"Cruisin' Harrington" is Saturday; town gears up for visitors

The Harrington Opera House Society met May 4. Gordon Herron, Bonnie and Mike Hardy, Ed and Bunny Haugan, Mark and Sheryl Stedman, Linda Wagner, Karen Robertson, Marge Womach, Steven Hardy and Dillon Haas were on hand for discussion by the building committee which expressed concern about the auditorium floor refinishing project. Upon realizing that the floor would not be finished for the Cruisin’ Harrington celebration on May 16, the quilt show and the musical performance were both moved to the Community Church.

Discussion was held about the May 6 Lions Club dinner. Volunteers offered to provide various menu items, and there was some excitement about potential leftover lemon meringue pie. After the event, participants reported having had a good time.

Upcoming events for the May 16 Cruisin’ Harrington event were the quilt show from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the rummage sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Stacey Rassmussen’s photography on display in the Art Room from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A musical group from Eastern Washington University will play on the street earlier in the day and then perform in the Community Church at 4 p.m., featuring jazz and Brazilian music and original compositions.

Future events at the opera house include an afternoon music recital May 30, NuBlu on August 29 performing bluegrass music, Scott Kirby on October 16 playing piano and keyboard and showing his artwork on the stage behind him, a wedding October 24, Peter Davenport discussing UFO activity October 30 as a fundraiser for the Public Development Authority, and Davenport Theatrical doing a Reading—Our Town in the fall. Comments included a proposed Grand Interlude in September and discussion regarding potential grants.

Harrington Historic

Preservation Commission

The HHPC met May 5 at city hall with Celeste Miller, Anita Harman, Margie Hall of the Lincoln County Economic Development Council and Marge Womach present, and Karen Allen attending via conference call. The primary topic of the meeting was the continuing deliberations and revisions of the final report of Studio Cascade. The commission had been under the impression that the main purpose of the grant was to update the 2000+ Plan for the revitalization of Harrington, and to date, nothing in the final report includes plans for economic development. The commission seems pleased with the initial work of Studio Cascade, with their stake-holders meeting and the community meeting at the Memorial Hall. The deadline for completion of their report is early in July.

The group was excited about the work being accomplished by John Dempsey and family in the former Harrington Haus. All of the excess floor coverings have been removed, and the floor is now down to the original grooved wooden floor. All the furniture, fixtures, bar, grill and refrigeration units have been removed, and it is now nearly one room ready for construction work to begin. Recent plans by Dempsey were to begin with roof repairs and secure the structure against potential rain damage.

The commission was also pleased to learn of the work being done by Amy Foley with the Rusty Lark in a portion of the former Fallert Hotel, nestled in between Harrington Foods and Ott Insurance.

Harrington Chamber

of Commerce

The Chamber met Wednesday noon at the Harrington Golf and Country Club with the following in attendance: Cassandra Pfaffle-Dick, Allen Barth, Ken Kennedy, Heather Slack, Marge Womach, Summer Clark, Sharon Nighswonger, Cindy Haase, Jay Gossett and Mark Stedman.

The recent clean-up day was reported to successful with the help of local students and also seemed a good learning experience for them.

More than 10 yard sales have been registered for Cruisin’ Harrington May 16, with more expected, and 11 vendors are presently scheduled to set up. Many have pre-registered for the antique car show, and Allen Barth and crew are cleaning his cars for the big event. Heather Slack volunteered to assist the vendors in selecting their locations and early set-up. Activity has been seen at the location designated for the Beer Garden.

At the south end of Third Street on Sherlock, the old Clack service station is receiving a new paint job. The H. Earl Clack Company built the station in 1938 for about $8,000. Upon its opening in May, Ernest Gilbert was lessee of the station and Kenneth Dyer was in charge of the wholesale department. The Chamber is hoping such a wide variety of activities will bring a huge turnout.

Memorial Day

Harrington’s Memorial Hall was “dedicated on Sept. 28, 1946 in honor of the boys and girls of the Harrington community who answered their country’s call in World War II and in memory of the following who made the Supreme Sacrifice: E. Lawrence Kramer, Melvin E. Swenson and Larry B. Thomas” (says a plaque on the building). A request for information on these three men was received this week.

Lt. Eugene Laurence Kramer was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Kramer. In November of 1944, he died at age 23 with 11 other military personnel in a plane crash near Casper, Wyoming. He had enlisted in the army air corps and trained in Texas, receiving his wings in March of 1943. He made 25 missions over Europe from his base in England and was promoted to first lieutenant in January of 1944. He wore the air medal, with three oak leaf clusters, distinguished flying cross and European service ribbon.

Melvin E. Swenson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Swenson and died at age 19 on June 7, 1945 on Luzon in The Philippines. He was inducted into the Army in October 1944 and went to infantry school at Camp Roberts. He was eight months in the service, a private in Company I, 129 Infantry, U.S. Army, and was awarded the Combat Infantryman badge posthumously.

Larry B. Thomas was a 1943 graduate of Davenport High School and moved with his family, Harold and Idabelle Thomas, to the ranch that later was owned by Wes Bly. He was a Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Force, 32nd Bomber Squadron. His date of death was July 26, 1944, memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, Florence American Cemetery, Florence, Italy.