Grant County history

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 continue the story of Soap Lake by Paul Klasen Sr. recorded May 11, 1976:

The Indians used to come to Soap Lake in the spring to dig camas. I noticed in the report here from Mr. Allen that they had horse races, and they ran in the street track. I never saw a race here, but I did find a place between the high school and the golf course where the sagebrush had been widened out, and it ran in a straight line for about a half a mile. Apparently that was where the Indians did their racing. They used to come to gymkhana. Most of them came by wagon from Nespelem.

In the summertime our population increased so much that a lot of them brought their tents, 30 or 40 tents along the lake shore, because there wasn't room in the cabins and there weren't many cabins, and the hotels were filled, or they would stay out in the open.

I think this is about the main part of the story I have to tell you.

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 Sept. 28, 1950:

Haircuts go to $1.25 Monday

The price of hair cuts will go from a dollar to $1.25 in union barber shops throughout Grant County next Monday. The new price will be effective in shops at Grand Coulee, Coulee City, Soap Lake, Ephrata and Moses Lake.

Children up to 14 will get their haircuts for a dollar, but the bald-head fraternity, as usual, doesn't get a break. A hair trim counts as a haircut and will cost $1.25.

Other prices will remain the same, according to M.C. Christenson, secretary representing the union in Moses Lake. They are: Shave, 75 cents; singeing, 75; tonic, 50; plain shampoo, $1; medicated shampoo, $1.50; cream massage, $1.50; boncilla massage (mud pack), $1.75; peroxide or witch hazel steam, 50; razor honing, 75; No check will be less than 50 cents.

Headquarters for the master barber's union, which is affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, is in Grand Coulee. The haircut raise also will take effect in Brewster and Bridgeport. The price advance took place some time ago in Okanogan, Omak and other cities in the area.

Garnet fills her tag

On a personal note: This cartoon appeared in the Columbia Basin Herald 15 years ago. You see Garnet Wilson and I had been a couple for around seven years when we decided to get married.

We headed to the Hitchin' Post in Coeur d'Alene, telling only Garnet's son, Clay, my mother, Enid, and the Herald Publisher, Steve Hill.

After our return, a few days later, my mother couldn't stand the fact we wanted to keep our marriage a secret. She thought a formal announcement was warranted.

Mom conspired with Steve and then Advertising Manager Harlan Beagley to announce the event in an unusual way; this cartoon. The cartoon is from the hand of talented artist and now Herald Publisher Harlan Beagley.

So we have now enjoyed 15 years of wedded bliss. After all Garnet has caught a world-record fish, she was the first person in Washington State to shoot three turkey in one day and she is a fantastic cook. What more could I ask for?