100 years ago (1916 — Oak Harbor News)
The new county highway, which would run from Cornet to Langley, was soon to be completed. It was editorialized in a page-one story that the highway would be the “finest scenic highway in the Pacific Northwest.”
Mr. and Mrs. St. Ives returned to Oak Harbor after touring the country on the various vaudeville circuits. “Their little humorous sketch” was well-received in all of the larger cities and they did well financially, sending funds home regularly to support the Hotel Sheldonian.
“Joe Maylor’s front yard is a thing of beauty and joy forever. Seldom do you see a more beautiful display of roses,” a page-one story read in its entirety.
A letter to the editor implored farmers not to destroy birds’ nests, for the birds were beneficial in keeping the fly and maggot population in check.
At the Cash Store, canned oysters cost two for 15 cents, while tobacco cost 45 cents per pound. A half-pound of Hershey’s cocoa cost 20 cents.
75 years ago (1941 — Farm Bureau News)
The Holland Days carnival was rather small, which a page-one story attributed to the fact that Oak Harbor was a “bad carnival town,” thus prompting large concession owners to avoid it and opt for bookings elsewhere. The story also attributed the lack of many attractions to the fact that several community members had placed restrictions on acceptable amusements in past years.
Although the Holland Days festival was “short in floats and street activities,” the livestock show was said to be the greatest in Holland Days history.
Frank Emory of Oak Harbor was one of 10 Civilian Pilot Training program students to receive a flight scholarship, entitling him to 35 hours of flying instruction for free.
Whidbey Island was mentioned in an article in The Christian Science Monitor. Correspondent Kate Archibald, who was well-acquainted with the island, wrote of the island’s early history and described its “beauty, charm and commercial property.”
At Barney’s in Oak Harbor “Mor, the meat for every occasion” cost 25 cents per 12-ounce can and three pounds of macaroni or spaghetti cost 15 cents.
50 years ago (1966 — Whidbey News-Times)
South Whidbey prepared for an anticipated population boom as the Boeing company established its plant at Paine Field just south of Everett. About 10,000 new jobs were expected to be created with the opening of the plant.
Rear Admiral Joseph A. Jaap, U.S.N., assumed command of Com-Fair Whidbey from Captain Donald Gumz who retired after 30 years of Navy duty.
The Whidbey News-Times conducted a poll and asked Oak Harbor residents “what Oak Harbor will need most in the next 10 years.” The majority said a community hall, while sidewalks came in second place.
Whidbey Island furnished the Dairy Princess for Skagit, Island and San Juan counties for the first time since the contest’s inception several years prior. “Pretty dark-haired, blue-eyed Ellen Engle of Coupeville” was crowned winner out of a slate of seven candidates at the annual Dairy Banquet in Mount Vernon.
Sprouse-Reitz Variety Stores advertised a 27-cent sale. Patrons could buy an assortment of goods, including cowboy hats, golf balls, ladies’ slippers, toy monkeys and dustpans for 27 cents.
25 years ago (1991 — Whidbey News-Times)
Washington schools won three national awards in the National History Day competition, and two of them were Coupeville’s. Sheila Mathis took first place for her paper, “A Nation at War: The Conscientious Objector in American History.” Nathaneal O’Hara and Cody West placed fourth with their media project on Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve entitled “Community Preservation vs. Individual Property Rights.”
The Base Closure and Realignment Commission and key staff members suggested Whidbey may be removed from the list of recommended base closures to be handed to President George Bush July 1. Commissioner Howard “Bo” Callaway, who visited Oak Harbor and the base, told reporters the base should not be closed as it would not save enough money to be worthwhile, but would severely impact the local economy.
For the third year in a row, Crockett Lake-area residents were faced with a larger-than-expected hatch of saltwater mosquitos. Some residents demanded that Island County officials take tougher measures to halt infestations.
Ed Spromberg was slated to ask the Coupeville Town Council to order an environmental impact study before authorizing a new concert pavilion in Town Park. The town planner had decided to bypass such a study on the Concerts on the Cove pavilion project, but Council members agreed to hear Spromberg’s appeal to that decision.
