The Redmond Recorder

REDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

June 2015 VOL. 17 NO. 6

Every town has a history. Discover ours.

UpcomingAnnual Potluck Picnic

Saturday, June 13, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Anderson Park Picnic Shelter, 7802 168th Ave. N.E., Redmond

Celebrate Summer with the Society

The annual
Redmond
Historical Society
picnic is a great
time to connect
with members and
enjoy the start
of the summer
season. 2014 picnic
photo courtesy
HeadSpinner
Photography.

Summer in Redmond is just around the corner!

Please join us on Saturday, June 13 for our annual potluck picnic
at the Anderson Park picnic shelter, where we will celebrate another
successful year and honor this years History Hero honoree, Tom
Hitzroth.
Meanwhile, gear up for Derby Days. The annual series of events will
mark its 75th year this summer on July 10 and 11. Participate by joining
our parade convoy, either walking or inside a historic vehicle. Contact us
at: info@redmondhistoricalsociety.org or 425.885.2919 to sign up.
Also in this issue, volunteer opportunities, and an exciting new
4Culture grant award to record the history of Redmond poultry farms.
Every town has a history. Discover ours. June 2015

2015
EXECUTIVE BOARD

Joe Townsend President

Mary I. Hanson Senior Vice-President
Ed Dint OBrien Vice-President Finance
Sherry Stilin Interim Secretary

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Judith Simpson
Sherry Stilin
Kris Swanson
Margy Rockenbrock
Steve Johnson
Bill McKenzie
Michael Benavidez

Whats New
Online:
Derby Days
Turns 75

FREE NEWSLETTER

Derby Days is a summer Redmond

tradition that began as a bicycle
race around Lake Sammamish in
1939. It was held as a fundraiser
for downtown holiday decorations
and school athletic equipment.
The outgrowth of a small towns
community spirit, the Derby now
hosts the nations longest running
bicycle race, marking its 75th year
this summer.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK:

Were always looking for people to

join us, either in the school bus or
fire truck, or carrying our banner.

THE REDMOND RECORDER

Derby Days 2015 Friday and

Saturday, July 10 & 11 For details:

OFFICE MANAGER Jlean McDonald

ATTORNEY Charles Diesen
Our finances are public record and may
be viewed at the office.

If you don't subscribe, please sign up.

Call the office at 425.885.2919 or email
info@redmondhistoricalsociety.org.
State your preference of email or
U.S. Mail. The historical society prefers
email as it's inexpensive and photos are
enhanced online.

facebook.com/Redmond.Historical.Society
is published nine times annually.
Jeanne Gustafson Editor
Janice LeVeck Webmaster
janiceannleveck.com

Today, Derby Days also includes

a Parade in downtown Redmond
as well as outdoor concerts,
kids activities, carnival rides and
fireworks.

http://www.redmonderbydays.com

redmondhistoricalsociety.org

Major Sponsors

June 2015 Every town has a history. Discover ours.

Tom Hitzroth:
2015 History Hero

Presidents
Notebook

The Redmond Historical Society is pleased

to announce that the 2015 History Hero Award
recipient is Tom Hitzroth. Tom is a respected
Eastside historian and a specialist in Redmond
history. Those of you who have enjoyed one
or more of the Societys Walking Tours know
Tom and appreciate his in-depth knowledge
of Redmond history, and Redmonds historical
buildings in particular.
Tom Hitzroth has been
In addition to his investigation of Redmonds
the face of the walking
early history, Tom initiated the walking tours in
tour in Redmond since
2003. He designed the route, developed the
2003. Photo by Jlean
script, and continues to refine the narrative as
McDonald
more information is turned up. Tom has done two
or more Old Town tours every year, and for the Redmond Centennial in
2012 he added haunted tours and cemetery tours to the mix. We honor
Tom for developing and conducting these Walking Tours several times a
year. Thank you, Tom!

Tom has contributed to the Redmond Historical Society in other ways

as well. He served on the Board of Directors for five years, 200308. Tom
presented Lost Redmond: Once Here, Long Gone at the September
2013 Saturday Speaker Series program, and in 2007, Tom told the story
of the James Manning Colman murder. Stay tuned for an update on that
mystery at the November 2015 Saturday Speaker Series Program.
Tom is a true student of Eastside history. In addition to his work with
the Redmond Historical Society, he also serves as the Chair of the City
of Chair of the City of Redmond Landmark Commission, is past Chair,
a current member of the King County Landmarks Commission and King
County landmarks commissions. We all very much appreciate Toms total
involvement in local history, the mark of a true History Hero.
The award will be presented at the 2015 Redmond Historical Society
Picnic to be held at Anderson Park on Saturday, June 13. Im looking
forward to seeing you all there again this year, to share potluck dishes and
music from the Old Time Fiddlers.
Joe Townsend~ Redmond Historical Society President
Every town has a history. Discover ours. June 2015

Society
News

Celebrate Summer
at the Societys
Annual Potluck Picnic

Please join us at Anderson Park June

13, 2015 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for food
and fun! Well provide the hotdogs, so load
up the family and bring a dish to share!
We will also present long time
volunteer Tom Hitzroth with our History
Hero award for all the work he has done
to make the Redmond Historical Society
Walking Tours a great success!
Details

Annual Society Potluck Picnic

Saturday, June 13 , 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Anderson Park Picnic Shelter, 7802
168th Ave. N.E. Redmond, WA
We hope to see you there!

Pictured from the 2014 picnic, from

top: Fred Stray with his famous ice
cream machine; Christine Himes and
Miguel Llanos, 2014 History Hero;
Fran Stray and Joe Townsend. Photos
courtesy Cheryl Magnuson

June 2015 Every town has a history. Discover ours.

Recording Redmonds
Poultry History

Society
News

The Society is pleased to announce

it has received a $6,840 grant through
4Cultures 2015 Heritage Projects program
to document and share the history of
chicken farming and poultry breeding in the
Redmond area.
The funding will allow the Society to
hire a historian(s) to help document and
interpret the findings as well as provide
historical context. The results of the
Pierre Bruneaus younger
brother, Don, and his
research project will be presented as part
mother, Mae, pose with
of the Saturday Speaker Series program,
chicks and their chicken
mostly likely Fall 2016. The project is a
joint effort. The Redmond Historical Society dog, Nero, circa. 1952. Photo
courtesy the Bruneau family.
will be providing volunteer assistance with
oral histories and project management as
well as other aspects. Two interviews have already been conducted with
Marion Curry and Pierre Bruneau who both had family owned poultry
farms in the North Redmond area.
Poultry, especially egg producing, was once big business in our
state. It is the story of immigrants, family farms, co-operative marketing
associations, exports, and scientific breeding. The Redmond area
participated in the poultry business over many decades. Historian
Clarence Bagley reported in 1929 that there were about thirty-five
good-sized chicken ranches in the vicinity. However, today little physical
evidence remains. Moreover, with the exception of the Morelli farm,
there is scant written information. The only known narrative is one page in
the book Our Town Redmond.
4Culture is an important supporter of the Redmond Historical Society,
says Society President Joe Townsend. This grant is one of the largest
awarded to the Society to date, and will help the Society document this
vital facet of Redmonds history.
Sherry Stilin, Chair of the Saturday Speaker Program, will be the
project manager. If you have any information related to the history of
chicken farming in our area that you would like to share, please contact
our office.
Every town has a history. Discover ours. June 2015

Volunteer
Opportunities

Join the Club

Volunteer!

Society Seeks Vice President

Collections Management

Redmond Historical Society President Joe Townsend has announced

an opening for a volunteer Vice President Collections Management,
Society Officer and Board Member
Qualified, interested, persons may request a position description and
volunteer application by writing to info@redmondhistoricalsociety.org.
We are a small non-profit with a working board.
This position calls for:
Proficiency in oral and written communication.
Interpersonal skills
Demonstrated organizational skills
Skills with MS Office software
A love of local history
Skills

Executive Administration
Project Management
History
Basic Computer Skills
Microsoft Office Suite
Management

Requirements & Commitment

Background Check
Must be at least 21
Orientation or Training
10 - 20 hrs/ month
Handle Artifacts Without Damage. Ability and manual dexterity to
handle objects and photographs without damage
Good Match For People 55+

June 2015 Every town has a history. Discover ours.

Redmond Walking Tours

Society
News

Dont forget to mark your calendars for the June 2015 Walking Tour. There
is a $10 voluntary suggested donation for each person, that benefits the
Redmond Historical Society.

2015 Walking Tour Schedule:

Sunday, June 21, 2015 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Pre-register for the event by calling our office at 425.885.2919
Please drop in our office or mail in a check to 16600 NE 80th St. Room 106,
Redmond, WA, 98052.

Tours include a significant amount of walking and standing, with limited
opportunity for resting. We recommend comfortable shoes and weather
appropriate clothing; the tour may be canceled in the event of rain. If you have
any further questions about our tours, please call our office.

Tour Information:
Tour starts: Across the street from the Justice White House at 7730
Leary Way, and is led by local historian Tom Hitzroth.

It was during the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration that the idea for the
Redmond Walking Tour was started as part of a bicentennial community project.
It was a way to introduce Redmonds history to old timers as well as newcomers.
And there were many newcomers arriving daily in Redmond. As part of the project
we had 14 brass plaques made and placed on the buildings to show what the
original building was used for.

The City of Redmond now prints the official Walking Tour Guide and
maintains a Kiosk at the Leary Way Corner Park that displays our founding
fathers and mothers.

Cant make the tour? The Redmond Historical Society Walking Tour Mobile
App is available thru the Windows, Android and Apple App Stores.

Every town has a history. Discover ours. June 2015

Society
News

Huge Historical
Thank Yous To:

The second season of the Saturday Speaker Series has concluded.
Sherry Stilin, Chair of the program, would like to thank everyone who
attended and helped to make the series a success. She would like to
extend a special thank you to the following people, who have not been
singled out in the past for their contributions:
Program Committee: Mary Hanson, Julianne Rossiter
Administrative Assistance: Jean McDonald
Delicious Baked Goods: Gene Magnuson
Volunteer Coordinator: Judith Simpson
Website and Facebook marketing: Janice LeVeck
Additionally, the Society would like to sincerely thank Sherry for
her tireless efforts to make the Saturday Speakers Series such a grand
success.

Thank you to the following volunteers, who helped with the May
Saturday Speakers program:
Greeters: Linda Randall and Steve Johnson
Coffee setup and Treats: Judy Lang
Room setup: Redmond High School students Conner and Dillon
York, Tom Hansen
Speakers for next years series will be announced soon. We look
forward to seeing you in September.
The Saturday Speaker Series is a monthly program presented by the
Redmond Historical Society on every second Saturday from September
through May (with the exception of December) at 10:30 a.m. at the Old
Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center, located at 16600 NE 80th
Street. Topics are of local, state and Pacific Northwest historical interest.

June 2015 Every town has a history. Discover ours.

Order
Now

Redmond
Reflections

$10

(INCLUDES TAX)*

SHIPPING & HANDLING: Please add $5.00 shipping & handling

surchage

for any order that you would like mailed.

ORDERING INFO*:
NAME____________________________________________________ PHONE NUMBER_____________________
# OF BOOKS ORDERED_______ AMOUNT ENCLOSED (CHECK PLEASE) _$_____________________________

SHIPPING INFO:
NAME _______________________________________________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS ____________________________________________________________________________
CITY STATE ZIP _____________________________________________________________________________

NOTE:

REDMOND REFLECTIONS is also available at the RHS OFFICE at the Old

Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center. (Hours of operation on page 12.)

Great Gift Ideas for History Lovers

Need something special for someone
who appreciates our history? These
are available at our Society office:

GREETING CARDS, MAGNETS

& NOTE CARDS
featuring artwork by local artists:
PATTI SIMPSON WARD
DORISJEAN COLVIN
PAT DUGAN
OUR TOWN
History of Redmond by Nancy Way

VIEW OF HISTORY DVD

This painting of Marymoor Park, Flying Kites at the Clise

Mansion, is the work of fine artist Patti Simpson Ward.
Visit her website to see more images of Eastside settings
pattisimpsonward.com.

Every town has a history. Discover ours. June 2015

Society
News

Recognizing Rosemarie Ives

Longtime Redmond resident and RHS Board

Member Rosemarie Ives recently retired from her
position on the board.
Rosemarie, who served as Mayor from 1992
2007, says that during her tenure as Mayor, she was
overjoyed with Naomi Hardys initiative around the
Redmond Historical Society and how others such as
Miguel Llanos and John Couch rallied around the
effort.
It was during her tenure, just at the same
time, that the city initiated the chapter in the its
Rosemarie Ives
comprehensive plan that deals with the preservation of
historic and cultural resources.
When Sherry Stilin joined the board and proposed repackaging our
monthly meetings into the Speakers Series, it excited me so I volunteered to
raise money to underwrite some of the costs associated with the re-branding,
Rosemarie says. She initiated a giving opportunity of $1,000 per year for five
years recruiting some of the Societys major contributors.
Please join us in thanking Rosemarie for her service to the Society as
she embarks on new adventures.

Our Society Lifetime Members

Eric Anderson
John Anderson
Barbara Neal Beeson
Brad Best
Bernadine Bruneau
Marjorie Stensland
Costello
John Couch
Liz Carlson Coward
Tony Emmanuel
Frank Garbarino
Edward L. Hagen
Tom Hall
Lucille B. HansenBellings
Wayne Hansen
Jerry Hardy
Naomi Hardy
Chris Himes
Rosemarie Ives
Cory de Jong
Patricia Weiss Jovag

10

Barbara Weiss Joyce

Glenn Lampaert
Roy Lampaert
Allen Lang
Judy Aries Lang
Miguel Llanos
Jon Magnussen
Clare Amo Marr
Daryl Martin
Allison Reed Morris
John Phillips
Roxie Phillips
Dale Potter
Jo Ann Potter
Charles Reed
Frances Spray Reed
Vivian Robinson
Laurie Rockenbeck
Vivian Robinson

Margy Rockenbeck
William Rockenbeck
Richard Shinstrom
Beryl Standley
John Stilin
Sherry Stilin
Fred Springsteel
Fred Stray
Doris Bauer Schaible
Herb Swanson
Doris Townsend
Roger Trepanier
Arlyn Vallene
Patti Simpson Ward
Don Watts
Rose Weiss
Joanne Westlund
Margaret Evers Wiese
James Windle

June 2015 Every town has a history. Discover ours.

Membership
Join
RedmondHistorical Society
Every town has a history. Discover ours.
FOR NEW OR RENEWING MEMBERS, PLEASE SEND IN YOUR DUES.

LEVELS OF MEMBERSHIP (Check one only.)

$5.00

$25.00

$40.00

$200.00

$250.00

$1,000.00

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TRAILBLAZER (Student)
PIONEER (Individual)
HOMESTEADER (Family)
ENTREPRENEUR (Supporter)
CORPORATE (Business)
HISTORY MAKER (Lifetime)

ALL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: REDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Fill out the form below, cut out and mail with your check to:

Redmond Historical Society

Attn: Membership
ORSCC, Room 106
16600 NE 80th Street
Redmond, WA 98052

MEMBERSHIP (CIRCLE ONE):

NEW

RENEWING

NAME
If FAMILY MEMBERSHIP, OTHER NAMES TO BE INCLUDED
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NEWSLETTER DELIVERY (CHECK ONE): _______ EMAIL

Every town has a history. Discover ours. June 2015

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11

Redmond Historical Society

16600 NE 80th Street, Room 106
Redmond, WA 98052

425.885.2919
PHONE
WEB SITE redmondhistoricalsociety.org
info@redmondhistoricalsociety.org
EMAIL
Monday, Wednesday and Friday:
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and by appointment

HOURS

June 2015 Every town has a history. Discover ours.