Harrington News

ent Authority met Feb 17 with Vice President Allen Barth at the helm. Bunny Haugan, Mark Stedman, Jay Kane, Paul Charlton and Marge Womach were also present.

With spring in the air, the first topic was to approve a potential fund-raiser for the PDA at Halloween. The Landmark Apartments drew the longest discussion. Stedman has been trying to secure the keys to the building for prospective investors. The Wenatchee USDA refuses to loan the keys to the Landmark until there is a new owner, not allowing anyone to view the interior of the building. Questions were expressed regarding bureaucratic control.

The Harrington Haus was shown today and there is speculation as to whether an offer had been made. The PDA is trying to assist a local businesswoman in finding a store front to rent, but is finding it difficult to locate a building that is not being used by the owners as storage. The next PDA meeting is March 24 at City Hall.

In 2004 Pam Kelley suggested to the members of the PDA nine goals and objectives for Harrington to work on. These were: 1) fill existing structures in town; 2) bring building owners on board; 3) revisit incubator for new businesses; 4) improve facade of Harrington; 5) improve downtown core of Harrington to attract business and tourism; 6) coordinate with the community for special events; 7) become a certified local government; 8) revitalize the downtown core; and 9) build an industrial park. Of these, #7 has occurred. Grants for “think tanks” do not generally improve upon this list.

Bill Carroll, Publisher,

interested in H. Harvester

Mayor Paul Gilliland met Bill Carroll and arranged by phone for him to come to Harrington. Tuesday afternoon Harrington’s historic Third Street was visited by Carroll, publisher of The Growers’ Guide, from Colfax. He began his inquiry at The Studebaker Garage owned by Allen Barth. Then he viewed some historic photos at The Harrington Food Market owned by Mike and Kathy Hoob. At 2 p.m. he made his appointment at the Harrington Public Library to view a collection of news items and advertisements in a notebook created by Marge Womach. Several local residents including Len Robertson, former city councilman, joined in the conversation.

Carroll specifically wants to write an article for his publication on the Harrington Harvester, which was invented by C.A. Erich and manufactured by Dunning & Erich from 1910 through 1920, when the company was reorganized and renamed the Harrington Manufacturing Company. Dunning and Erich’s first machine was tested on the Fink ranch near Harrington in 1910. Steady increases in production continued even after Dunning sold his share to Erich in 1919. From 1920 through the fire on Sept. 8, 1923 work continued at a feverish pace. The fire destroyed one building, including the pattern room, and left the greater portion of the plant unharmed. The insurance settlement arrived and hammers began to secure their plant by the first week of November and it was boasted by mid-November “Plans are under way to manufacture about twice as many machines as last year.” In spite of such zeal and enthusiasm, the economy dampened their production and by 1927 they seemed to be selling rebuilt Harrington Harvesters rather than newly manufactured ones.

Bill Carroll has been publishing the Growers’ Guide since 1983 and has written several books. His dabbling in family history is professional and complete. His interest in the Harrington Harvester seemed to be in large part that he was amazed that a town could allow its history to by-pass some of the town’s greatest historical assets: the Harrington Harvester, the Talkington Hitch, the Gooley Spring-Tooth, not to mention the Harrington Milling Company, and the many remaining brick buildings in the downtown district. No mention was made during this three-and-one-half hour discussion of the Luper Weeder-Cultivator of the 1905-7 era, another Harrington invention.

The majority of history buffs that come to Harrington are interested to know the history and present state of the brick buildings. Those that remain on or near Third Street are the Clack Service Station (storage), the Lincoln Hotel (under renovation), the old City Hall (part-time residence), the old Newland building often called the Floyd building (storage), the Bank Block (current use by HOHS), Brenchley building (current use as City Hall), Challenger Cafe & Lounge (storage), Harrington Drug (recently rented), Glascock & Crisp (residence and office), the Union Service station (storage), the Pemberton Block on Willis (apartments), Van Natter on the corner of 3rd and Willis (storage and apartment), Hale’s Store (storage), the Harrington Haus (closed), the old Insurance building (vacant/storage), Memorial Hall (frequently used), Ivy Leaf Cafe (Leffel, Otis & Warwick part-time use), Dr. Setter’s building on the corner of Third and Main (storage), First National Bank (current U.S. Bank), Fallert Hotel (Ott Insurance & Harrington Food Market), Harrington Garage (Allen Barth’s Studebaker garage), Faulding Building or Grange Supply (storage), and North Central Garage (storage). Three noticeable missing buildings are the Billings Block (between city hall and the Challenger Cafe), the Adams and Mitchum block (to the south of the bank block) and the old theatre (south of Memorial Hall).

As those buildings deteriorated the owners made arrangements for their removal as they had become eyesores and dangerous to remain without substantial costs for preservation. Two of these areas are parking lots and the Adams & Mitchum location has been proposed as a “park”. With the upcoming event in May, ‘Cruisin’ Harrington’, the Chamber of Commerce is anticipating record numbers of people to come to Harrington. The Chamber is hoping that property owners will begin early to clean and update the appearance of their properties.