20 years ago, April 6, 1995
Elinore Drake and Nancy Kamstra dress in period costumes to serve up stories and information at Winthrop’s Shafer Museum
30 years ago, April 4, 1985
Nail spill: Sonnichsens get point, after point,….
Approximately 17 boxes containing thousands of nails fell off a delivery truck and scattered across the Loup Loup Highway, prompting highway workers to re-route traffic and the Sonnichsen family to scoop up pounds of shiny nails.
Although the mishap occurred two weeks ago, Art and Rosie Sonnichsen, whose property borders the highway where the spill took place, still find handfuls of nails along the roadside.
“So far, we’ve gotten about three hundred pounds,” said Art, pointing to eight cardboard boxes, two washtubs, and several small plastic buckets filled with an assortment of nails.
The Sonnichsens live about four miles south of Twisp at the junction of Highway 20 and Lower Beaver Creek Road.
The immediate problem after the accident, said Art, was clearing the nails “which were thick in our driveway. We had to get to town.”
He said nails covered both lanes of roadway and that state highway workers detoured traffic for a short while down the Lower Beaver Creek Road.
The nails, along with other building materials, were on their way to the new Valley Lumber building near Cascade Concrete west of Winthrop, said Art. He said he thought the driver was unaware of the spill until he reached his destination.
In addition to the Sonnichsen family, six or eight other nail pickers showed up with scoops and small magnets.
What’s a family to do with 300 pounds of nails?
“Peddle some, trade some,” said Art. “I figure a fellow couldn’t use this many unless he was building a house.”
50 years ago, April 8, 1965
Recreation On Its Way
On Tuesday April 7th the regular dinner meeting of the Twisp Chamber of Commerce was held at Logans Café.
In the reading of the minutes it was brought out that Swede Logan had volunteered to be the delegate from the Twisp Chamber to attend the Sunny Okanogan meetings.
The group voted to continue with the Hahn Sign program for the coming year. It was pointed out that Twisp’s signs along the highway were kept in good condition by the company with very few signs of the mutilation other signs showed.
The Chamber of Commerce exhibit which was taken to Wenatchee last week for the Outdoor Recreation Congress was considered to be very good. It was the only display there which was strictly a community display. Twisp was the only Chamber of Commerce with a display there. The others were all from some branch of the U.S. Government and state or sporting companies concerned with recreation, which is “top priority” in our country today. This is mostly because of the population explosion, according to chamber president, Bert Geiger.
Those given credit for the Twisp exhibit were Jack Abrams, Howard Betty, Bert Geiger, Bill Wagoner and Ken White; each of whom helped in setting up the display or in furnishing supplies for it.
A short report on the Recreation Congress by Mr. Geiger brought out that recreation plans for the country are almost beyond imagination; as is the population explosion, especially in the East. Twenty years ago no-one foresaw what this could do to recreation sites and opportunities. He stressed that every community in the West should now be making plans for the future.
The forecast for our area, after the opening of the North Cross State Highway is for tourist visits to triple the first year and each year after that they will increase. So, it is very imperative that planning for future recreation in our area must be done now!
80 years ago, April 5, 1935
(From The Yellow Jacket, edited by students of Twisp Public Schools)
Bat in Assembly
One of the Geology students caused a lot of excitement and almost a stampede in the assembly room Friday afternoon. A bat was found during a trip to the Last Chance mine by the class, and the fine specimen was brought to school, and when it was shown to a wondering audience the frightened bat managed to escape. It flew round and round the room causing much excitement.
All the girls bunched up in one corner like little lambs trying to escape from the big bad wolf. Those braver specimens of humanity, the boys, braved the danger and after throwing hats and coats at the bat finally brot [sic] the beast to earth. Now he is shut up in his cell in the science room awaiting the verdict of the Biology class. Shall he be dissected or shall he be set free? He grinds his teeth in anger and watches his captors with his little red eyes. It is thought that he is developing a contempt for society equal to that of the most bitter cynic.
100 years ago, April 9, 1915
Lay Corner Stone
Corner stone for the new courthouse will be laid with elaborate ceremonies at Okanogan next Thursday, April 15, and as many people are invited to participate in the celebration as can be present. It is the intention to run excursions from Wenatchee.
