Cousin Sam: FB BACKUP AUGUST 16

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1909 map of Lincoln County.

1909 map of Douglas County showing the location of Baird
and several other early towns.
posted by Steve Miller, 8-17.

Conor Jorgensen: Can anyone tell me where the Baird post office on "the hill" in Douglas County was located? I know my grandma, Estella Pierpoint was the postmistress just never knew where it was. 8-16

Harold Evans: The office was right at the intersection of your road at Adkins land. It was just where the road started across the lake. 8-16

Dan Bolyard: From the book "Postmarked Washington--Chelan, Douglas, and Kittitas Counties." By Guy Reed Ramsey. 1973:

Baird--Established February 4, 1896, James Baird (postmaster); Alva Leonard McDonald, July 11, 1903 (date of this new postmaster); Miss Elisabeth E. Davis, October 31, 1905; Nathaniel E. Davis, February 27, 1913; Blanche E. Rowe, June 7, 1920; Mrs. Estella Pierpoint (nee Shaw), October 1, 1921; Mrs. Lola E. McClure (nee Mickelson, Mrs. Carl Porter McClure), Feb. 20, 1931; discontinued January 15, 1934, mail to Coulee City.

Locations: 8 1/2 miles west of Coulee City (SW Sec. 32, T25N, R27E), and 8 miles west of Coulee City (NE Sec. 31).

James Baird, a Scotchman, homesteaded at the first site. The first mail was delivered on a Voltage to Coulee City Star Route, the route was discontinued about 1908-09 when the Great Northern built a branch line railroad up Moses Coulee. Later mail service was by the Coulee City-Waterville Star Route.

Baird's 30-mile RFD 1 was established on August 1, 1917 and discontinued on December 31, 1933 when the service was transferred to the Coulee City RFD 1. Carriers were Oliver W. Layson and Alfred C. Pierpoint (June 13, 1921). Substitute carriers were T.D. Reese (May 1, 1918), Fred S. Churchill (Sept. 11, 1918), Levi M. Rowe (July 1, 1920) and Frank J. Pierpoint (July 8, 1929). The latter continued as carrier of Coulee City's RFD 1.

Dan Bolyard: Same book mentions that St. Andrews was 12 miles northwest of Coulee City. 8-16

Judy P Paap: I am THINKING my father mentioned living in Baird at some point in his childhood. That would mean Bill and Ella Joplin his parents would have lived there?Also Uncle Jack Joplin was the post master in the late 40s some where out in the wheat country where there was not one other single dwelling (very rural post office!) dont know the name and unless Harold knows we are sunk now with sweet Evelyn gone from us. 8-16

Carol Joplin Clapshaw: That is where the first homestead was and the place where dad was born. We have fame buried in the Baird cemetery. 8-16

Carol Joplin Clapshaw: I have pictures it is only 3 or 4 graves. Someone on line took photos and sent them. Harold you can sort me out as I know you have helped keep the graves up kept for years. Also I posted on the map that I am now not sure where the family first lived. It was the old Luscher place. 8-17

Conor Jorgensen: I'm thinking both Baird and Mold, Carol. Aunt Evelyn mentioned in her oral interview that her grandfather settled out in Baird and then her dad got a piece of land over in Mold. Sure would like to know where that was. 8-17

Harold Evans: First off Jack Joplin was Postmaster at Govan Washington in the 40s Highland cemetery is west of one of the old Baird sites about one mile. There are some graves of the Babies of Marnie Willis and Ella Joplin. Might be more. I have forgotten. Highland Cemetery is west of the old Baird site. I helped prepare this cemetery each year before Memorial Day. Very interesting, at least to me, to see all the families that started this country being buried there. I believe the old Baird site was moved a time or two.. Not sure. There was a Bright and Mt. View school. The first place that Bill and John had a home with family is straight north about a mile and a half of the old baird site. Now days it is known as "The old Pete Nutt Place."

My mother was born in 1913 when they lived in the Baird area. 8-17

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Mars Rover Reveals More of Martian Peak.
NASA photo.

See the layers of Mount Sharp (Mars)
posted by NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover, 8-27

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Sunflower field near Moses Lake, WA.
photo credit - Phyllis Chamberlain
posted in Everything Washington

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A partial shot of the combines that came to help Jennifer Painter in honor
of her late husband, Graydon. posted by Sharon Long, 8-19.

When Graydon Painter died this July, he left his crop in good hands.

posted by Conor Jorgensen, 8-23.

Around 60 farmers came to the Painter farm, about 15 miles northeast of Waterville, on Sunday to finish what the fourth-generation wheat farmer started.

Twenty-eight combines, many trucks, friends and neighbors
were part of Painter’s harvest bee. They managed to harvest
1,300 acres of wheat in five hours.

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One of the few covered bridges in Washington; located in the Palouse area.
photo credit- Ray Still, Northwest Still Photography

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Judy P. Paap (8-9): I just found my favorite thing which I thought I had lost a couple years ago It is from Coulee and wonder if anyone like maybe Harold?? Could tell me how old this has to be. Its a hand held flour sifter pink in color with a wooden handle (of course) It says on it
N.W. PYLES
groceries and dry goods
COULEE WN. other side says When you sift it down You do better when you trade with

Harold Evans (8-10): Billy Pyles ran a grocery store in Coulee City, I believe it closed in the late 30's. He accused me of setting my folks car on fire and he mentioned it to my Grandmother Evans and she never shopped there again. That was in 1937, the year Virginia was born

Virginia Carey (8-10): Pyles dry goods store is a familiar name I heard as a child , but it was before my time. Hope Harold remembers. Was it aunt Ella's?

Judy P. Paap (8-22): Sifter was Ellas and what a little treasure

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Dan Bolyard (8-22):

Mold (old)-
From the book "Postmarked Washington--Chelan, Douglas, and Kittitas Counties." By Guy Reed Ramsey. 1973.

Established February 25, 1899, Marshall McLean (1st postmaster); Otto Jahnke, April 30 1906; Joseph M. Miller, February 6, 1908; George F. Jamison, May 1, 1909; Albert Kaye, November 9, 1909; Edgar L. Pulliam, December 5, 1910; Marshall McLean, April 16, 1915; Oscar H. Freeman, November 20, 1916; Mrs. Retta Freeman (Mrs Oscar H freeman), June 19, 1919; Edward McLean, February 8, 1924; Moved to new location November 22, 1937.

The old Mold post office was located 12 miles north of Coulee City in a crossroad store (SW/SW Section 17, T26N, R28E), Marshall McLean brought his family across the plains in a covered wagon in 1898, and built his farm home amid the sagebrush, one of the first to be erected in this area. When he was granted the post office, he st it up in his home (NW/SW Section 17) where it remained until Otto H. Jahnke moved it to his general store, a quarter of a mile south of the location given above. This store which took the name of Mold trading Company when purchased by Albert Kaye on September 5, 1909 was still standing in 1958 but vacant, and the old McLean home, remodeled into a modern structure was the residence of Marshall McLean's son, William. The post office occupied a small building to itself beside the McLean home from 1902 until Mr. Jahnke moved it. George F. Jamison, postmaster here for six months in 1909, was formerly postmaster of Dyer. Edgar Pulliam closed the office late in 1915 but the patrons, who little realized the convenience of having an office until it was closed, clamored that it be reopened. So Marshall McLean steppin in again to serve his community by taking over the office and store until he could sell out to Oscar Freeman. The latter was postmaster until his death and was succeeded by his widow. Marshall McLean again entered the scene when he purchased the store in 1923 but it was his son, Edward, who followed Mrs. Freeman as postmaster. However, Marshall McLean is the one man in the history of Mold who is well remembered for his life of service and as a successful businessman and farmer. He passed away on September 6, 1945 at the age of 84 years. Edward McLean carried on with the store and post office until the store no longer paid a profit. As the farmers acquired autos, it became the custom to drive to the larger towns to shop at the larger stores. On the return trip they might stop at the Mold post office to get their mail and possibly purchase some small items of groceries which they forgot to buy in town. This is the story of many a country store and it is not surprising that the country storekeeper became discouraged. He hung on, however, giving a much needed service to his community as long as he could. Mr. McLean moved his store a mile westward alongside the main-traveled road but this did not increase his business so he gave up and retired to Omak to spend his remaining days in hunting and fishing.

The first receipt-dispatch service to the Mold post office was the twice-weekly Coulee City-Brewster Star Route by way of Leahy and Bridgeport. Eventually this became a daily route.

Early in June 1902 B.R. Stonehouse, a rancher near Mold went to Spokane to talk to Postmaster Millard Hartson about the initiation of a R.F.D route to serve his district which contained about 200 families living in a circuit of 25 miles centered about Coulee City. His efforts resulted in the establishment that year of R.F.D No 1 of Mold which covered a course of 14 miles each way. It was a bi-weekly route to start but later became tri-weekly. Carriers on the route were Chester Edgemon, Lee Pitts, William McLean and Robert Hennigh (1934).

In the negotiation which resulted in establishment of the Mold post office Thomas Parry, postmaster of Coulee City drove out to meet with Marshall McLean and two local settlers. In selecting a name Mr. Parry suggested Mold as eing the name of a town in Wales from which he had migrated.

By 1958 the old Mold store building was vacant and had taken on the appearance of neglect and decay. Moving of the post office in 1937 to a site six miles to the northwest prompts naming this site "Mold-(old)" and referring to the new site as "Mold-Later."

Mold-Later-
Moved to new location November 22, 1937. Mrs. Claribel Gander (nee Davis, Mrs. Nathan E. Gander); discontinued September 29, 1959. Mail to Coulee City.

Location: 6 miles northwest of the site of the original Mold post office her referred to as Mold-old, 16 miles north of Coulee City, 13 miles east of Mansfield at the Junction of State Highways No. 10 and No. 10-B (NW?NW Section 30, T27N, R28E).

The post office was installed in the residence of the postmaster.

Mold R.F.D 1 a tri-weekly service, was carried by Kay Leander.

When the post office was discontinued it was replace by Mold Rural Station at the same site and with Mrs. Claribel Gander as Clerk-in-Charge.

Mold Rural Station of Coulee City-
Established October 1, 1959, Mrs. Claribel Gander (nee Davis, Mrs. Nathan E. Gander); discontinued June 30, 1960.

Location: same as the last site of Mold post office.

Mrs. Claribel Gander, postmaster of Mold, was retained as Clerk-in-Charge of the Rural Station.

Mail continued to be supplied on the Coulee City-Brewster Star Route (No. 54190). A tri-weekly Star Route was worked out of the Rural Station with Kay Leander as carrier.

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Sharon Davis (8-18):

Very happy to share a photo of Baird. The General Store & Post Office was in this building. Nat Davis had a house and barn nearby. The parlor in his house was where the telephone operation was located. When his house burnt down in 1926, they lived in the General Store until they moved to California soon afterwards.

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