Monday, July 21, 2014

Mount Rainier & Our History

It's hot summertime and as there is little genealogical society doings going on, I thought to share some thoughts on Washington history.



Can you imagine doing this? Here is Fay Fuller (1869-1958) in her climbing gear. She was the first woman to summit on Mount Rainier in about 1890. Can you imagine any kind of hiking in that garb??? I noticed especially the un-warm hat and the "pantaloons" showing under the obligatory skirt. And probably plain old leather boot-shoes? Our mother-ancestors did do things like mountain climbing right along with their men-folks and images like this prove that fact.

How much do we even know about our most famous Washington mountain? I'll send a free gift to everybody and anybody who answers these questions........ and two gifts for NOT using Google!

1.  Who gave Mount Rainier its "white" name? (It was known as Tahoma for eons to the Indians.)
2.  When did Mount Rainier become part of the National Park system?
3.  What year did the first automobiles enter Mount Rainier Park?
4.  How high is Mount Rainier?
5.  When did Mount Rainier last erupt?
6.  Do experts think it will erupt again?
7.  Is Mount Rainier one peak or two peaks or three peaks?
8.  Have you ever climbed Mount Rainier?
9.  Have you ever flown over Mount Rainier?
10. Which of these animals has not been spotted on Mount Rainier:  Bald eagle, Black bear, Elk, Marmot, Sea Star, or Stellar's jay?

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Spokane Bids the Best for Thompson Hall

I was doing some research in the 1894 Spokane Chronicle newspaper when I ran onto this article on the new building to be built at the State University. This article is from the Spokane Chronicle May 10, 1894 page 3.

I hope Donna does not mind that I borrowed a copy of the postcard she bought showing Thompson Hall at Washington State University in 1903. The above article describes the building to be built and that two Spokane Contractors won the bid to build Thompson Hall. 1893, 1894 and 1895 was bad times in the USA due to a recession, so any work these contractors got would help them in this bad time.


Monday, July 14, 2014

WSU & Thompson Hall




Bought this 1903 postcard in an antique-junque-mall in Virginia last May for $2.00. (Postcards from 3000 miles away are cheap.) Since our Washington children for decades have attended WSU in Pullman, Washington, thought you all might be interested. Especially when you click to this link for a tour of Wazzo's historic buildings:  http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu/holland/masc/masctour/wsu_buildings/exhibit2.htm


The postcard shows Thompson Hall.......... and here is the info on that building from the above website:


THOMPSON HALL
Thompson Hall is the oldest extant building on campus, designed by noted Seattle architect, James Stephen and his Chicago trained partner, Timothetus Jesnhans. Their firm was selected over 16 other entries in an architectural competition held by the Board of Regents. Thompson Hall was constructed for less then $50, 000 using local red brick made from clay deposits in back of what is now Stevens Hall.
Until 1968, it served as the Administration building as well as housing a number of other university functions.
It is prominently sited and immediately identifiable by its two large towers, one truncated and one with conical roof. The romantic Victorian Romanesque character of the building s further enhanced by rich variety of windows and entryways and the use of rock-faced granite (quarried near Spokane) for its contrasting trim.
It was rightly described by the Regents at the 1895 dedication as "an excellent piece of work and one that in point of convenience, strength, and architectural beauty compares with any state building."
Today, it has been extensively remodeled inside, but the exterior remains largely intact. It is one of WSU's most notable buildings, an excellent example of an early ideal in education architecture.
Click here to view additional images of Thompson Hall.

Monday, July 7, 2014

WSGS Member, Susan Davis Faulkner, Is Family Chronicle Author!


Susan Davis Faulkner, who lives half-time in Richland, Washington, and half-time in Aiken, South Carolina, where her hubby works, is a multi-talented member of WSGS. Not only will she be a speaker at the upcoming WSGS annual conference in Arlington, but she has been twice published in Family Chronicle Magazine.


See the blurb right here on the cover of the July-August 2014 issue, "Beware The Sand Built House." This is our Susan's article! We are (and I personally am) so proud of her and her accomplishments.

You can purchase this issue of Family Chronicle at various newstands and bookstores but I recommend subscribing.  Click to www.familychronicle.com for all the details.

And plan to attend Susan's sessions at our August conference.