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HOSPITAL
At the beginning of construction of the Grand Coulee Dam a hospital was built in Coulee Dam which served the area for many years. Later on that hospital was torn down leaving the community without a medical center.
A new hospital was built in Grand Coulee in 1963. It is now staffed with four doctors and a group of nurses. There is also a section for nursing home patients.
FIRST LOCAL NEWSPAPER PRINTED IN TRAILER 'WAY BACK IN 1933
It was in the fall of 1933 that the Grand Coulee Dam first sprang into existence and amongst the first business establishments to start operating in this pioneering community were two newspapers, and from that day in November, this community has not been without some form of a local newspaper.
The history of these publications is varied and interesting. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ross left their home and family at Richland, purchased a trailer and a mimeograph machine and started for the "promised land" on the Columbia River where it was rumored the government was going to build a mighty concrete dam. They arrived at the damsite on November 14, 1933, and picked a vacant lot on what was to become "B" Street in Grand Coulee as the best site for their future newspaper.
The Grand Coulee Daily Booster was the name the Ross' chose for their publication and they managed to produce and deliver an issue every day after the first copy and run off the press.
Sidney Jackson got his printed weekly News started at the same time and the two newspapers held the field for several weeks without further competition, but in the spring of 1934 several other persons decided that the Grand Coulee Dam area would be a good place to start in the newspaper business and by the middle of the summer there were seven papers claiming to be the leading publication at the site of the world's largest dam.
The Booster had by that time graduated into a full fledged printed daily newspaper with United Press wire service, comic strips, etc., and changed its name to the Grand Coulee Daily Times.
Mr. Ross had taken into partner with him his uncle, Richard Bushell of Seattle, and they had a crew of ten employees.
In 1935 it became apparent that the community was not large enough to support a daily paper. Mr. Bushell sold his interest in the Times to Bob Hilson and another young printer named Bud Smith, who, together with Mr. Ross, continued publication of the Times as a weekly until 1936 when Mr. Ross was appointed postmaster at Grand Coulee. During this period Jackson continued the Grand Coulee News, in spite of being burned out twice.
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Following his second fire Mr. Jackson sold his interests to Ben Rogaway and Glen Arnold, who also purchased the Times and continued publication as the Grand Coulee News-Times until 1940 when they dissolved the partnership and decided to close the shop.
Feeling that the area should not be left without a newspaper, the Ross family purchased more printing equipment and started The Star which they operated until 1943 when they leased the property to Mr. and Mrs. Bob Hilson, who were then publishing the Almira Herald and the Republic News-Miner. The Star was later sold to a partnership of Bob and Howard Hilson.
On November 6, 1947, Bob and Jack Hilson took over the interest of Howard Hilson in The Star. Howard had been associated with his brother Bob in The Star for the past two years, since being discharged from the army.
Jack Hilson, a navy veteran, had been publisher with his mother, Mrs. Ethel Hilson, of the Almira Herald and continued to publish that paper in addition to his interest in The Star. His wife,Delores, was in charge of circulation of The Star force.
In 1958 Jack and Delores Hilson bought the remaining interest from his brother Bob, and became sole owners on January 1, 1958.
The Star
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OLD POST OFFICES IN NORTHERN DOUGLAS COUNTY
ALAMEDA POST OFFICE -- Established in 1907 to serve the then many inhabitants of Alameda Flats. First located in the Lantzy home near Hopkins Ferry on lower Alameda Flats. Second site was in the home of D. Forest Edwards and operated there until it closed on September 30, 1943. This location was farther up south on the Flat. Mail was then routed to Mansfield.
BARRY POST OFFICE -- Established on August 31, 1887 by Alba J. Barry and located on the bank of Sanderson Creek. The next location in 1892 was on the Sam Steveson place on the Columbia River at Steveson Ferry. Mrs. Rebecca Steveson was postmistress until the post office was discontinued in 1940. Mail was sent then to Grand Coulee.
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DELRIO POST OFFICE -- Established on September 27, 1904 with Alvira C. Earl as postmistress, it was located in the Earl home, five miles from the Columbia River, hence the name "Delrio" (by the river) and south of the George Trefry place. It was moved to the former site of "Lella Post Office" about 1911 on the Elbert Wagoner farm. This site was also a store and community center. This post office closed in September, 1943, and the mail then went to Mansfield.
LELLA POST OFFICE -- Established on August 2, 1907, on the Frank Winkler place, and later to become the site of the Delrio Post Office. Also, a store was at this location. The post office was discontinued about 1909 or 1910.
REX POST OFFICE -- Established July 5, 1902, by Rex Davies on the homestead of Kirk Whited at the head of Strahl Canyon. Postmistress was Mrs. Harriet Whited. On January 27, 1909, it was moved to its second site near the original location, later owned by Roy C. (Bob) and Delbert Rice. It was discontinued on January 31, 1913, and mail was sent to Delrio.
SAM POST OFFICE -- Established January 14, 1921, on the William H. (Pete) Pendell homestead in a community center building. It was moved on December 29, 1930, to the Harry D. Pendell place, both near the top of China Creek. It was named for Lewis Pendell, son of William H. Pendell, whose nickname was "Sam" as a child. The post office closed March 31, 1941, and the mail was then sent to Grand Coulee.
SANDERSON POST OFFICE -- Established April 19, 1908, by Tommy Sanderson at the head of Barker Canyon and located in his home. It was later moved to the home of Mrs. Carson farther down the Canyon. The office was closed in 1920 by the death of Mrs. Carson of a rattle snake bite.
STOWE POST OFFICE -- Established May 18, 1915, by Mr. Elbert Stowe in his home on Smith Lake Road. It was discontinued on August 15, 1917, and the mail went to Delrio.
WALLACE POST OFFICE -- Date of establishment is uncertain but it was in existence by at least 1902. A stage stop on the mail route from Almira to Nespelem by way of Barry Ferry, with the actual postmark "Almira". The location was on the Fulton Henry Wallace homestead at the foot of Wallace Canyon on Fiddle Creek. It was closed when the route was discontinued, approximately 1940, and the mail went to Grand Coulee.
Compiled by Darlene Rice Dittmer
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OLD ROOSEVELT THEATRE
Within a matter of weeks, one of Grand Coulee's most famous landmarks will disappear. The historic and huge building is the well-known Roosevelt Theatre on Main Street in Grand Coulee. The building was purchased recently by A. J. Gerard of Electric City and will be razed in preparation for the construction of new businesses which will be in the form of small shops in a mall type structure.
Historically, the old Roosevelt Theatre holds many pages of nostalgic reading and remembrances. In 1937 the Theatre, built in 1933-34, was at the height of its heyday, seating over 800. It was owned by W. L. Grill, a Seattle attorney at that time, and was managed by his brother-in-law, "Mickey" Knox, and a Mr. James.
In the fall of 1936, the late O. R. "Ollie" Hartman, one of the area's most respected businessmen, became the manager and his family lived in the spacious upstairs apartments. The Roosevelt Cafe which was housed in the same building, was operated by Mr. Lee and his son John. Now Jack Lee, the grandson, operates theatres in the State, besides being General Manager of the Village Cinema in Coulee Dam.
Famous shows were always on tap at the Roosevelt and "Dr. Y of the Orient", a well known stage show was booked. Two of the original projectionists still live here in Grand Coulee. They are Leonard "Popeye" Hansen, and Andy Seresun. One of the helpers at that time was a school boy by the name of Bill Miller, who now resides in Coulee Dam.
The Roosevelt was really on the "big time" circuit in those days when it booked the same shows as appeared in Seattle and Spokane. Some of the artists were the Sons of the Pioneers, Bob "Bazooka" Burns, and Kathryn Ellis, a fortune teller, whom you most likely have seen recently on television.
Many residents still remember hearing their first cuss words on the silver screen when that rascal Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) told that blushing southern belle (Vivien Leigh) where to go, and what she could do with the South in general.
Possibly the most remembered event that took place was the Wednesday and Saturday night Bank Nights and Keno, in which cash and merchandise prizes were given. Imagine trying to do that now -- it would mean twenty years at hard labor.
Because the theatre was filled to capacity at each Bank Night showing, and as it was necessary to be present, crowds used to gather in the muddy or dusty streets and await the drawing of names announced over big loud speakers.
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In 1940 the Hartman's moved to Coulee Dam to operate the Mason City Theatre until it closed, as it was in the "take area" of the third Powerplant area. It burned at another location some years ago on the then Main Street of Coulee Dam. There were actually four theatres in the area. One was named the Grand Coulee and the Columbian in electric City. The foundation of the Columbian is still seen just north of the Gateway Tavern there.
In 1950 the Roosevelt was sold to R. A. Gardner and in 1951 Rod Hartman took over the operation of the business, plus managing the Mason City Theatre at the same time.
In 1962 the Roosevelt was closed and has remained dark ever since, with the remodeling done just prior to that as it now appears. Mr. Hartman reminded us that the Roosevelt was one of the very first theatres to have 3-D. Remember the funny glasses?? The Hartman's now own the area's newest motel, the Coulee House in Coulee Dam.
Presently the old Roosevelt Theatre houses the Lehmann's Gardens. In that same location the late Thelma Madinger and her brother had operated the Roosevelt Cafe for many years.
The Roosevelt now joins many other structures in Grand Coulee that formed historic happenings which stirs the memory of the old-timers, and maybe some not-so-old, either.
The Star
April 29, 1971
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REX GRANGE
My recollection is that in the early summer of 1924 when we were living on a farm in the northeastern part of Douglas County, a Mr. Waters called on us for the purpose of organizing the first subordinate Grange in Douglas County. He also called upon other people in the area and set up a meeting in the hall above Pete Pendell's store. It was at that meeting that the first subordinate Grange was established, designated the Rex Grange.
This was all so long ago (52 years) that I cannot recall who made up the first group of officers. I do recall that I was elected Master and my wife, Hattie Strecker was the first Lecturer. Mr. and Mrs. Lew Pendell, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Pendell, and Mr. and Mrs. Tom Meyer were active in the early years of Grange work.
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For a period of about t20 years the Rex Grange was affiliated with the Lincoln County Pomona Grange. During that period Mr. Waters organized several more Subordinate Granges in Douglas County. In 1926 the Douglas County Pomona Grange was formally established. It was my privilege to serve for a short time, until we left the farm, as Pomona Master. I was succeeded by the lat Horace Bozarth.
Nell Trefry
Told by Art Strecker
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