Looking Back

Compiled by Kelli Wilkie

The Record-Times

100 years ago

Folks in Davenport will be able to get their mail in the evenings instead of the next day due to a change in the Westbound train on the Central Washington branch leaving Spokane at 2 p.m. instead of 4:10 p.m.

A. N. MacDonald of Seattle addressed about 250 people at Fraternal Hall in Harrington. A large cross lit with electricity burned all evening on a vacant lot across from the hall.

A contract will soon be let for the construction of a branch line of the Great Northern railway from Bluestem to Lincoln. The grade was built in 1910 but steel was never laid. This line will help get fruit from the river areas to market.

75 years ago

Odessa area farmers have started planting winter wheat. Moisture conditions vary, some farmers reported that the sub moisture and the surface moisture have met, others have reported the surface moisture is barely soaking in.

Harrington’s Fall Festival was a financial success. Visitors cleaned up nearly a tom of barbequed meat from two fat steers purchased for the Festival. Two dances were held as well as a water carnival. It was reported that the Festival this year brought in nearly $5000.

Davenport’s 1950 proposed budget will be presented at a city council meeting. The total is $74,900 up from 1949’s $63,430. The increase is due to bonds that must be retired and interest on the $80,000 sewage treatment plant currently under construction.

50 years ago

Odessa school is offering a “Recreational Skills” class for juniors and seniors. Concerned with the amount of time youth spend watching television, this class focuses on leisure time sports such as Archery, Bowling, golf, badmitton, volleyball and tennis.

Davenport Chamber of Commerce reviewed the responses to their survey on how to make Davenport better. The most common answer was that there needs to be more youth activities followed by suggestions for improving the fair and parking in downtown.

The Washington Wheat Commission and the Grape Growers Association along with the state director of agriculture are requesting federal funding to study the atmospheric drift of 2,4-D. It is hoped that the results of the study will help establish regulations for application of the chemical used to control weeds.

25 years ago

Odessa Seafirst Bank is now Bank of America. Seafirst had been a subsidary of Bank of America for more than 16 years and retained its own identity until a recent Bank of America merger with NationsBank. The sign at the Odessa branch will soon be changed to reflect the new name.

The Washington State department of revenue released its numbers for the first quarter of 1999 and Lincoln County retail sales are up 17.1%. The gains are mostly in the manufacturing and agriculture and mining industried.

Davenport School District adds 4 new bus stops for elementary students only within town so younger students don’t need to cross busy highways. Stops will be at Main and 13th, Logan and 13th, Sixth and Sinclair as well as Main and Second.

10 years ago

City Foreman Fred Bell in cooperation with the Council Parks committee has asked the Davenport City Council to consider replacing the play equipment in the city park citing age and safety of the existing equipment.

2014 Deutschesfest was deemed a success by the Chamber of Commerce. The Biergarten revenue was approximately $77,000. Several specialty food items sold out before the weekend was over and only about 100 lbs of sausage was left compared to several hundred pounds in previous years.

New Reardan Principal Debi Newsum is enjoying settling into her new role and home in Reardan. She plans to take programs started by former Principal Courtney Strozyk and expand on them. First on the list is making sure all seniors graduate on time and with a plan for their future