Still no phone camera, but I will occasionally offer links of interest. Here's a documentary from the mid-1990s about the history of the McCleary Bear Festival--
Be prepared to stop
Jan. 3, 2020
After all these years my little flip cellphone is starting to fail and Verizon seems to be already pulling support bit by bit as the ancient gizmo I use has been deemed obsolete. So this is my final post on this blog. Adios.
[Update: Apr. 7, 2021: Shortly after this final post the COVID-19 pandemic broke out changing the world forever. In many ways the dramatic transition to a new reality has made me glad I stopped this blog when I did. The changes since Jan. 3, 2020 have been so enormous that the images on the posts have become nostalgic in a very short time period, faster than one would expect]
Taking a rest
Jan. 3, 2020
After a busy holiday season the Christmas wreath takes a break on a park bench.
Parsonage?
Dec. 23, 2019
This structure was, and I could very well be mistaken, the parsonage at one time for the Assembly of God Church.
Pickleball Court
This part of Beerbower Park was first developed as a tennis/badminton court. Yes, as if enough McCleary people in the late 1950s/early 1960s were going to actually go out and spend energy playing these sports. What were the planners thinking?
So in short order the area became kind of a weird nothing spot. I took my daughter there when she was first learning to ride a bike with training wheels as it was a safe area from cars. For a spell there was an effort to turn it into a skateboard park.
Today it has been made into a court for pickleball, which has become a fast-growing sport across the country. I do see folks playing there now and then and it looks fun!
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.
After the floods
Dec. 22, 2019
This town was built on a cedar swamp and sometimes the branches of Wildcat Creek like to get out and stretch a bit. Over 100 years ago Jake Anderson, who owned the west half of town, used to pole through what is now the Maple Street area in his little skiff.
In modern times First Street is especially bad. In 1990 the street was a raging river as I recall. Cars in the Rainbow Park lot off of First were in the water up to their door handles. Beerbower Park was a lake. The little pedestrian bridge between the Park and Mommsen washed out. Actually it was almost gone as a result of the high water and a couple kids rocked it away, finishing the job. I saw it happen.
The 1990 flood happened right after Simpson clearcut a hill on the southeast corner of town. Following the flood Simpson turned the property into a housing development and after having cut all the trees comically named it "Evergreen Heights." Although too late for the 1990 victims, they did install a retention pond.
Another place that used to flood was near the intersection of Summit Road and what is now Buck Street out in the new development north of the railroad tracks the McCleary Grange lost due to some unfortunate financial decisions from what I understand. Anyway, I see they have a retention pond there now.
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