McCleary City Band Bandstand

Dec. 23, 2019

Around the area of this corner, Maple and Third, there used to be a bandstand for the McCleary City Band. Yes, such a group actually existed. The story goes someone ordered a ton of musical instruments and then they were handed out to interested and no doubt bored out of their mind workers, many of whom had not the slightest idea of how to play any instrument or read music.

So the bandstand was built and uniforms were issued. For short time the muddy metropolis of McCleary had a city band. It must have been a hoot to hear. The placement of the bandstand would indicate this was considered close to the center of the action at that time, more so than it is today.

After the probably merciful short life span of the band, the bandstand was enclosed as a small building and served as the office for a dentist for a brief time.

The current McCleary City Hall is in the background and a sandwich sign for an espresso stand in the foreground attempts to divert coffee addicted Washingtonians. It still amazes me that McCleary has not had a tavern for several years yet we have not one but two, two drive-thru coffee stands.

When future historians write about McCleary's creeping gentrification, this switch from alcohol to caffeine will be an early indicator. Not making a judgment here, just an observation.

The Triangle is Buried

May 31, 2019

Stop means STOP

Apr. 16, 2019

A huge new STOP sign to replace the one that got clobbered and remains on the ground, intersection of Maple and Third.

Road Closed Local Traffic Only

Apr. 2, 2019
Today I saw a large semi truck turn around rather than negotiate the detour.

Third Street looking north

Apr. 2, 2019
Day two of the months long project, Third and Oak.

Third Street looking south

Apr. 2, 2019
I have read the plans and seen the maps but I must admit I still cannot visualize what the final result will look like. Third and Oak.

McCleary Polar Bear

Feb. 9, 2019

Our friend Tim Bear on top of City Hall is starting to look like a polar bear.

No bus today?

Feb. 9, 2019

Don't see any bus tracks at the McCleary Transit Station. The McCleary Community Church, one of the oldest public use buildings in town (built ca. 1905) is in the background. Occasional vehicles were crawling down Third Street.

Skidmarks at Anarchy Intersection

Aug. 7, 2018

Skidmarks at a pedestrian cross walk on the Anarchy Intersection where Summit, Simpson, Main, and Third come together. I believe this is under the jurisdiction of WSDOT who likely won't place a much needed traffic light here until someone is killed or seriously injured.

8 Aberdeen

July 29, 2018

I have lost track how long this detour thing has been going on. Long enough for me to get used to seeing these orange signs be part of the normal landscape.

The detour has resulted in more people from out of town using the eccentric intersection of Simpson/Summit/Third/Main streets, which has now become a case study in anarchy.

The black "up" arrow next to a white silhouette of our first president which has a big "8" numeral in it on an orange background is something Marcel Duchamp would have loved.

McCleary's microclimates

July 11, 2018. Looking north at Oak and 5th. The fog totally obscures the view of the Simpson plant.

For a city this small McCleary appears to have definite climate zones. This becomes especially apparent with weather involving fog, ice, snow, and even rain. There are times when one stands on the crest of the hills on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and Main streets and can see the visual border between the zones.

Blue Christmas

Christmas morning, 2017. Actually this is a very rare White Christmas in McCleary, but the old flip-phone camera captured it as blue, making me imagine this lonely little snow-covered bear is singing, "I'll have a Blue Christmas without you." Cue in Elvis!

As you can see, Sam's Food Mart is one of the few places still open this morning. It might be my imagination, but it seemed there was more snow in general south of Pine Street where the elevation is a little higher.

Third Street becomes William McCleary Road

Oct. 10, 2016. The old 410, the former main road to Olympia.

Night scene, 3rd and Mommsen

Feb. 25, 2014.

Drain on Third

Sept. 4, 2016

Retro phone booth

Nov. 26, 2011. This phone booth probably was not considered retro when it was installed long ago, next to the Police Station on 3rd St., but by the time it was removed, not too long after this photo was taken, it was a museum piece. It was a McCleary icon and I miss it. Also, it was the last working phone booth in town.

The Triangle

Aug. 15, 2016

The triangular shaped plot of land greeting those who enter McCleary from the east was at one time the home of a business establishment called-- The Triangle. I understand it changed hands several times and served different functions, including that of a restaurant, grocery store, and gas station. One old timer told me he thought the Tornquists ran it for awhile and had a pet monkey in the store.

By the mid-1950s the building had become derelict and was torn down. The City acquired the plot and named it Eddie Biers Park, after Edward F. Biers (1914-1979), former Simpson employee, City employee, and Korean War veteran. At some point in the last decade or so the Eddie Biers Park sign has been taken down and few remember it is in fact a named piece of public land.

Main St., to the left, was the main artery into McCleary until the automobile became dominant, ca. 1910, and the road was deemed too close to the school. So 3rd St., to the right, became the "main" street.

McCleary has weird plats anyway. Ever notice how most of the alleys on the east end of town are north-south, and those west of 4th St. are east-west? The Third Addition (Ash St.) are north-south.

And speaking of monkeys, I believe there was a story about a pet monkey running loose in McCleary in the 1960s and about half the town was chasing this little critter all day before it was finally nabbed. I recall hearing about it at the time and wish I could've seen the fun.

Forest fire smoke, view from 3rd and Oak St.

Oct. 4, 2012

Campaign season, 2012

Aug. 1, 2012

Am I the oNly Person

Aug. 1, 2012.

"Am I the oNly Person who Thinks this Weather is total Manipulation. It is not A Natural thing Being Done to Us. 'Chemtrails' 'HAARP' 'GeoEngineering' Look These up!"

This sign greeted anyone entering McCleary from the east SR8 exit for a week or so.