Harrington News

On a bright and sunny Friday afternoon, the Horse Crazy Cowgirl Band drove into Harrington and parked their motor home in the vacant lot south of the Harrington Opera House. Harrington is their first stop in the 5,200 mile tour they are making. They were served an early dinner in the Art Room and by 6 p.m. were upstairs in the newly finished auditorium.

During the week members of the HOHS cleaned and polished and added finishing touches. As the audience trickled in, many comments were made about the beauty of the woodwork around the windows and doors; more than 100 pieces of molding had been taken down, numbered, sanded, refinished and replaced around the appropriate window or doorway. The newly hung and hemmed drapes for the stage were another point of interest to those who are following the refurbishing of the Opera House building. Lace was hung at the windows on the double doors leading to the old staircase entry. Shortly before 7 p.m. the lights were signaling that the nearly 80 people could take their seats for the performance to begin. More than a dozen people came into the auditorium after the first song.

Mark Stedman welcomed all to the performance and spent a few moments reminding the audience of the long process of changing the auditorium from a water-leaking eyesore to the elegant showpiece that was presented this night. Dave McClure “from up Nespelem way” entertained and warmed up the audience for the presentation of Judy Coder, Lauralee Northcott and Jennifer Epps, otherwise known as the Horse Crazy Cowgirl Band. They were greeted heartily when they entered the stage, many in the audience having been to their previous performance in the opera house. Energetic and enthusiastic, they began with “Gotta Lotta Rhythm (in My Soul),” followed by “Swingtime in the Rockies.” The crowd cheered. They sang “Three Quarter Time,” “All I Need On My Saddle,” “I Spent All Day in the Saddle” (written by Dave McClure), and “My Horse Knows the Way Home” with interspersed comedic rhetoric in their routine. Their rendition of “I Didn’t Know the Gun Was Loaded” drew an enthusiastic response.

Their instruments included two guitars, a flute and a harmonica, and they excelled with their yodeling. Just prior to intermission Dave McClure played two songs on his keyboard and sang, “Long Lost Friend.” Following intermission another eight songs were performed by the Horse Crazy Cowgirls including “Paint The Town,” “Colorado Trail,” “Western Moon” and “Yippee Yi Your Troubles Away”.

Harrington Library

Several boxes of books were donated to the Harrington Public Library by Bruce McLain which included some history books of the Pacific Northwest, including Spokane’s Legendary Davenport Hotel; Dear Old Nat...Spokane’s Playground; Between The Mountains: A Portrait of Eastern Washington; Saga of a Western Town... Spokane 1872-1972; A Brief History of Kettle Falls: The First 50 Years; Spokane Then and Now: A Snap Shot; Images of America: Grand Coulee Dam; The Spokane Aviation Story; Harry Tracy: The Last Desperado and The Great Columbia Plain.