now Sun Lakes Park to Jimmie Smith, brother of Billy Smith.

Jimmy Smith lived there for a number of years and he finally sold to R. M. Gilly. It seemed that Harry Hutton had a loan to Gilly on the place and finally took the land over and I think then the State took it from Harry Hutton. Then there was a fellow by the name of Bill Geer took a place up above Louie Young's place and he put out quite an orchard and later Roy Carpenter bought it and after Roy died there is not any orchard there any more.

When the railroad first came in here, to Coulee City in July 1890, there were several buildings, The Grand Hotel was built, a 20-room hotel, and furnished in 30 days. Of course, at that time they could get lumber over the railroad I guess.

Then Harry Hutton came into town. He started a confectionery store and had that for a year or two and he sold that and started a saloon, lumber and paint business. He sold lumber, varnishes and paints and all kinds of building materials. Also had a saloon with barbershop on the west side of the saloon built on a lean-to and Fred Rider was the barber at that time.

We had no electricity, but gasoline lamps had just come into town. The gas was run into hollow wire from a tank in the back of the building and they would pump air into the tank and force the gas into the lamps.

This Fred Rider was maybe drinking a little bit and he went back to pump up the gas one night. This was in July of about 1903. He was pumping away there and I guess he lit a cigarette or a match or some thing and the gas caught fire and the whole Block 6 burned out that day. People had no fire fighting equipment except a bucket brigade, that didn't run much water.

The bank building on the, opposite corner came pretty nearly catching fire but they finally got it put out and storekeepers brought all the salt they had in their warehouses and threw salt all over the buildings to keep them from burning.

E-mail from Cheryl

Facts from the past gleaned from the Moses Lake Herald, Columbia Basin Herald and The Neppel Record by Cheryl (Driggs) Elkins:

From the Columbia Basin Herald on Wednesday, March 21, 1962:

Goose, duck population at all-time high in state

The census of geese and ducks is at an all-time high in Washington this year, despite a downward trend I the North American continent, the State Game department said yesterday.

The agency said ducks were up 2 percent and geese and swan, up 3 percent, while coots were down 32 percent from last year.

The population was estimated at 1.1 million ducks, 143,920 geese, 18,280 coots and 1,440 swan in the state.

The duck total was more than twice the number in either Oregon or Idaho, the agency said.

The Department of Interior said recently wintering grounds observations indicated a downward population had reached the lowest point in 11 years.

The favorable picture in Washington was explained by the fact breeding grounds were not seriously stricken by drought, as happened in other flyways of the United States.

Newcomer Club sets hair show

The March general meeting of the Newcomber's Club of Moses Lake will be held Monday, March 26, at 8 p.m., in the Women's Clubhouse.

The program will be a demonstration of the air wave, presented by Art Brossoit, of Art Beauty Salon in Ephrata and the Vogue Beauty Solon of Moses Lake. He will also present other hints on the care and styling of hair.

The hostess committee met recently and final plans were made for the meeting. Chairman of the committee is Mrs. H.E. Hamilton. She will be assisted by Mrs. Jack Bridwell, Mrs. Daniel Burkett, Mrs. William Soden, Mrs. Clyde Warrior, Mrs. William Lamoreaux and Mrs. Micheel Larkin.

Any women new to the Moses Lake Area who are interested in Joining the Club are invited to call Mrs. Robert Riley, 5-8405 or Mrs. Elmer Kassman, 5-5434. Reservations are required for the general meeting and may be made with either Mrs. Riley or Mrs. Kassman.

Wilson Creek history

The Rev. David H. Crawford compiled and published a history of families in and surrounding Wilson Creek titled, "Family Memories of Wilson Creek Area." The book was printed in 1978, which was the 75th anniversary of the town. David's son, John Crawford, has given permission for those memories to be a part of this column.

Today we begin the story of The Rev. C.H. Hart Family:

The Rev. C.H. Hart Family

By Rev. C.H. Hart

My first visit to Wilson Creek was on a hot, dry, dusty summer day. I had come to interview and candidate for the position of Pastor of the United Presbyterian Church, and I thought, "Why would I want to leave Colorado mountains to come to such a hot, dry and dusty place?"

After meeting the people of the Church and Community, I changed my mind and did accept the call to become pastor of the church. I moved to Wilson Creek in August of 1949 with my wife Bette and our three children. The Church purchased the house that is the present Manse and our family lived in this house during the 11 and a half years of our service to the church and the community.

I recall many happy memories of our years spent in Wilson Creek, serving where I could, and feel honored to be a part of the history. If I were to recall names of many people we knew and worked with, I'm sure I would miss someone. We loved all those we got to know and enjoyed working with them.

The Presbyterian Church grew from about 40 members to about 200 during my ministry and the Sunday School averaged 125 attending each Sun day. The Sunday evening Youth Group reached a high of about 50 young people who came. A high light of our church year was the annual visit from Dr. Frank Warren, then President of Whitworth College.

I shared many moments of joy with the families of Wilson Creek, as I shared in their marriages and births, and recoveries from illnesses; also many moments of sadness when I shared in the death of loved ones.

Mr. A.F. Nagel was superintendent of the Wilson Creek School and I valued his friendship and cooperation as we worked together for the community.

I remember the flood of Feb. 1957, and how the people of the town and surrounding farm families worked so hard to help each other and to help those who lost possessions and homes. We saw the concern of neighbors in the actions of the people during this time of hardship. Not only during the time of the flood but during all the years it was our privilege to live and work in Wilson Creek, we saw this quality in the people.

Our family increased two more children while we lived in Wilson Creek and we were seven when we moved to Nebraska in 1960. We served a church in Nebraska for 10 years, then moved to our present home in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1970. I served as Volunteer Visiting Minister until poor health has forced me to stop this year.

Our children spent part of their growing up years in Wilson Creek and are now scattered across the United States. Bette Ellen our eldest, lives in Kansas City, Kansas with her husband and our two grand children.

Joseph lives in Columbus, Indiana with his wife and works as a Computer Analyst for Cummins Industries. Mary lives in Estes Park, Colorado and with her husband owns and operates the Carriage Art Gallery and Photography Studio. Clifford "Herb" Jr. and Thomas both live in Fort Collins. Herb is General Manager for the Homes by Holz Construction Company, and Tom is a Sub contractor in the Construction Business.