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 Mrs. Knapp recorded May 11, 1976:

Soap Lake didn't have anything when I first came there. There was just quite an interesting affair.

Interviewer: "Do you have any idea why they came here, your parents came here?"

I had a brother. I had two that lived out of Soap Lake. But I can't remember the name of the place. And we came there to live with them. And then we moved to Soap Lake and it was in 1904 when we moved out there. Then we moved to Soap Lake and we lived there, well mothe·r and father, they lived there. Mother lived there the rest of her life. She passed away about 34 years ago. She and dad separated and dad went clear down to Arizona and he bootlegged after he and mother separated. He did bootlegging and after he went to Arizona the federal officers got him and they put him a hospital with the flu. They let him out soon and he got a setback and passed away. I don't know how many years ago that was now. It's been a long time ago.

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:

Committees named by WEA at first fall meeting

First fall meeting fo the South Grant County Unit of the Washington Education Association was held at the Moses Lake High School Monday evening. The meeting was called to order by the new president, Al Miller.

Miss Ruth Goodrich, O.T. Darling and Mrs. Evelyn Mcinnis, who attended a leadership meeting of the WEA at Lake Wilderness Sept. 16, gave reports.

President Miller appointed the following committiees: Ruth Goodrich and Eleanor Fulton, teacher welfare; C.B. McFadden and Burt Wiig, school finance; Lillian Mattson and Parilla Farnam, public relations; Opan McCormick and Sid Humphrey, membership; Miss Elizabeth Powers, Tom Reid and T.E. Gibby, refreshments and David Dahl and Parilla Farnam, publicity.

McFadden spoke on the critical industries of the country and said the profession of teaching has been listed by the military as one of the most vital and critical.

Renea Jorgensen gave two readings by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and two musical selections were given by Joan Noel, Carol Hoffman and Jae Ator, accompanied by Nellie Olsen.

Refreshments were served by Ruth Goodrich, James Gower, Charles Manley and Evelyn Mcinnis. Next meeting will be Oct. 23.