Spring 2010 - Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Association

VASHON-MAURY ISLAND HERITAGE ASSOCIATION DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF VASHON HISTORY SPRING 2010 WWW.VASHONHERITAGE.ORG
VOLUME 25 ISSUE 2 Burton—1920
BURTON, WASHINGTON
Excerpt from Norman Edson Biography
Our stay in Tacoma’s Fernhill was destined to be of a short duration. Hamilton was slowly sinking into bankruptcy. I was put on half-pay,
selling some of my pictures to the kindly Mr. Kruger of the American Art Store, I managed to get along. However, being naturally a lone
operator when it came to making a living, I investigated the surrounding country for some small community to move into, where the overhead would be light, and I could establish myself in photography.
One day when I was down a the Municipal Dock waiting room that overlooked a fleet of small passenger boats that plied between Tacoma, and various communities scattered through the length and breadth of Puget Sound I got into conversation with a policeman not
long from the Emerald Isle. When I told Officer O’Hare what I had in mind about moving my family to some small town not far from the
water front, he agreed that that would be a grand idea.
“Why don’t you go to Burton.” He suggested, “real pretty place it is, and not far from the city.”
“And where may that be?”
“Right over there.” He said, pointing; through the window I could see a small settlement with a light house a few miles east of the city,
and just about the right distance to suit me.
“The boat to Burton is right at the foot of the stairs. If you run quick, m’lad you c’n catch her.”
I was the last one aboard, with the gangplank yanked up behind.
“Two bits please.” Said Captain Phillips collecting fares. The Verona was a trim little steamer of about one hundred feet in length. The
bay was calm and the sky was clear. I took a deck chair, and prepared to enjoy a ride in the warm sunshine, expecting soon to tie–up at
the light house settlement. It didn’t take long to see that the Captain had other ideas. He set his course straight across the Sound passing the light house. Then I realized, the careless O’Hare had pointed us in the wrong direction in-so-far as I was concerned. Where
we were headed for I had not the slightest idea until I stepped up to the pilot house and asked to see the captain.
“To Vashon Island.” He said, looking at me curiously.
Continued on page 2
VASHON-MAURY ISLAND HERITAGE ASSOCIATION
Page 2
BURTON Continued page 1
“Well—I’ll be damned! The Cop in the waiting room said this boat would take me to Burton”
“It will.” The Captain said with a grin. “Just keep your shirt on and we’ll get there. It’s on Quartermaster Harbor.”
“Where’s that?”
“On Vashon Island.”
“All right. Then tell me the name of that place we passed with the light house.”
“Brown’s Point---new-comer eh?”
“I’ll tell the world.”
Quartermaster Harbor indent the south end of Vashon Island to a depth of about five miles. Lined with the high wooded banks on either
side and towering over the purple rand of mountains to the east, the lofty crest of snow-crowned Rainier. It was a magnificent ride and I
was enjoying it. As for Burton---wherever that was ---it certainly was too far from the city to merit any consideration. So I thought, until
we touched at a small dock and a cluster of houses. The farther we went the more houses I saw, until we tied up at the long dock at Burton. And there I saw on every side so many houses, I began to wonder if I hadn’t stumbled on a locality where there was plenty of photographic work to be done.
Disembarking with a mind filled with curiosity, I strolled up the dock to the General Store, and the Post Office into which I stepped in to
chat with Mrs. Hunt the Postmaster. The genial, grey-haired lady, like a self appointed Chamber of Commerce made up my mind for me.
Yes, Burton had everything. Besides three round trips a day into Tacoma, there was a bus line into Seattle by a ferry to the mainland, the
Baptist Church, grammar school, Baptist Convention Grounds, Burton Trading Store and butcher shop all within a short distance of the
Post Office. There were the wide sandy beaches for the children to play on—plenty of clams and the harbor teemed with salmon and
trout—and so on. A house to live and do business in? There was the big empty Baptist Parsonage I could rent for fifteen dollars a month.
Yes, electricity and running water too! Another thing to clinch it, there was no photographer on Vashon Island.
Coy Meredith, proprietor of the store, and in charge of renting the Parsonage, said I could move in any time. This was in May, I told him to
expect my family on the first of June. Avis was jubilant when I brought home the news. Now the children could play on the beaches, and it
looked as though we would at last find a permanent home.
Hamilton, ready to close up shop, congratulated me on finding a suitable location. I took my air-brush outfit, printing press and a suitable
location and bid my old friend goodbye, after thanking him for all his kindnesses.
Continued on page 5
OFFICERS PRESIDENT: Bob Fetterley Vice President: Laurie Tucker Treasurer: Steve church Recording Secretary: Jean Findlay Corresponding Secretary: Barbara steen Newsletter Editor: Barbara cooper VASHON-MAURY ISLAND
HERITAGE ASSOCIATION
PO BOX 723, VASHON, WA 98070
206-463-7808
www.vashonheritage.org
Email: [email protected] BOARD OF TRUSTEES Charlie Hansen Bill Palmer Deb dammann Support
Rebecca wittman Bruce Haulman Duane dietz Provided
Patty Custer Yvonne kuperberg Jon flora By:
Reed Fitzpatrick Laura robinson SPRING 2010
Page 3
Annual Report: 2009
The Vashon Maury Island Heritage Association had a great year in 2009, highlighted by an exciting K2 Retrospective Exhibit, and a new initiative to improve collections care.
The Museum hosted several special exhibits this year which attracted both first-time and returning visitors.
In March, an exhibit featured tools for farming and logging.
June brought the K2 Retrospective, our largest exhibit of the year showcasing artifacts, photographs and video telling the story of the
international company founded on Vashon 45 years ago, which was once the community’s largest employer.
In partnership with the University of Puget Sound, an exhibit of Island paintings and sketches by the 19th century artist Abby Williams
Hill opened in August.
An exhibit on the history of fires on Vashon opened in October, to coincide with the Vashon Fire Department’s observance of Fire
Prevention Week.
December brought a welcome return of photographs by Norman Edson, loaned by private collectors Bill and Pat Taylor of Seattle.
Public programs accompanied several of these temporary exhibits, including a session to record K2 oral histories, two presentations about
Abby Williams Hill, and a lecture about the history of fires on the Island and around the state.
Additional public events included:
July’s Strawberry Festival, with an expanded heritage jam contest, and a post-parade gathering of vintage tractors.
The annual around-the-Island cruise on board the 1922 National Historic Landmark Virginia V took place in August, with a program
created in partnership with Vashon College.
In December, the Heritage Cookie Expo coincided with the holiday arts studio tour, and gave visitors a chance to sample holiday cookies made from traditional family recipes. Entries to the previous year’s Cookie Expo are featured in a newly published cook book
available in the Museum gift shop.
VMIHA hosted other Island events including a celebration for the Vashon Maury Island Land Trust, a wine tasting, and chocolate tasting all in
March, and a reunion of the Vashon High School Class of 1949 in August. Additional events included two docent training sessions, and special tours for groups from the Cub Scouts, Joy School, Family Link, and the Vashon Community Care Center. VMIHA was also pleased to
participate in a community planning meeting in November about the future of the historic Mukai property, and to provide support throughout the year as a nonprofit “umbrella” for the successful Dockton Historic Interpretive Trail project.
Early in the year, VMIHA provided research assistance to Island artist Will Forrester, who created a monumental historic mural that was
installed on the north side of U.S. Bank in April, to commemorate the bank’s centennial. The mural features a variety of Island characters
and settings, and provides a festive and interesting addition to town. Docents and volunteers also provided dozens of hours of research
assistance to students, descendants of Island families, cultural resource consultants, owners of historic homes, and others interested in Island
history.
2009 was a banner year for Museum outreach and promotion. VMIHA maintained a strong advertising campaign in the Beachcomber, which
helped to attract visitors, increase membership, recruit new volunteers and promote awareness of the Museum as a community resource.
The Time & Again series debuted in the Beachcomber, with articles by Bruce Haulman and photographs by Terry Donnelly providing “now
and then” features on Island locations such as the K2 plant, the Portage Store, the Sherman House in Paradise Valley, sites associated with
military history, the Burton Community Church, and the Quartermaster Yacht Club. VMIHA partnered with John L. Scott real estate to
include historic photographs in the company’s weekly newspaper advertisements, and to promote awareness of Museum events. Several
articles were published in the Beachcomber’s annual Destination Vashon booklet, highlighting aspects of Island history of special interest to
visitors.
4Culture’s Destination Heritage guide series was published in 2009, and the Museum was featured in the Agriculture and Maritime guides,
along with several Island historic sites. These free publications are available at the Museum and on line at www.destinationheritage.org.
Continued on Page 6
VASHON-MAURY ISLAND HERITAGE ASSOCIATION
Page 4
Memorials
IN MEMORY OF
David Kirkland
By:
Vance Price
Steve Church
Mary Jo Barrentine
Miyoko Matsuda
Meiko Nishiyori
Ruth Johnson
Jack Nelson
By:
Gilbert & Jean Findlay
Wilda Boyd
By:
Barbara Steen
Max Steen
By:
Steve Church
Nancy Graham
Bob Gordon
Larry & Jeanette Wakeman
Mary Jo Barrentine
Don & Marie Ganchorre
Josh Goldfinger & Martin Cieri
Harold & Gail Steen
Craig & Pat Harmeling
Don & Fran Fosmark
Wes & Priscilla Edwards
Holly Taylor
Max Steen (continued)
By:
Roy & Dorothy Topp
Miyoko Matsuda
Yvonne Kuperberg
Laurie Tucker
Jackie Van Gilder
Gilbert & Jean Findlay
Pat Fitzpatrick
Harold & Roberta Rose
Bee (Ober) Piggott
Joe & Suzie Green
Ellen Chapman
George & Barbara Brenno
Marlene Steen
Barbara Brenno Cooper
Kathy Coutts
Bob & Kathy Hawkins
Ted & Edna Olson
Bert & Mary Hutchinson
Lucille Spakowsky
Peggy Stringfellow
Carl & Roberta Belson
Shirley Leonard
Marjorie Lou Andersen
Clare Kallsen
Ron & Joyce Frombach
Barbara Waterbury
Bob & Dot Jacobson
Beverly Campbell
Jean & Marjorie Bearsdley
Thank You! Thank You!
To the folks who, in addition to memberships, donated EXTRA funds. We are most grateful for your generosity.
Thanks to. . .
J. Pettersen, N. Jacobson, K. White, M. Ryan, M. Legg, R. Scarlett, D. Graves, P. Norton, N. Molvik, J. Smyth, W. Palmer,
E. Call, J. & T. Kuperberg, C. Kallsen, B. Garvin, S. Palmer, J. & C. Henley, M. Sanguinetti, M. Dawson, M. Potts, J.
Neubauer, K. Britz, S. McElhiney, G. Grant, P. & J. Helsby, G. Crecelius, C. Smith, A. Pohl, G. Garrison, K. Henderickson, Mrs. W. Greenwood, M & J Andrews, F. Wilkinson and T. Siva
SPRING 2010
Page 5
BURTON CONTINUED PAGE 2
The Parsonage on a rise of land beside the church had ten large rooms. I converted one, just off the kitchen for a dark room. An extra
large one upstairs I made a studio for producing greeting cards and operating my printing press. My equipment for processing films was
mostly homemade and mighty skimpy at that. Nonetheless we got by and, in the first month did more than one hundred dollars worth
of business. We were both happy, feeling anchored in a permanent home. Then something happened that was all for the good.
Below the Parsonage and facing the street there were two houses a few feet from each other. One had six rooms and the other eight. I
learned that they could be bought for the price of the mortgage, $1600.00. Here was an opportunity staring me in the face. The six
room dwelling I could make into a studio, and live in the larger one. To make it more appealing there were an assortment of twenty-five
fruit tress on the 100 by 150 foot piece of property. Besides that, quite a bit of furniture including a grand piano in splendid condition.
What more could a photographer want. . .
GROCERY STORE RECEIPTS*
Turn in your grocery store receipts to the Mu­
seum!
IN HONOR OF
Yvonne Kuperberg
By:
Jeff & Teresa Kuperberg
Both stores are being very generous in funding a
percentage on every dollar spent to the Museum.
We are truly grateful to them in helping us out
with our ongoing expenses.
Please, mark the Vashon Thriftway receipts with
your name and phone number.
*They can not be over a year old
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
FAMILY
INDIVIDUAL
Connie Parker
Jessica Lisovsky
James & Sandra Distelhorst
Braia Weis
Marty Brigham & Harriet Rubenstein
Nancy Lynn Petersen
John & Merrilee Runyan
Gay Rosser
Kristine Marvich
Gordy Steen
SENIORS
Jeannine Emery
J. W. Turner
Grant Branstator
Alice (Mace) Merrill
Robin Branstator
Ellen Trout
Joanne Wind
M. Sue Willingham
Ruth Sauer
Sean C. Malone
Susan DeNies
Vera B. Campbell
Leonard Winebrenner
PATRON
Judith Lawrence
Terry Donnelly-Mary Austin
Lorraine E. Rumberg
Kathleen Hendrickson
Andree Kolling
Leslie A. McIntosh
Faye A. Wilkinson
VASHON-MAURY ISLAND HERITAGE ASSOCIATION Page 6
Annual Membership Dues*
MEMBERSHIP FORM Return to: Seniors and Students
$15.00
VASHON­MAURY ISLAND HERITAGE ASSOCIATION Individual
$20.00
PO BOX 723 Family
$50.00
Supporting
$75.00
VASHON, WA 98070 NAME: Patron
$100.00
Life*
$500.00
Benefactor*
ADDRESS: $1,000.00+ *Life and Benefactor Memberships are a one time only, others are paid annually, CITY: STATE: ZIP: January thru December. paid members are entitled to a 10% dis- EMAIL: PHONE:
count in our gift shop and discounted rates for special occasions. ANNUAL REPORT: 2009 Continued page 3
Another outstanding resource which debuted in 2009 is the Vashon Island Heritage project, a digital collection of historic materials documenting the early culture, industry, and community life of the Island. The project’s web site is www.washingtonruralheritage.org/vashon. It
is a collaboration between the Vashon Library and VMIHA, and was funded by a grant from the Washington State Library. More information
about exhibits and collections was added to VMIHA’s web site at www.vashonheritage.org.
A Collections Care Initiative celebrated several successes in 2009. Committee members attended an Archives Workshop sponsored by the
Washington State Historical Society in February. A donation of $500 from the Christophersen Family Fund at the Seattle Foundation and a
planning grant of $500 from Humanities Washington supported an assessment of VMIHA’s current collection management practices by Paragon Research Associates of Seattle in June. Recommendations from this assessment have guided improvements for collections storage, and
VMIHA was awarded a grant of $3,435 from 4Culture’s Collections Care program in September to support this effort. VMIHA also received
a “Connecting to Collections” bookshelf from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a set of reference books and other resources
valued at $800.
A grant of $5,500 from 4Culture’s Heritage Sustained Support Program provided general operating support, and a grant of $6,000 from
4Culture’s Heritage Special Projects Program provided support for creation of a new Island Heritage Map, which will feature a variety of
historic sites, and will be available next year in the Museum gift shop. A grant of $2,500 from the Beardsley Family Foundation supported
installation of a new security system. Generous donations in memory of several Islanders were contributed by community members. Contributions at all levels are appreciated by VMIHA.
Board meetings were held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7pm in the Gordon Building, and were open to all. The Museum was open
Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays 1-4pm throughout the year, with expanded hours during the K2 exhibit and for special events.
Officers serving in 2009 were: Bob Fetterley (President), Laurie Tucker (Vice President), Steve Church (Treasurer), Jean Findlay (Recording
Secretary) and Barbara Steen (Corresponding Secretary). Trustees were Patty VanDenBroek Custer, Reed Fitzpatrick, Charlie Hansen, Dr.
Bruce Haulman, Yvonne Kuperberg, Bill Palmer, Gene Sherman, and Rebecca Wittman. The Newsletter was edited by Barbara Cooper.
Many thanks to these folks, and to all of the other devoted volunteers of VMIHA.
Page 7
SPRING 2010
History Brick Order Form _____ ONE HISTORY BRICK ­ I HAVE ENCLOSED A CHECK FOR $60.00 _____ TWO HISTORY BRICKS ­ I HAVE ENCLOSED A CHECK FOR $120.00 _____ THREE HISTORY BRICKS ­ I HAVE ENCLOSED A CHECK FOR $150.00 Please use additional forms if ordering more than three bricks. Three or more bricks are priced at $50.00 each. Bricks previously purchased apply to your total. Each Brick may have up to three (3) lines with no more than 14 Characters/spaces per line. PLEASE PRINT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION Please Print Inscription for Brick # 1: Please Print Inscription for Brick # 2: Please Print Inscription for Brick # 3: Name: Address: City: Phone State: ( ) ­ Zip: Email:
VASHON­MAURY ISLAND HERITAGE ASSOCIATION Po Box 723, Vashon, WA 98070
VMIHA Use Only:
Date Received
__________________________________________
Brick(s) Received __________________________________________
The Museum Store specializes in books, maps, cards and other items related to
Vashon-Maury Island history.
The store is located in the museum and is open museum hours, 1-4, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. WWW.VASHONHERITAGE.ORG Mission Statement: The mission of the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage
Association shall be to collect, preserve, interpret and exhibit materials reflecting the unique history and culture of Vashon-Maury Island and to serve as a
resource for the community and region through educational programs, the
collection of documents and data, and the operation of the Vashon-Maury
Island Heritage Museum.
Order Sent
_______________________________________
Brick(s) Placed _______________________________________ Museum Hours
Wednesday: 1:00 to 4:00 pm
Saturday:
1:00 to 4:00 pm
Sunday:
1:00 to 4:00 pm
The Heritage Association sincerely appreciates the
support provided by our Members and the Vashon
Community and extend this invitation to all to visit
and enjoy your Island Museum
Return Service Requested PERMIT NO. 120
VASHON, WA US POSTAGE PAID VASHON, WA 98070 BULK RATE PO BOX 723 NON­PROFIT VASHON­MAURY ISLAND HERITAGE ASSOCIATION Inside this issue:
HAVE YOU PAID YOUR
Officers and Board of Trustees 2 Annual Report: 2009 3 Memorials 4 Thank You! Thank You! 4 Grocery Store Receipts 5 New Members 5 In Honor of 5 Membership Form 6 NOT SURE,
History Brick Order Form 7 CHECK YOUR
Museum Store 7 ADDRESS LABEL
Mission Statement 7
Museum Hours 7 Membership Reminder 8 2010 MEMBERSHIP DUES?
IF NOT
PLEASE RENEW TODAY!
SPRING HAS SPRUNG. . ..