Living I S SAQ UA H
winter 2012
A special section of The Issaquah Press
Arrow is at center of final trimmed page
FULL BLEED
STAFF PUBLISHER Deborah Berto
MANAGING EDITOR Kathleen R. Merrill
2012 ISSAQUAH LIVING
WRITERS Nina Cambern Ari Cetron Tom Corrigan David Hayes Caleb Heeringa Warren Kagarise Christina Lords Bob Taylor
PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Farrar
PAGE DESIGN David Hayes Warren Kagarise
COVER PHOTO Michael Rainwater
COVER DESIGN Dona Mokin
ADVERTISING MANAGER
INSIDE PAST CENTURY 21 ANNIVERSARY PA , GE 8 Issaquah almost landed the 1962 Seattle World s Fair. MUSEUM COLLECTION , PAGE 28 Peer inside the Issaquah History Museums collection. ISSAQUAH 1912 PAGE 36 Journey back 100 years to experience everyday life.
Jill Green
ADVERTISING STAFF Neil Buchsbaum Michelle Comeau Terry Sager Vickie Singsaas
PRESENT 425 ACTIVITY GUIDE PAGE 14 Find fun and enriching activities for Eastside teenagers. SEASONAL COCKTAILS PA, GE 20 Hoist hot and frothy libations to banish winter s chill.
PRODUCTION Breann Getty Dona Mokin
WINTER WILDLIFE PAGE 24 Come wintertime, animals head for a milder climate.
PRINTING
SPRING PLANTING PAGE 40 Learn when, what and how to plant for the season.
Rotary Offset Press
TRIATHLON TRAINING PAGE 44 Grueling preparations mean athletes get no off-season. GUITAR MAKING PAGE 50 Renowned rocker crafts classic sound _ and guitars. A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF
PANORAMA PAGE 6 , Discover unexplored corners of Issaquah s landscape. 45 Front St. S. P.O. Box 1328 Issaquah, WA 98027 Phone: 392-6434 Fax: 391-1541 www.issaquahpress.com
CLUBS PAGE 32 Build community ties in local civic and social groups. ADVERTISER INDEX
PAGE 54
PANORAMA DISCOVERING UNEXPLORED CORNERS OF THE ISSAQUAH LANDSCAPE
LEARN TO
SPOT A LOCAL WHAT 10 QUALITIES SET ISSAQUAH RESIDENTS APART? Issaquah inspires a deep affection among residents past and present. Perhaps the connection is because the city stands out among cookie-cutter Eastside suburbs. (Bummer, Redmond.) Residents can rattle off at least a dozen reasons to love Issaquah, although even outsiders can recognize the charms. Only locals can offer a snapshot into the authentic Issaquah experience. The genuine Issaquahn, for instance:
M
✱ BY WARREN KAGARISE
CONSIDERS A HIKE UP TENDON-STRETCHING CHIRICO TRAIL ON TIGER MOUNTAIN AS A RELAXING AFTERNOON STROLL.
UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFERENCE AMONG CHINOOK, COHO, KOKANEE, PINK AND SOCKEYE SALMON.
ODEST ENTION
Modest Mouse is perhaps the most recognizable phenomenon to originate in Issaquah. (Sorry, loyal Costco members, but the mega-chain started in Seattle.) Pacific Northwest gloom permeates Modest Mouse songs, but Issaquah receives scant attention in the lyrics. However, band members tucked a reference to a certain local burger joint into a song. The nod is the closest the band
HEARS THE TERM XXX AND, RATHER THAN THINKING OF HARDCORE PORNOGRAPHY, PICTURES ROOT BEER AND CAR SHOWS.
KNOWS THE NAMES OF EACH ISSAQUAH ALPS PEAK AND THE TRAILS LINKING THE FORESTED MOUNTAINS.
TRUDGES TO THE SALMON DAYS FESTIVAL YEAR AFTER YEAR, DESPITE FORECASTS THREATENING RAIN.
CONSIDERS LAKE SAMMAMISH AS A BACKYARD SWIMMING HOLE FOR THE ENTIRE EASTSIDE.
REMEMBERS THE ISSAQUAH HIGH SCHOOL MASCOT AS THE FABLED INDIANS, NOT THE EAGLES.
, TREKKED TO BOEHM S CANDIES ON SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS TO SEE MOLTEN CHOCOLATE TURN INTO CONFECTIONS.
PRONOUNCES ISSAQUAH CORRECTLY.
BRAVES THE FLAGSHIP COSTCO WAREHOUSE ON A SATURDAY TO STOCK UP ON TOILET PAPER AND OTHER ESSENTIALS.
HOMEGROWN BAND NODS TO HOMETOWN FLAVOR ✱ BY WARREN KAGARISE
comes to a clear-cut reference to Issaquah. The mention appears in the song “All Nite Diner” on the “Interstate 8” EP. (The collection dropped in August 1996, a year before the album “The Lonesome Crowded West” turned the band into 1990s indie rock darlings.) Modest Mouse recorded some songs for “Interstate 8” in lead singer Isaac Brock’s Issaquah garage in 1995. ■
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HOW ISSAQUAH
STACKS
UP
CITY BALLOONS FROM SMALL TOWN TO BOOMTOWN ✱ BY WARREN KAGARISE Most citizens did not need a decennial update from the U.S. Census Bureau to recognize Issaquah as a boomtown. The dramatic increase in population is a recent phenomenon. Issaquah started as a pinpoint on maps, a remote hamlet in the rough-andtumble Washington Territory. Even as Seattle boomed amid World War II and into the postwar era, Issaquah did not crest 4,000 people until the late 1960s. The population growth continued at a deliberate pace until a Microsoft-powered population explosion caused Issaquah and other Eastside cities to expand as the last century barreled to a close. Construction escalated in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as leaders funneled construction into instant neighborhoods: Talus and the Issaquah Highlands, both hillside urban villages. Issaquah also scooped up surrounding neighborhoods through annexations. The recent surge in population also added diversity to a mostly Caucasian city. The upward trend in population added more Asian, Hispanic or Latino, and black residents to Issaquah. Issaquah occupied the No. 6 spot on the fastest-growing cities list during the past decade. The recession decelerated construction, although plans to remake the business district to add residences could propel another population boom in the decades ahead. ■
, NUMBERS REVEAL THE CHANGES TO ISSAQUAH S SIZE AND CHARACTER FROM THE YEAR SETTLERS FOUNDED THE CITY TO THE 21ST CENTURY.
1892
YEAR ISSAQUAH IS FOUNDED AS GILMAN
, ISSAQUAH S POPULATION IN CENSUS 1900
1,870
700
, ISSAQUAH S POPULATION IN CENSUS 1960
, ISSAQUAH S WHITE RESIDENTS IN CENSUS 1970
5,536 6
4,313
, ISSAQUAH S POPULATION IN CENSUS 1980
, ISSAQUAH S ESTIMATED 2011 POPULATION
30,690
RANK AMONG THE FASTEST-GROWING CITIES IN WASHINGTON FROM 2000-10
, ISSAQUAH S POPULATION IN CENSUS 2010
11,212
30,434
, ISSAQUAH S POPULATION IN CENSUS 2000
, PERCENT ISSAQUAH S POPULATION EXPANDED FROM 2000-10
7,786
170
, ISSAQUAH S POPULATION IN CENSUS 1990
, ISSAQUAH S WHITE RESIDENTS IN CENSUS 2010
14,509
22,736
, ISSAQUAH S MALE RESIDENTS IN CENSUS 2010
9,861 5,322
, ISSAQUAH S WHITE RESIDENTS IN CENSUS 2000
23,230
, ISSAQUAH S RESIDENTS AGE 18 AND OLDER IN CENSUS 2010
, ISSAQUAH S ASIAN RESIDENTS IN CENSUS 2010
677
, ISSAQUAH S ASIAN RESIDENTS IN CENSUS 2000
, ISSAQUAH S BLACK RESIDENTS IN CENSUS 2010
7,204
422
, ISSAQUAH S RESIDENTS YOUNGER THAN 18 IN CENSUS 2010
, ISSAQUAH S BLACK RESIDENTS IN CENSUS 2000
1,764
99
, ISSAQUAH S HISPANIC OR LATINO RESIDENTS IN CENSUS 2010
, ISSAQUAH S HISPANIC OR LATINO RESIDENTS IN CENSUS 2000
15,925
555
, ISSAQUAH S FEMALE RESIDENTS IN CENSUS 2010
SOURCES: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, WASHINGTON OFFICE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
ISSAQUAH LIVING WINTER 2012
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TOMORROW TURNS O CENTURY 21 EXPOSITION, SPACE-AGE CELEBRATION, RESHAPED REGION A HALF-CENTURY AGO ✱ BY WARREN KAGARISE
IN 1962, ISSAQUAH RESIDENTS CROSSED LAKE WASHINGTON , FOR FAIR S FUTURISTIC FUN
pportunities seemed endless as Seattle prophesized a sleek future at the 1962 Century 21 Exposition. In the years before the fair opened a half-century ago, local leaders imagined the fairgrounds along Lake Sammamish. Envision, as entrepreneurs dared to do in the late ’50s, Lake Sammamish State Park as a site for the still-embryonic exposition. The fairgrounds showcase Cougar Mountain as a backdrop for the Space Needle. Or, rather than the bubbling International Fountain, placid Lake Sammamish defines the landscape. The monorail, all Swedish design and German engineering, connects suburban cities, not Seattle neighborhoods. Organizers considered, if only for a moment, a fair situated amid farmland and forests, perhaps a Festival of the
The distance from Issaquah to the future measured a mere 17 miles. In 1962, as the Century 21 Exposition greeted fairgoers from the United States and beyond, residents from Issaquah — then home to about 3,000 people — crossed Lake Washington from April 21 to Oct. 21 for the Space Age fair. Nowadays, 50 years after the spectacle at Seattle Center closed, memories remain as clear as the Bubbleator dome. The fair introduced countless palates to strawberry-topped Belgian waffles and tempted millions of guests to brave the maze inside the IBM Pavilion.
CONTINUE TO PAGE 10
CONTINUE TO PAGE 12
MOHAI, MILKIE STUDIO COLLECTION
Above, the skeletal Space Needle rises above Seattle and the Century 21 Exposition fairgrounds in 1961, months before the fair opened in April 1962. At right, in early Century 21 Exposition concept art, circa 1961, the monorail hangs from a rail rather than gliding along a track.
50 PAST
ISSAQUAH LIVING WINTER 2012
9
MOHAI, WALTER STRALEY CENTURY 21 EXPOSITION PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
West set in Issaquah, a former frontier settlement. “What if it had been in Issaquah?” asked Lorraine McConaghy, public historian for the Seattle-based Museum of History & Industry, or MOHAI. “What if 10 million people had come to Issaquah between May and October of 1962?” Issaquah Chamber of Commerce leaders proposed the then-300-acre state park as a possible fair site in July 1958, as boosters from the Puget Sound region urged organizers to consider locations outside Seattle. Paula Becker, co-author of “The Future Remembered: The 1962 Seattle World’s Fair and Its Legacy” and a HistoryLink.org historian, noted the endeavors in Auburn, Issaquah and else-
,,WHAT IF 10 MILLION PEOPLE HAD COME TO ISSAQUAH BETWEEN MAY AND ,, OCTOBER OF 1962? LORRAINE MCCONAGHY MUSEUM OF HISTORY & INDUSTRY PUBLIC HISTORIAN
where to land the fair. “Even Tacoma was saying, ‘How about us?’” she said. Instead, Issaquah opened a Century 21 information booth along U.S. Route 10, the precursor to Interstate 90. Organizers scrapped the nascent Festival of the West concept for a futuristic Century 21 Exposition in Seattle instead. “You almost wonder, why weren’t they just settling on the site that they chose, because the nucleus was already there,” Becker said. “No place else had anything like that.” Even the Seattle location caused confusion, because foreign representatives could not differentiate Washington state from Washington, D.C. Century 21 Exposition President Joseph Gandy often encountered the problem.
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ISSAQUAH LIVING WINTER 2012
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MOHAI, MILKIE STUDIO COLLECTION
Work continues on the U.S. Science Pavilion, circa 1961, as the Space Needle rises in the background.
ON: I T A TIN S E D
ISSAQUAH GREETED TRAVELERS EN ROUTE TO THE FAIR Issaquah, a way station on the route to the 21st century, opened the city to travelers as the Century 21 Exposition greeted almost 10 million fairgoers. In 1962, the fair also came to Issaquah in a sense, after Issaquah Chamber of Commerce leaders established a fair information booth along U.S. Route 10, a pulsing artery stretched from the Midwest to the Northwest. Inside the A-frame structure, 168 volunteers offered fair facts and Evergreen State greetings for 12 hours each day from May 12 to Sept. 30. In August, as the fair readied for its 5 millionth guest, Issaquah residents greeted the 5,000th traveler to stop at the booth. The booth hosted representatives from all 50 states and 28 foreign nations. Organizers could arrange accommodations for fairgoers from Issaquah via a direct telephone line to the lodging center at the exposition. ,, ,, People became aware of Issaquah through the information center, longtime Issaquah resident Dick Campbell ,, said. We were something other than a farming-logging,, mining community.
“When Joe Gandy went out to sell space and to try to interest other nations in participating in the fair, a lot of people didn’t know how to pronounce it and they had no idea where it was,” Becker said. “They said, ‘Why would you want to build a Space Needle when the Washington Monument is right there?’” Though local leaders proposed Lake Sammamish State Park early — and organizers stopped considering the site long before settling on the future Seattle Center — Century 21 exerted substantial influence in the suburbs. “I don’t think this metropolitan region would look anything like it looks today without Century 21,” McConaghy said. “I think that that burst of optimism and energy that came out of that fair, it changed the face of the region.” The fair fostered a respected arts scene in Seattle. The region, particularly the Eastside, matured into a hub for technology in the decades after the exposition. Mary Scott, a longtime Issaquah-area resident and former Issaquah School Board member, said the fair offered a glimpse of the future that was difficult to imagine a half-century ago. “People were really looking at this as, what’s the future going to look like?” she said. “There were a lot of answers to that.”
MOHAI, ROBERT D. ASHLEY CENTURY 21 COLLECTION
Gothic arches at the U.S. Science Pavilion (left) loom above the fairgrounds and the Christian Witness Pavilion at the Century 21 Exposition. The future seemed boundless in 1962. Mankind could conquer the cosmos and — using some can-do spirit, a little Yankee ingenuity and a boost from technology — engineer a more leisurely life closer to the ground. “There was a kind of freshness and optimism to the way that people came to the fair and left the fair — the sense that the 21st century was ours to shape,” McConaghy said. The gadgets and dioramas depicted a carefree future, never mind the existential menace the Cold War posed in the present. “The only cloud hanging over that — and it was a big one — was the threat of nuclear war,” McConaghy said.
The exposition did not include a U.S.S.R. pavilion and many nations sealed behind the Iron Curtain did not send representatives to Seattle. “While all of this buoyant optimism is going on and everyone is holding hands and dancing in a circle at Century 21 out here, out on the Eastside there’s a ring of Nike missile sites and people were digging fallout shelters,” McConaghy added. Nike Ajax anti-aircraft missiles sat poised on Cougar Mountain, high above Issaquah, primed to shoot down Soviet bombers. Concerns about nuclear conflict stopped at the fair gates, although a film included in the World of Century 21 exhibit depicted brief flashes of a family huddled in a fallout shelter. The centerpiece Space Needle — painted Astronaut White, Orbital Olive, Reentry Red and Galaxy Gold — beamed as “the icon of Seattle” and radiated optimism, McConaghy said. “It’s so iconic that all you have to do is fling it up in the window in ‘Frasier’ and people will know where you’re supposed to be,” she added. The exposition responsible for introducing Seattle to the globe as a 21st century city almost did the same for Issaquah. ■
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“Everybody went to the fair,” said Lorraine McConaghy, public historian for the Seattle-based Museum of History & Industry, or MOHAI. “It was not just an urban phenomenon. It was a regional phenomenon.” The iconic Space Needle — then painted in Technicolor hues — and the Bubbleator left lasting impressions on locals. The bubble-shaped elevator carried fairgoers to exhibits inside the Washington State Coliseum. “It was so novel,” former Issaquah resident Patricia Brooks Greetham said. “Who had ever seen anything like that before?” Townsfolk joined almost 10 million people to gaze upon the arches at the U.S. Science Pavilion (reincarnated after the fair as the Pacific Science Center) and stroll along the Gayway, a giggle-inducing name — in 2012, at least — for the midway. In 1962, as Century 21 unfolded, many guests focused on the chance to experience the fairgrounds as a high-tech amusement park. Marilyn Batura and friends attended the fair “as often as we could, if we could get someone to drive in there. That was a
,, I WAS PRETTY MUCH A COUNTRY BUMPKIN, AND HEARING PEOPLE SPEAKING IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES WAS ,, FAIRLY NEW TO ME. MARGO CAMPBELL ISSAQUAH RESIDENT AND CENTURY 21 FAIRGOER fun summer.” Russ Fish spent Wednesday evenings during the fair at the amateur radio booth in the State of Alaska Building. The former Issaquah resident and retired state trooper remembers the cosmopolitan scene on the fairgrounds. “It could have been New York City for all I knew. It was just that kind of atmos-
MOHAI, MILKIE STUDIO COLLECTION
Diners enjoy drinks — and a now-forbidden smoke — in the Eye of the Needle revolving restaurant atop the Space Needle. phere back then,” he said. “The world is coming to us.” The representatives from distant lands — Prince Philip and the Shah of Iran joined fairgoers — offered unheard-of sophistication to fairgoers from thenrural Issaquah. “I was pretty much a country bumpkin, and hearing people speaking in different languages was fairly new to me,” longtime Issaquah resident Margo Campbell said. “There were people there from all over the world that had come to the fair.”
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The focus on science and technology impressed then-7-year-old Tom Anderson, a lifelong Issaquah resident, even if reality differed from the future depicted at Century 21. “Many of the things that we enjoy now were not really even envisioned — for example, my iPad,” he said. Issaquah resident Denny Croston, then 16, and some friends slipped into the fair under the guise of applying for a job. “It was not a cool thing to do, but with our financial situation, it was about all we could do,” he said. Batura remembered the fair as a getaway to the city from a far-flung suburb. “It was just something to do,” she said. “We didn’t have a lot to do in those days in Issaquah.” The 1962 Issaquah High School graduate got Elvis Presley’s autograph as the megastar filmed the romantic farce “It Happened at the World’s Fair” in Seattle. (Unfortunately, Batura lost The King’s autograph in the decades since the fair.) Romance blossomed on the fairgrounds off screen, too. Mary Scott, a longtime Issaquah-area resident and former Issaquah School Board member, met a childhood friend for a date at Century 21. The date, John Scott, proposed to her on the former fair-
PAST
MOHAI, ROBERT D. ASHLEY CENTURY 21 COLLECTION
, Rides along the Gayway, the fair s space-themed amusement zone, rise in front of the iconic Space Needle.
grounds the next summer. “We were just relaxing and having fun. I think because of that, it really did lead to the engagement,” Mary Scott said. “We were just being ourselves and not trying to impress anybody.”
ISSAQUAH LIVING WINTER 2012
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Margo Campbell and future husband Dick Campbell boarded a bus to downtown Seattle on a date to the fair. The occasion marked the inaugural jaunt on public transit for the junior high school students. “My mom probably thought we were going to get lost and never come back, because in those days, Issaquah seemed like a long ways away from Seattle to everybody,” she said. The impact on pop culture resonated beyond the Century 21 souvenirs and schlock. The exposition represented a colossal shift for the Puget Sound region and attracted attention from around the globe. “It sure put Seattle on the map — not that we weren’t before,” Scott said. “It reminded people that we weren’t just a decaying town from the gold rush and a town that built airplanes. I think it made Seattle feel pretty good about itself.” Even after 50 years, civic pride from the Century 21 era continues to shape the region. “I think, quite frankly, that a lot of us were surprised that we were able to bring it off,” Scott said. “It was amazing — and it was fun to go.” ■
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ssaquah ain’t the quaint little town it used to be. In the past decade alone, the number of people living within the pocket community grew from 11,000 in the year 2000 to more than 30,000 in the latest Census 2010 figures. With so many tech industries drawing families here, the burgeoning population is straining all age demographics. Especially teens. With busy sports and school activity schedules, ever-demanding graduation requirements or even the time consumption of volunteering or gainful employment, what’s a teen to do to find a
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ISSAQUAH LIVING WINTER 2012
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BY GREG FARRAR
little down time? Just about every small town has a version of the joke, “The only thing to do here is leave.” Luckily for teens, Issaquah is smack dab in the middle of the 425 area code and opportunities abound to find something to do without looking too far. Here’s a look at just three options to investigate.
OLD FIRE HOUSE TEEN CENTER
Sure, Issaquah has its own youth cen-
Dylan Wall (left) and Patrick White, who make up the Old Fire House Teen Center house band, Buster Austero, perform for a standing-room only crowd.
ter, but this is about expanding options. Look no further than the city of Redmond’s Old Fire House Teen Center. Located on a cross street in the heart of downtown Redmond at 15670 N.E. 85th St., this teen gathering joint is literally a converted fire station. The parking lot is rather small, so consider car-pooling or getting dropped off for the many events within its confines. Walk into the former engine bay, and there is literally more than 75 feet of couches to lounge upon. Interspersed throughout are pool and air hockey tables, an arts center and even a TV room
to plop down with the latest Xbox 360 game. Casey Catherwood was a longtime regular at the center before graduating from Redmond High School. Rather than part ways, after college he returned to be events coordinator, in charge of the numerous drop-in, after-school programming. “This is a great place for kids hungry for resources,” he said. “The events are programmed to teens’ interests because they’re designed by the teens themselves.” Perhaps the biggest draw at the Fire House is its music studio and performance stage. Got a band? Come in to practice in the recording studio, complete with a mixing board and engineer. Need an audience? The raised, lighted stage looks out upon the dance floor filled with regular Friday night crowds. After the staff house band kicks things off, other acts wait in the wings, like senior Seb Choe. He describes his solo act Udo Ox as a “scary mix.” “I’ve been coming here since elementary school,” Choe said. “It’s a super cool place for teens. You don’t get judged and there’s always something going on.”
CROSSROADS MALL CARD TOURNAMENTS Wander the corridors of Crossroads Mall around the food court and you’ll eventually end up in front of Uncles Games. Quite regularly, the schedule of events Uncles hosts spills out into said corridors, like the recent Pokémon City Championship. Imagine in the days of yore, taking your collection of baseball cards, pitting the best players against another collector’s best athletes in a cerebral match to the death. Now, insert Anime characters, and you’ve got Pokémon tournaments. While the ages competing include participants 10 and younger and up to 14, the biggest group represented are the older teens in the masters category of 15 and older. Tournament organizer Jim Lambkee was drawn into volunteering for the tournaments thanks to the success of his own daughter in the popular card game. “The turnout is usually huge,” he said. “This location is well-suited for players who love the mall atmosphere.” While it’s easy to fill an entire garage with a never-ending new pack of Pokémon CONTINUE TO PAGE 16
BY GREG FARRAR
,, , IT S A SUPE R COO L PLA CE F TEEN OR S. YO U DO , GET NT JUD THER , GED AN D ES A LWAY SOM S ETHI NG GOIN G ON ,, . SE
Peter Biethan (left), 16, plays a game of foosball against Ian Plamondon, 18, as Seb Choe (left), 15, and Carter Aebi, 15, look on at the Old Fire House Teen Center.
B RED CHOE M FIRE OND REG HOUSE ULA R
BY GREG FARRAR
and ample of chili s s n e e T r numbe peers judge a ade by their contest m ili recipes he annual ch se Teen t u o g H in r e du e Old Fir nd. at th ter in Redmo n Ce
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
cards, it takes quite the savvy player to build just the right deck that is a winner among contenders. Species like Rayquaza, Raikou, Venusaur and Crobat can mean the difference between life and death, if you know how to use them. Hudson Du, 17, is still building a better deck. To do this, he participates in the pre-tournament tradition of the trade. Flipping through another player’s notebook, he’s always on the look for a powerful card that could turn a match in his favor. “I’ve only been doing this for a year,” Du said. “But I enjoy the friendly environment. Plus, it’s somewhere I can bring my cousins along.” Du added he’s still looking for his first top placement in one of the tourneys. Inside Uncles Games, the list of upcoming events is endless. The number of additional types of card tournaments is daunting, so if Pokémon isn’t your cup of tea, they’ve got something bound to draw you in, from Magic: the Gathering to Warmachine & Hordes. Ask game specialist Laura Maserman, these aren’t your D&D nerds from years past. “With the price range, each game is affordable, has a range of ages and is a great place here to hang with your friends while picking up a new hobby,” she said.
Hudson Du (right), 17, looks for a possible trade of tournament Pokemon cards with Bryce Swearingen, 9, before a tournament gets under way.
CHURCH YOUTH GROUPS
When traveling through the 425 region, perhaps what teens seek isn’t harmless fun. Rather, like a growing number, a teen just might be looking for a higher power to help guide him or her through the teen years. For that, churches throughout the 425 have their own youth groups. One of the biggest is Eastridge’s. Their new facility was built on the edge of the plateau at 24205 S.E. Issaquah-Fall City Road. There, a teen can enlist the guidance of Josh Jamison. A 2002 graduate of Skyline High School, Jamison has returned from higher educational learning to be the church’s youth pastor. Regardless of denomination, Jamison said church youth groups have several things in common. “Teens are exposed to media pressures, even in Sammamish and Issaquah, to the CONTINUE TO PAGE 19
More than 90 players start the first round of a weekend Pokemon City Championship tournament sponsored by the Uncles Games store at Crossroads Mall. ,, EACH GAM E AFFO RDAB IS LE, H RANG AS A E OF AGES A GR EAT PLAC AND IS HAN E HE G WI RE T TH Y O FRIE OUR NDS WHIL UP A E PIC NEW HOB ,, KING BY. LAU R MAS A GAM ERMAN E SPE CIAL IST
BY GREG FARRAR
BY GREG FARRAR
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ISSAQUAH LIVING WINTER 2012
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Youths gather at Compel, hosted by Eastridge Church, to listen to Christian-themed music and messages of inspiration.
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cheap imitation of what life is supposed to be,” Jamison said. To help them wade through media noise onslaught, youth groups connect like-minded teens who are unsure where their path leads, but know that their guide will be Jesus. Most of their Wednesday night activities draw between 140 and 150 teens, Jamison said. Between that and Sunday, that number can easily reach 300. Jamison said today’s youth groups aren’t about just sitting around and read-
Schools & Activities
ing the Bible. Eastridge schedules regular events. But one of their biggest of the year is Compel, featuring bands, DJs, food, contests, giveaways and more. “It’s a major event geared toward fun,” Jamison said. “It’s geared toward those who wouldn’t normally come to church.” In between the dancing, the doughnuteating contests and live bands, Jamison said teens are invited to share their stories. “Kids get to hear from real kids about how Jesus helped me,” he said. ■
,, , IT S G EARE D TOW ARD THOS WHO E WOU LDN , NOR T MALL YC TO C HURC ,, OME H. JOS H JAM IS EAS ON TRID CHU GE R YOU CH PAS TH TOR
R IONS CALL FO COLD CONDIT OCKTAILS, FORTIFYING C TS H MIXOLOGIS AND ISSAQUA S TER WARMER CONCOCT WIN
, APTAIN POGACHA S C TTERED BU MORGAN HOT M RU SPICED sworn to secrecy about Bartender Denise Jordan is ipe, but a storebatter rec a family hot buttered rum too. ients round out the drink, red ing ple sim or x bought mi INGREDIENTS 2 cups water 1 /4 cup unsalted butter 1 /4 cup packed dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon eg 1 /2 teaspoon freshly grated nutm 1 /4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 /8 teaspoon salt m 2 /3 cup Captain Morgan Spiced Ru INSTRUCTIONS 1 t the rum in 1 /2- to 2Boil all ingredients excep Then, reduce at. he m to high quart saucepan over mediu asionally, for 10 minutes. occ heat and simmer, whisking
At left, Stacey Snowden, a Pogacha server, adds Captain Morgan Spiced Rum to hot buttered rum. At right, Chase Bruesch, a WildFin American Grill bartender, caramelizes sugar on a glass for Spanish coffee.
TOAST TO
to t demands a nip The season almos ed et nk ill from snow-bla chase off the ch d nights. ne pe am -d in ra afternoons and r tonl mixologists offe Fortunately, loca rums. ld do e tim e winter ics for unwelcom ed und in time-honor The solution is fo t an gr fra coffee and recipes — strong to d ne sig de to libations spices stir red in . st fro melt the der longtime barten Denise Jordan, a e cip -re et cr a dollop of se n at Pogacha, dips ai pt Ca to in m batter hot buttered ru -only m for the adults Ru d ice Sp Morgan indulgence.
EG FARRAR E ✱ PHOTOS BY GR RIS GA KA EN RR WA ✱ BY
ting el like you’re sit “It makes you fe said ,” ce la of the firep at home in front . er rv se a a Pogach Stacey Snowden, e in the batter recip ds ar gu an Jord nel lo Co r KFC protects the same manne s and spices. Sanders’ 11 herb she ybody my recipe,” an ll te “I don’t said. Fin manager at Wild David Boehm, a the to n tio a recent addi American Grill, ckco ic ss cla id scene, sa local restaurant cu er ry patrons as the m tails deliver for drops. nter rned with our wi “What we’ve lea the nt ve in re is, don’t warmer drinks wheel,” he said. ■
WINTER
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ISSAQUAH LIVING WINTER 2012
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Spanish coffee is a classic drink — and flaming the glass to caramelize the sugar adds some flair to the presentation. Burning off the light rum in the recipe eliminates the alcohol, but retains its flavor. INGRINGREDIENTS EDIENTS 1 1/2 ounces light rum 3/4 ounces Kahlua 1 cup hot coffee Sugar Whipped cream
, WILDFIN AMERICAN GRILL S SPANISH COFFEE
INSTINSTRUCTIONS RUCTIONS Add the light rum to a sugar-rimmed glass and use a lighter or matches to carefully ignite the rum. Then, after the flame subsides, add the Kahlua and coffee. Garnish the drink with a dollop of whipped cream.
WILDFIN AMERICAN , GRILL S B-52 COFFEE The , wintertime beverage offers a punch from Bailey s Irish Cream, Kahlua, Grand Marnier and coffee.
WILDFIN AMERICAN , GRILL S IRISH COFFEE The classic combination of coffee and whiskey remains a standard on menus after autumn turns to winter and patrons wait for spring.
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INGINGREDIENTS REDIENTS 1 1/2 ounces Jameson Irish Whiskey 1 sugar cube 1 cup hot coffee Whipped cream INSTINSTRUCTIONS RUCTIONS Combine whiskey, sugar cube and coffee in a mug and stir until the sugar cube dissolves. Garnish the drink with a dollop of whipped cream.
INGRINGREDIENTS EDIENTS 3/4 ounce Bailey,s Irish Cream 3/4 ounce Kahlua 3/4 ounce Grand Marnier 1 cup hot coffee Whipped cream INSINSTRUCTIONS TRUCTIONS Stir the alcohol into the hot coffee. Garnish the drink with a dollop of whipped cream.
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INTO THE WOODS COME WINTERTIME, WILDLIFE DESCENDS FROM SNOWY PEAKS TO A MILDER CLIMATE ✱ BY TOM CORRIGAN
FILE
Barred owls are common to Canada and the Eastern United States and have recently traveled to the West, including Washington.
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ISSAQUAH LIVING WINTER 2012
PRESENT
As the snow moves down the mountains reaching lower elevations, so do most mountain wildlife inhabitants, from small animals to deer and elk. And just in case you were wondering, bears don’t hibernate. Those are two basic bits of information passed on by local experts asked to describe what happens to Issaquah wildlife during the winter months. It’s not the temperature, but snow that motivates most animals’ cold weather behavior, said Stephen West, associate director of the School of Environmental and Forestry Sciences at the University of Washington. For the most part, cougars, deer and other local wildlife can tolerate any cold the Northwest brings their
way, West said. It’s mountain snow they can’t deal with — it makes it more difficult for them to get around and much more difficult for them to find food. So as snow appears, many animals head for lower elevations. There are exceptions, including bears. Bears don’t migrate, but rather stay in their normal territory, said Kenneth Raedeke, an affiliate professor in the UW’s Wildlife Science Program and the president of an environmental consulting firm. And despite what you may have
,, IT,S ALL ABOUT FINDING FOOD. ,, BRIAN KERTSON STATE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED
Above, state wildlife biologist Brian Kertson holds a 130pound, 2-year-old male cougar that was tranquilized and tagged in the Cedar River Watershed in 2008. Below, a black bear romps in the snow.
heard all your life, bears don’t hibernate, Raedeke and West said. Full hibernation means an animal is unconscious and its body temperature drops to match the surrounding temperature, West said. For an animal the size of a bear, waking up from such a state would require more biological energy and heat than they have available to them. While they don’t fully hibernate, bears do go into a sort of relaxed state for perhaps three or four of the coldest months of the year, Raedeke said, adding a bear’s heart rate can drop as low as eight beats per minute. Even so, bears can and do remain somewhat active, coming out of their hiding spots periodically. And if you happen to stumble into an occupied bear den during the winter, the resident likely will take notice. “They can be completely awake and moving very quickly,” Raedeke said. Still, he said that most of the time bears in their winter state won’t bother you if you don’t bother them. What kind of spots do bears seek out for their sort of semi-hibernation? Raedeke and West both talked about caves, but West said bears will seek anything that will provide them with overhead cover: large hollow tree stumps, rocky areas, and downed trees or logs. ✱ ✱ ✱ As for cougars and other big cats, generally they will follow their prey down the mountains, according to Raedeke and West. Many deer migrate up and down the mountains, depending on the season. Traditionally, elk did the same, but local elk have become very urbanized and don’t migrate nearly as much they used to do, Raedeke said. And while it seems logical for big cats such as cougars to move up and down the mountains with their prey, that isn’t so much the case in the Issaquah area, according to Brian Kertson, a biologist with the state Department of Fish and
Wildlife. Kertson is the author of an extensive study of cougars in the Issaquah area. His study included tracking cougars with GPS and radio transmitters. According to Kertson, there were few seasonal changes in the territories of the cats he tracked. Their menus did change with the seasons, with beavers becoming common targets in late winter. Deer and elk are the cats’ favorite food for much of the rest of the year. “I really don’t have any explanation for it,” Kertson said of the dietary changes. Regardless, he said winter is a great time to be a cougar. During the colder months, deer and elk can be especially vulnerable to predators because of their lower nutritional condition and their increased focus on finding food. “This is especially true if the winter is colder and wetter than normal,” Kertson said. Further, in colder months, cougars don’t have to worry much about opportunistic bears who ordinarily might try to steal a cat’s fresh kill. ✱ ✱ ✱ All three experts said there seems to be little truth to the idea that animals, including large cats and bears, will start invading your backyard trashcans during the winter looking for an easy meal. Bears simply aren’t out and about much, according to Raedeke and West. As for cougars, Kertson’s study showed there are only three or four resident cats on the three mountains near Issaquah, though there always may be transient cats with no set territory, cats that are more or less just passing through. In any case, Kertson said he doesn’t believe cougars come into urban areas any more or less during the winter months. Raedeke talked about coyotes being plentiful in Western Washington, saying CONTINUE TO PAGE 26
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he has even seen them where he lives in Lake Forest Park. The animals don’t exhibit much seasonal movement, he added. While large mammals get plenty of public attention, smaller animals and birds also inhabit the local mountains, naturally. Recently, Kertson was out and about completing a winter waterfowl count, one he said has been done annually for many years. The count includes ducks, geese and swans. One might assume many birds head south for the winter. “This is down south for many of them,” Kertson said, adding many species move from further north to relatively warmer local climes. He said Lake Washington is a great spot to birdwatch in the winter months, though swans may be scarce. There are many nonmigratory birds in Western Washington, West said. Birds form mixed species flocks in colder months, something that might never happen in the summer. “It’s all about finding food,” he said, adding the large, mixed flocks also help protect birds from predators.
BY GREG FARRAR
A bald eagle takes flight from a tree in downtown Issaquah.
As for finding food, birds do very well even during the winter months and are
probably hardier than many people give them credit for, West said. By the way, those backyard bird feeders filled with seed might not be doing as much good as you think. “Certainly, if you put them out, the birds will use them,” West said. But he added that only a certain percentage of local birds eat seed. Others are more interested in insects or spiders and animal debris than seeds. These are the birds you see hopping around, bobbing up and down in bushes and similar spots, West said. And they are very skilled at finding what they need, he added. As for smaller animals, such as squirrels or raccoons, neither changes their behavior much in winter, according to West. The Douglas squirrels living on the Westside of the Seattle area, as well as the red squirrels more common on the Eastside, are territorial and simply don’t change locales with the seasons. If a squirrel finds a good territory, he or she may stick to the spot for a lifetime, West said. As for raccoons, they have become an urbanized animal, he said. They will largely stay in the same area, no matter
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BY ISIDOR JEKLIN/GLOBAL BIRD PHOTOS
A black-capped chickadee perches on the branch of a tree after a snowfall. The species is distinguished by a black or brown cap with white cheeks and black bill. the season. West added, that as with bears, the idea that small animals hibernate in winter is largely a myth, at least in this area. The only local animal that
fully hibernates is a jumping mouse. Even other types of mice stay active in winter, going about their business beneath the snow cover, if there is any. ■
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Issaquah History Museums Executive Director Erica Maniez leans against a historic road sign at the Gilman Town Hall Museum.
SECRETS ✱ BY CHRISTINA LORDS ✱ PHOTOS BY GREG FARRAR
There are 8,359. And counting. That’s how many artifacts, including 3-D objects and an array of documents, make up the Issaquah History Museums’ collection.
With 7,111 photos to complement the collection, there’s no better place to get a sense of what makes Issaquah, well, Issaquah. Among the items are rare finds — an unusual Native American trading knife buried beneath the floor of an Issaquah business or a logger’s skidding cone made right here by the town blacksmith. Some are specific to this area, such as an early 1900s billboard — discovered later facedown in a ditch — advertising the latest and greatest in Issaquah merchants, medical care and goods. But while each item lays claim to its own history and back story, every artifact weaves into a fabric that tells a story of who we are as a community, how we came to be and even where we’re going in the future. ■
FIND HIDDEN TREASURES FROM THE PAST IN THE CITY’S UNOFFICIAL ‘ATTIC’
FUR TRADING KNIFE
DONATION DATE: 2006 DONOR: ERIC MARTIN
, As one of the few authentic Native American artifacts in Issaquah s entire , collection, the historical society s fur trading knife from the late 1800s is unique enough to stand out all on its own. But how the knife came to find a home among the collection is equally noteworthy. This type of fur trade knife was manufactured in Europe and traded to Native Americans for furs and pelts. But about 100 years later, while , reconstructing the floor of Issaquah s Auto Freight Building, Eric Martin came along the artifact hidden beneath the floorboards in the 1980s. As a knife , enthusiast, he added it to his collection and didn t think anything else of it until he stumbled upon a similar-looking knife at a museum in Renton. , That s when he realized he may have found something remarkable. The , design on the knife is uncommon and was added by the knife s original owner or the manufacturer.
BRIDESMAID’S DRESS
DONATION DATE: 2008 DONOR: NANCY HORROCKS
, A woman s wedding dress is often the most-kept textile in a family and the history museums has several within its catalogue. But one of the most beautiful , , articles of clothing in the organization s collection isn t a wedding dress — it belonged, instead, to a bridesmaid. , Worn by longtime Issaquah resident Nancy Horrocks at a cousin s wedding in Seattle in 1958, the dress is stored in a custom-made box completely surrounded by tissue paper to preserve its seams, color and shape. Horrocks moved to Issaquah as a small child after World War II in 1945 and graduated from Issaquah High School. CONTINUE TO PAGE 30
Scan the QR code to unlock more museum secrets and see video of another historic treasure.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29
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ISSAQUAH LIVING WINTER 2012
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ROADSIDE SIGN DONATION DATE/DONOR: UNAVAILABLE
IDENTIFICATION TAGS DONATION DATE: 1995 DONOR: DENNY CROSTON
No industries were arguably more essential to the development of Issaquah than coal mining and logging. The Issaquah Superior & Coal Mining Co., organized by Count Alvo von Alvensleben on Squak Mountain, gained the surface and coal rights to about 2,000 acres of land and spent more than $1 million to prepare to take coal from its properties in the early 1900s. More than 500 men were employed as the mine was beginning to open, with a monthly payroll of $30,000. More businesses and homes were developed in Issaquah in 1913 than the previous 20 years. To keep track of a miner as he entered and exited the mine, workers carried time check disks to keep track of who was underground. The disks may have also been used to determine how many hours the worker had put in that day.
WATER PIPES DONATION DATE: 2006 DONOR: UNAVAILABLE
, Issaquah s early 1900s water system was made of wood, held together with wire and solidified with tar. , Without readily available fire hydrants, the town s volunteer fire department would dig to a pipe and drill a hole to access the water underground. ,, Some of the water pipes they have found have mul,, tiple holes punched into them to be repaired later, said Erica Maniez, Issaquah History Museums executive director. ,, It makes fire hydrants look like a major technological ,, breakthrough now. Holes were often patched with a wooden plug and held together with tar after use.
With its worn wood, faint paint and hand-drawn lettering, a nearly 7-foot billboard advertising some of , Issaquah s finest merchants, stores and businessmen was almost lost to the elements. The billboard, which was found in a ditch, was among some of the first pieces to be collected by the historical society as,, it began to form in the early 1970s. This is sort of the prototype of those little blue infor,, mation signs you see now on the side of the highway, said Erica Maniez, Issaquah History Museums executive director. The roadside board, thought to have been created in about 1910, boasts Issaquah businesses only a mile away, , such as J.J. Lewis Hardware, the Kandy Shop and Gibson s Pharmacy. Some stores, such as the hardware shop that was in business for more than 100 years, had equal staying power. The initialized toolbox that belonged to Lewis himself is also a coveted piece in the Issaquah collection.
VIOLIN
MEDICINE BAG
THE SECOND JAIL
DONATION DATE: 2009 DONOR: IVOR MORGAN’S CHILDREN
While his parents lived in the Pacific Coast Coal Co. housing below the coalbunkers on Mine Hill, Ivor Morgan was born July 29, 1914 — the first day of World War I. Morgan had an uncommon opportunity to further his education beyond graduating from Issaquah High School in 1933 after his father sent him to college at the University of Washington. The Issaquah native went on to receive a medical degree from George Washington University and completed an internship at Harborview Medical Center before establishing a private practice in North Seattle. He also provided medical services for an Arab-American oil company in Saudi , Arabia and was well-traveled. His doctor s bag and medical , kit remain a part of the museums collection.
DONATION DATE: 2011 DONOR: GARRY ANDERSON
Not only was Thomas Jefferson Cherry one of the , Issaquah valley s earliest settlers, but with the help of his violin, he may have been the most entertaining. Cherry journeyed to Issaquah in the 1860s and became close friends with James Bush and his family. Because Cherry had no wife or children to inherit the instrument, the violin was handed down through the Bush family for generations. ,, It was most likely the only source of music in the valley at that particular time other than people whistling to ,, themselves, said Erica Maniez, Issaquah History Museums ,, executive director. It was one of the few portable instru,, ments that we know about. The item was the oldest object to be acquired by the organization last year.
, , It wasn t Issaquah s first jail or its last. And while it was only in commission between the years 1914 and 1930, what the structure lacks in actual use, it makes up for in character and lore. After a handful of inebriated loggers were incar, cerated in the town s first jail — made of wood on Mill Street — they reportedly kicked down their cell after guards failed , to remove the men s hobnailed logging boots. This fortified concrete two-cell cement structure was created to house the town miscreants, drunks and other unsavory townsfolk. It has 8-inch walls, an 80-pound bar to secure the door and still remains intact behind the Town Hall Museum. Scan the QR code to unlock more museum secrets and see video of another historic treasure.
LATEST DISCOVERIES COMMUNITY MEMBERS ✱ BY CHRISTINA LORDS UNEARTHED ARTIFACTS LAST YEAR FOR MUSEUMS COLLECTION Scan the QR code to unlock more museum secrets and see video of another historic treasure.
Mary Scott was looking for stock at a yard or estate sale when she found it. As a local antique dealer and Issaquah History Museums volunteer, she knew there was more to the old 16by-16-by-26 inch wooden box on wheels than what probably met the eye. And while officials with the museums are still trying to figure out the technical term for it, for now it’s been dubbed the hot box — a contraption meant to keep large amounts of food warm while it’s transported en masse to railroad workers or loggers at mealtimes. It is thought to have been used between 1890 and 1920. Scott joined more than 40 other donors in 2011 to bring in artifacts and photographs that help piece together Issaquah’s rich history one item at a time. Items donated to the organizations must, first and foremost, be linked to Issaquah, and they must also have unique appeal. While the hot box is the second thermal box in the collection, the organization decided to keep it because of how uncommon they are and how complete this one is, said Collections Manager Julie Hunter. “This is a rather unusual item, and it’s interesting to me that it’s the second one that we’ve acquired,” she said. “I think that says a lot about how much lumbering and railroad work was done in this area.” Items like the hot box offer a window into the everyday life of people of the
past, she said. “They were manufactured specifically to make large quantities of food hot and moveable,” she said. “You have a series of tins here, almost like oversized bento boxes. You would put hot water or hot coals underneath the bottom grid to keep things warm.” The museums’ collection is now home to 2011’s oldest donated piece — a violin with its case that belonged Thomas Jefferson Cherry, one of Issaquah’s earliest settlers, who came to this valley in the 1860s. The museums also received a donation that was originally part of the first St. Joseph’s Catholic Church erected in 1896 on Mill Street, or modern day Issaquah’s Sunset Way. In 1964, construction of a new church began on Mountain View Boulevard, and Mass was first held there March 7, 1965. But in the meantime, the original church building had fallen into disrepair. Museums’ Director Erica Maniez said some of the churchgoers at the time recall grass growing up through the floorboards of the old church. The original church’s high altar, carefully stored by Bill and Eleanor Somsak for nearly 50 years, was donated to the museums in 2011 on their behalf by their son Jeff Somsak. The high altar will soon find a new home on display at the Issaquah Train Depot. The collection also picked up present-day items this year that will certainly hold historical significance later, such as the promotional materials from Swedish/Issaquah’s opening in 2011. ■
SKIDDING CONE DONATION DATE: 2004 DONOR: LAVERA MCCLOSKEY MITCHELL
, As a valued and rare addition to the museum s logging artifacts, a skidding cone — also known as a logging bell — was often used to haul single logs by one horse allowing for single-man logging operations. This cone was used in the 1920s and 1930s by pole cutter Peter McCloskey Jr. Jack Alexander, the town blacksmith and husband to Stella Alexander, made the bell.
Scan the QR code to unlock more museum secrets and see video of another historic treasure.
GRAFFITI BOARD DONATION DATE: 2001 DONOR: ISSAQUAH SALMON HATCHERY
Magnus Seilberg probably never thought his graffiti would see the light of day. ,, This was the way we had of existing. These happy ,, days of capitalism, he clandestinely wrote into a wall of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery on Sept. 17, 1938. , His message didn t resurface until 63 years later, when members of a restoration project uncovered the penciling , and added ,, it to the museums collection. We ended up doing research on him because a quote ,, like that cries out for context, said Erica Maniez, Issaquah History Museums executive director. After emigrating from Sweden in the 1920s, Seilberg settled in the area just as the Great Depression hit. He was intermittently in and out of work while trying to support his wife and children. In 1930, his wife died during childbirth, and Seilberg placed a notice in the newspaper to thank Issaquah residents for contributing funds for her burial. Seilberg scribbled the note while he was a laborer for a project through the Works Progress Administration, the New Deal agency that oversaw the construction of public buildings ,, and roads, including the hatchery. ,, ,,This, is the type of artifact you just live for,,, Maniez said. It s like receiving a message from the past.
ISSAQUAH LIVING WINTER 2012
CLUBS ORGANIZATIONS
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KIWANIS CLUB OF PROVIDENCE POINT, ISSAQUAH • Noon Fridays • Collin Hall, 4135-A Providence Point Drive S.E. • Guests are welcome, lunch $5 • 427-9060 • ferrinlauve@msn.com MOMS IN PRAYER INTERNATIONAL • Times and dates vary • 369-2956 • lindaryee@comcast.net • www.momsinprayer.org
BY GREG FARRAR
FISH docents and other members of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery support the club as their families and friends walk in the 2011 Salmon Days Grande Parade.
FRIENDS OF THE ISSAQUAH SALMON HATCHERY Help the Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery tell the story of our local salmon to thousands of students and visitors who come to the hatchery each year. Fish volunteers describe the salmon life cycle and the , salmon s trek from a treacherous journey at sea, their fight against the current and their ultimate return to spawn in Issaquah Creek. FISH cultivates a sense of wonder about these remarkable fish and tells the story of salmon in a way that fosters a natural lifelong commitment to their well-being. Docents are trained by fish biologists, watershed man-
MOMS CLUB OF THE SAMMAMISH PLATEAU • Third Friday of the month • Pine Lake Covenant Church, 1715 228th Ave. S.E. • 295-2530 • membership@momsclubsammamish.org • http://momsclubsammamish.org ISSAQUAH BUSINESS BUILDERS • 7:30 a.m. the first and third Thursday of the month
agers and hatchery staff members to lead tours, answer questions, promote watershed stewardship and assist with in-class presentations and Salmon Science Camps. They also offer environmentally friendly car-wash kits for fundraisers and a Salmon Trunk full of activities for classroom instruction. • Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery • 125 W. Sunset Way • 392-1118 • jane@issaquahfish.org • www.issaquahfish.org
• IHOP Restaurant, 1433 N.W. Sammamish Road • info@issaquahnetworking.com • www.issaquahnetworking.com ISSAQUAH ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL • 392-4908 • iecaction@gmail.com • www.issaquahaction.org
LA LECHE LEAGUE • 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of the month • Sammamish Fire Station 83, 3425 Issaquah-Pine Lake Road • 677-8209 • LLL.sammamish@gmail.com • www.lllusa.org/web/sammamishWA.html ISSAQUAH GARDEN CLUB • 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of the month • Tibbetts Creek Manor, 750 Renton-Issaquah Road • info@issaquahgardenclub.org • www.issaquahgardenclub.org EASTSIDE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY • 7 p.m. the second Thursday of the month • Redmond Public Library, 15990 N.E. 85th Ave. • www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wakcegs AMERICAN RHODODENDRON SOCIETY, CASCADE CHAPTER • 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month • Bellevue Presbyterian Church, 1717 Bellevue Way N.E. • 391-2366 • www.arscascade.org
CASCADE REPUBLICAN WOMEN’S CLUB • 11:30 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month • Sammamish Plateau Club, 25625 E. Plateau Drive • 861-7910 • www.cascadewomen.bravehost.com ELKS LODGE NO. 1843 • 7 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of the month • 765 Rainier Blvd. N. • 392-1400 • http://home.earthlink.net/ ~lk-samm-elks-1843 REX (RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE) FOR THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS • 1:30 p.m. the first Sunday of the month • St. Joseph parish hall, 200 Mountain Park Blvd. S.W. • 392-5682 • finneganrm@aol.com • www.sjcissaquah.org, and then search for REX ISSAQUAH HISTORY MUSEUMS • Become a docent at the Issaquah Depot or Gilman Town Hall • 392-2500 • info@issaquahhistory.org • www.issaquahhistory.org ISSAQUAH EAGLES AERIE AND AUXILIARY • 7:30 p.m. the second and third Wednesday of the month • 175 Front St. N. • www.foe3054.org ISSAQUAH EMBLEM CLUB • 7 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of the month • Elks Lodge, 765 Rainier Blvd. N. • 392-1400 • http://home.earthlink.net/~issaquah503 ISSAQUAH LIBRARY • 10 W. Sunset Way • 392-5430 • www.kcls.org JUDAIKIDS HEBREW SCHOOL • 3:30 p.m. every Wednesday • Chabad of Central Cascades, 24121 S.E. Black Nugget Road • 427-1654 • www.chabadissaquah.com ISSAQUAH NETWORKERS • 7:30 a.m. every other Wednesday • IHOP Restaurant,
BY GREG FARRAR
Guide Dog pups and their owners arrive for training practice, as the future adult guide dogs learn at an aircraft cabin mockup to navigate their masters onto airplane flights.
EAGER EYE GUIDE PUPS Do you enjoy the joy and fun of raising and training a puppy? You can become a service dog trainer with Eager Eye Guide Pups and learn to develop energetic, curious pups into mature, dependable dogs that are well-behaved, well-traveled, people- and animal-friendly, socialized and responsive to commands. Pups are 8 weeks old when they are brought into their , raiser s home. The raiser is tasked with taking their pups to malls, grocery stores, work and school, with the dogs accompanying the raiser through a normal day just as they will at 14-18 months, when they are graduated and given to their disabled client. Scheduled meetings include outings
1433 N.W. Sammamish Road • 837-5483 • craig@plateaucomputer.com • www.issaquahnetworkers.com TAKE POUNDS OFF SENSIBLY • 8:30 a.m. Thursdays • Our Savior Lutheran Church, 745 Front St. S. • 392-7866 • jolettahatfield@comcast.net • www.tops.org ISSAQUAH COMMUNITY NETWORK • 5:30 p.m. the first Monday of the month • Hailstone Feed Store, 232 Front St. N. • 391-0592 • issaquahcommunitynetwork@ mindspring.com • www.issaquahcommunitynetwork.com EASTSIDE WELCOME CLUB • 10 a.m. the first Wednesday of the month • Meeting and event locations vary
specifically designed for puppy socialization. Puppy raising groups meet regularly under the direction of a leader trained by Guide Dogs for the Blind. The meetings offer a place to learn about training techniques, meet other raisers and participate in excursions with the puppy. • Eager Eye Guide Pups • 6 p.m. some Sundays • Issaquah Police Station Eagle Room • 644-7421 • http://eagereyeguidepups.com
• 868-2851 • jobarboy@comcast.net • http://newcomersclub.com/wa.html CASCADE MOUNTAIN MEN • Shoot (black powder, muzzle loading) is at noon the third Sunday of the month • Meeting is at 8 p.m. the preceding Tuesday • 865-8965 • www.cascademountainmen.com ISSAQUAH VALLEY ROCK CLUB • 7 p.m. the last Friday of the month • Issaquah Senior Center, 75 N.E. Creek Way • 321-0333 • www.issaquahrockclub.org FRIENDS OF THE ISSAQUAH LIBRARY • 7 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month • Issaquah Library, 10 W. Sunset Way CONTINUE TO PAGE 34
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• questions@issaquahtm.org • www.issaquahtm.org DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, CASCADE CHAPTER • 10:30 a.m. the second Tuesday of the month • Bellevue Red Lion Inn, 11211 Main St. • 454-1350 • fayekraft@gmail.com • www.facebook.com/pages/ Daughters-of-the-American-RevolutionCascade-Chapter/191682094175378 A DEEPER WELL, CHRISTIAN DISCUSSION GROUP • 8 p.m. the last Tuesday of the month • Sunset Ale House, 20 Front St. S. • 392-4169 • www.oslcissaquah.org BY GREG FARRAR
Marv Nielsen (left), president of Sunset Highway Cruisers, and member Joe Forkner unload a 10,000-pound truck filled with toys for the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank after the 2011 Jingle Bell Cruz toy drive.
SUNSET HIGHWAY CRUISERS Back when Gilman Boulevard was the Sunset Highway, a group of car enthusiasts joined with the Triple XXX Rootbeer Drive-in to host three car shows annually. The tradition continues to bring hundreds of shiny vehicles to the iconic Issaquah restaurant every weekend of the summer, and the three original car shows now benefit Life Enrichment Options. LEO is a community-based nonprofit organization that advocates for and works to support individuals with developmental disabilities. Volunteers at LEO help them achieve their lifestyle goals by securing supportive housing, recreation, employment opportunities and community education.
, Sunset Highway Cruisers events are open to anyone who wishes to show off his or her car or just wander amid the chrome and sip root beer. Past donations from car show patrons donating to LEO at the Spring Opener and the late summer MegaCruise have ranged from dollar bills to $6,000. Their recent Jingle Bell Cruz event raised $8,000 for the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank. • Sunset Highway Cruisers • 392-1921 • Triple XXX Rootbeer Drive-in, 98 N.E. Gilman Blvd. • http://lifeenrichmentoptions.org
• davewettstein@gmail.com • www.issyfriends.org
• info@arteast..org • www.arteast.org
FRIENDS OF THE SAMMAMISH LIBRARY • 5:15 p.m. the first Thursday of the month • Sammamish Library meeting room, 825 228th Ave. N.E. • 868-3057 • www.sammamishlibraryfriends.org
SAMMAMISH GARDEN CLUB • 9:30 a.m. the second Tuesday of the month in members’ homes • 836-0421 • cathywebst@aol.com • www.elwd.org/about.aspx
SAMMAMISH HERITAGE SOCIETY • 7:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month • Pine Lake Community Center, 21333 S.E. 20th St. • sammamish.heritage@hotmail.com • www.sammamishheritage.org ARTEAST AND UP FRONT STUDIO • 95 Front St. N. • 392-3191
ROTARY CLUB OF ISSAQUAH • Noon Tuesdays • Tibbetts Creek Manor, 750 17th Ave. N.W. • 392-5650 • don@tateandoellrich.com • www.issaquahrotary.org GREATER ISSAQUAH TOASTMASTERS • 6:45 p.m. Thursdays • Bellewood Retirement Community, 3710 Providence Point Drive S.E.
BEAVER LAKE COMMUNITY CLUB • info@beaverlake.org • www.beaverlake.org PARENTS, FAMILIES & FRIENDS OF LESBIANS & GAYS • 206-325-7724 • info@pflag-bellevue.org • www.pflag.org EASTSIDE INTERFAITH SOCIAL CONCERNS COUNCIL • St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 4228 Factoria Blvd. S.E. • Noon the second Tuesday • 206-617-1511 • www.eiscc.net ISSAQUAH ALPS TRAILS CLUB • www.issaquahalps.org GOLDEN HORSESHOES 4H CLUB • western.riding@comcast.net • www.goldenhorseshoes.net KIWANIS CLUB OF ISSAQUAH • Noon Wednesdays • Gibson Hall, 105 Newport Way S.W. • 392-4016 • www.issaquah.kiwanis.org KIWANIS CLUB OF SAMMAMISH • 7 a.m. Wednesdays • Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church, 22818 S.E. Eighth St. • www.sammamishkiwanis.org MYRTLE MASONIC LODGE NO. 108 • 7:30 p.m. the third Thursday
• http://myrtlelodge108.org
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN ROTARY CLUB OF SAMMAMISH • 7:15 a.m. Thursdays • Bellewood Apartments, 3710 Providence Point Drive S.E. • http://sammamishrotary.org
, , At the forefront of championing local girls and women s issues is the Issaquah chapter of the American Association of University Women, a group that gives special attention to uniting women not only in their educational and professional lives, but also in their hobbies and special interests. With subgroups such as the Stylish Shuttle and Great Decisions, the AAUW has something for every woman, including those who enjoy hiking, movies, gourmet cooking, bridge and ballet. Founded in 1979, the AAUW works to break through educational and economic barriers affecting women and girls. The group hosts monthly meetings from September through June with guest speakers discussing varied topics, including the new high school STEM programs, sexual harassment, forestry and autoimmune diseases. Local authors, enactments of heroic women and a potluck recognition breakfast also fill the 2012 AAUW calendar.
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 3436 • 7 p.m. the third Tuesday • Issaquah Senior Center, 75 N.E. Creek Way • www.vfw.org EASTSIDE CAMERA CLUB • www.eastsidecameraclub.com ISSAQUAH VALLEY SENIOR CENTER • 75 N.E. Creek Way • www.issaquahseniorcenter.org ISSAQUAH SPORTSMEN’S CLUB • 23600 S.E. Evans St. • 392-3311 • www.issaquahsportsmensclub.com ISSAQUAH WOMEN’S CLUB • 9:30 a.m. the first Thursday • Tibbetts Creek Manor, 750 17th Ave. N.W. • www.issaquahwomensclub.org
CONTRIBUTED
For the 100th anniversary of Marie Curie’s second Nobel Prize, Carole Berg, a chemistry professor at Bellevue College, presented a spirited enactment of Curie for an American Association of University Women luncheon in 2011 at Timber Ridge at Talus. HOPE ON THE HILL GUILD • The first Thursday • info@hopeonthehillguild.com • www.hopeonthehillguild.org
• American Association of University Women • Meets monthly, dates and locations vary • 961-0023 • issaquah@aauw-wa.org • www.aauw-issaquah.org ISSAQUAH MOMS GROUP • Meeting and event locations vary • www.meetup.com/issy-moms-group
19 EXPERIENCE LIFE IN ISSAQUAH
100 YEARS AGO —
OUTHOUSES, SALOONS AND ALL
Forget the buttoned-up suburb, circa 2012, to envision Issaquah from a century ago. Issaquah in 1912 included more saloons than churches. The coalmines and logging camps attracted a tough-as-nails crowd. The era required a little more steel in the backbone. Townsfolk eked out a hardscrabble life, but still managed to loosen up at the Stockholm Hotel & Saloon or Clark’s Place. In homes, simple conveniences — indoor plumbing, for instance — ranked as unheard-of luxuries. Imagine a typical day from 1912.
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The chill February air is a bracing alarm, almost as difficult to ignore as the crowing rooster outside. Outside, people start to stir on unpaved roads and wooden sidewalks. The horse-drawn buggies responsible for hauling passengers and freight around town clatter along muddy streets to the Issaquah & Superior Coal Mining Co. or the lumber mill along Lake Sammamish. The scene is typical for folks rising to face the day in Issaquah on a February morning a century ago. Some already descended into the earth before dawn to mine coal, or rose to milk cattle at the Pickering farm. Issaquah in 1912 is at a crossroads — no longer on the frontier, but not quite
genteel enough to lose a long-held reputation as a rough-and-tumble outpost. Settlers pushed into the Squak Valley decades earlier, attracted by fertile land and, later, rich coal deposits buried inside the mountains. Still, despite coal and timber booms, Issaquah — a recent name change for a town founded 20 years earlier as Gilman — remains a flyspeck on maps, even a dozen years into the 20th century. For most of the 700 or so people in Issaquah a century ago, days revolve around toil on a farm, in a forest or, most commonly, deep inside a coal mine. Life is simple, but far from painless. Even the morning routine necessitates some elbow grease. The day often starts by emptying the chamber pot or saunter-
ing to the outhouse. In rustic Issaquah, a flushing toilet does not answer nature’s call. Newfangled indoor plumbing remains rare, although electricity is available day and night in homes. In the late 1880s, townsfolk used wooden pipes to link the settlement to the Lake Tradition watershed and create a sophisticated water system. Though potable water is plentiful, residents must trudge to a communal pump to collect water for washing and more. Smoke from fireplaces and stoves lingers in the still air, a gray blanket clinging to the cold ground. The smoke comes, for the most part, from coal-fired stoves, so the smell is less aromatic than the curls rising from a wood stove. In Issaquah a century ago, after all, CONTINUE TO PAGE 38
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coal is king. Breakfast, for instance, is cooked on a coal stove. The meal is ample and, because people in the early 20th century do not fear fat, salt or sugar, all appear in abundant amounts. Most jobs in Issaquah require brawn for men and women alike, so townsfolk need to consume more calories — to fuel tasks, sure, and to generate enough energy to remain warm in a cool climate. Though railroads enable far-flung areas to sample exotic spices, tastes remain simple in the rural community. Eggs come from the chickens scratching in the yards and lanes throughout Issaquah. Flour for bread and biscuits comes from Gibson’s, a general store, or Cubbons’ Grocery; bacon from Fischer Brothers Meats. Long before the locavore label made farm-to-table eating fashionable, residents relied on local food sources out of necessity. Other meals include simple fare, too. Staples at lunch and dinner fall into the meat-and-potatoes category. Sunday suppers or a visit from out-of-town guests merit a more upscale menu — creamed salmon and devil’s food cake, maybe.
1912 COOKING, CLEANUP AND MOST HOUSEHOLD DUTIES REMAIN TASKS FOR WOMEN. MEN SPEND THE DAYS IN THE COALMINES, FORESTS AND FARMS. The division between genders is less pronounced in Issaquah and other settlements, but cooking, cleanup and most household duties remain tasks for women. Men spend the days in the coalmines, forests and farms responsible for powering the local economy. Some women hold
jobs as seamstresses or laundresses, usually out of necessity. The near-constant logging and mining reshaped the Issaquah landscape in the years before 1912. The mountains arranged around the hamlet bear scars from logging past and present — a patchwork as uneven as a mangy dog’s coat. Strong men continue the backbreaking work to chop trees from the mountainsides for bustling mills in the area. Downtown is a ramshackle collection of shops, saloons and houses alongside wooden sidewalks — a Wild West scene in the Cascade foothills. Despite rail access to points beyond, Issaquah remains isolated. People mill along city streets in plain clothes fashioned by hand from cotton and wool. Most garments originated at home, though a handful of seamstresses and Van Winkle’s Store offer more polished pieces. The predominant looks: high collars and long skirts for ladies; hats and work clothes for gentlemen. The streets have names, by the way, but numbered addresses do not yet exist. Though Henry Ford unleashed the Model T in 1908, a car is a rare site on
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Issaquah streets. The first car arrived in the city in 1911, delivered on a train. Men unloaded and assembled the vehicle. Most fuel for the vehicles along city streets comes from the Issaquah Hay & Grain Store. The horse and buggy is still the most common conveyance in the 1910s. Newcastle, Renton or Seattle — nearby cities after automobiles and interstates transformed the region — still require a long trip, either by train or, in a speedier setup, by auto stage, or hired car. (The journey to Seattle by auto stage ended along the Lake Washington shore; passengers boarded a ferry for the next leg.) Still, the trip to Seattle lasted about 90 minutes on auto stage and ferry, and longer on a train. The distance does not stop comings and goings from Issaquah. Townsfolk head across the lake each day to conduct legal business at the King County Courthouse in Seattle, call on family and friends, or receive specialized medical treatment. Otherwise, affable Dr. William Gibson — or Doc Gibson to townsfolk — could handle routine medical matters. (The doctor also serves as Issaquah mayor in 1912.) Mail arrives at Gibson’s Drugstore.
1912 BEHIND THE SCENES In order to offer a glimpse into life in 1912, Erica Maniez, Issaquah History Museums executive , director, plumbed the organization s extensive collection to find documents and artifacts to demonstrate how locals lived a century ago. Material from the Polk Directory (a guide to cities launched in the late 19th century) and The Coast (a magazine chronicling the Pacific Northwest) offered useful nuggets about everyday life in the then-20-year-old city. Photographs from the museums archives and vintage recipes from the collection rounded out the portrait.
The proprietor, John Gibson, is also the postmaster. Telegrams — a more rapid form of communication — come to the train depot. Commerce established a beachhead early in downtown Issaquah. The stately
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Bank of Issaquah is palatial inside, down to the polished spittoons near the teller windows. Albin’s Place proffers candy and soda to children. Townsfolk snag some popcorn from a cart set up outside on sunny days. Come nightfall, after men ascend from the coalmines and descend from the logging areas, residents clean up to see vaudevillians or other traveling performers at community halls. Others troop to meetings of fraternal organizations — Freemasons and Odd Fellows both put down roots in Issaquah early. Saloons entice patrons inside for refreshment after long days. Though Issaquah in 1912 is home to Baptist, Catholic and Methodist churches, at least eight saloons quench patrons’ thirst. Some folks stay home and read by electric light or a kerosene lamp, perhaps a book checked out from the small library operating at the town hall. Darkness causes the pace to slow, but activity still buzzes along the muddy streets until late into the evening. More toil starts early the next morning, but in the meantime, Issaquah rests. ■
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So, winter is finally winding down. The sun doesn’t set until after you’ve left work, and maybe, just maybe, there will be an actual summer this year. If you’re hoping for a summer full of fresh-from-the garden veggies and tree branches laden with fruit, now is a good time to start, but don’t expect to enjoy the fruits of your labor right away. “Plants need time in the ground to grow, bud, bloom and fruit,” Jane Garrison, a local master gardner wrote in an email. “You need light to grow plants, and we don’t get enough until after March 15. You need heat to grow plants too, and last year we didn’t get enough until August.” But don’t be discouraged, say gardening experts. There’s plenty you can do now to will give you rewards in the coming months. “There’s a whole bunch of stuff to put in the ground in February,” said Matt Pommer, general manager at Squak Mountain Nursery. Some vegetables, for example, do best in the spring and fall, preferring the socalled “shoulder seasons,” Pommer said. In particular, rhubarb, asparagus and horseradish can be planted around now. Cauliflower and lettuce are other good examples, Pommer said. They like cool weather, not the mid-summer heat, and tend to do well in the early spring. For those who want a little something sweeter, berries — blueberries, raspberries, marionberries — are all good to plant in February. Pommer warns, however, that the younger bushes will be less likely to bear fruit. Some three-year-old berry plants may sprout fruit this year, but anything younger will likely need time to mature before you can start making pies from them. Fruit trees can also go in the ground now, and will also take a few years to bear fruit, Pommer said. Classic Washington fruits like apple and cherry can work, but he said his company is starting to carry other sorts like peaches and pluots (a mixture of plum and apricot). “We’re doing a few thing off the beaten path,” he said. While people might conjure up images of a dirt-covered root ball going in a big hole, that isn’t the only option. A lower-cost option is to plant a bare-root tree, Pommer said. In this case, the 6-foot to 9-foot tree will have a few spindly roots coming off the bottom and, while it will be packed in sawdust and wrapped in a bag at the store, it won’t have any soil attached. Besides the lower cost, this option is also easier on the back, since the tree won’t be as heavy. One downside, Pommer cautioned, is that when buying a bare-root tree, residents must be prepared to plant it right away. The tree won’t survive long with just some sawdust on its roots and ideally, should be placed in the ground the same day it comes home from the nursery. The bare-root option only works
DO W N WINTER WANES _ AND ✱ BY ARI CETRON
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MASTER GARDENERS
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You can reach master gardeners through the Center for Urban Horticulture at 206-685-5104 and online at www.kingcountymg.org.
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JANE GARRISON MASTER GARDENER this time of year, Pomer said. Once spring comes and the trees break out of their winter dormancy, it will be too late for bare root. “Once April comes around, that window of opportunity is over,” he said. ✱ ✱ ✱ Michael Aguilar, lawn and garden manager at The Grange Supply in Issaquah, suggests February is a great time to work on maintaining your existing gardens. “Right now is a time that you should be pruning fruit trees and your roses,” Aguilar said.
It can also be a good time to coat fruit trees with a “dormant spray.” This spray, which can have organic options, will help protect the trees from diseases and insects later in the year, Aguilar said. In the case of a vegetable garden, particularly raised beds, Aguilar suggests laying a coat of manure of compost on top of the soil, but don’t mix it in yet. A 3-inch to 4-inch layer should prevent weed growth, and will allow some nutrients to seep into the soil below. Fertilizing in general is probably wasted at this point, since the ground is too cold and plants won’t be absorbing anything. Aguilar also offers a word of caution when raking old leaves for compost. Rose leaves, he said, can often have a fungus, and placing them in a compost heap might spread the fungus around. It’s safer to just dispose of the rose leaves and use tree leaves in the compost heap. ✱ ✱ ✱ Maybe you’re aching for some justpicked tomatoes, or other fruits that grow later in the year. This might be a good time for starting plants indoors. A couple of cheap seed packets and some small pots and soil can be enough to get a jump on growing those plants. The trick will be knowing when to start them so they are just the right size for transplanting to an outdoor area at the right time. CONTINUE TO PAGE 42
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YOU NEED LIGHT TO GROW PLANTS, AND WE , DON T GET ENOUGH UNTIL AFTER MARCH 15. YOU NEED HEAT TO GROW PLANTS, TOO, AND LAST YEAR WE , DIDN T GET ENOUGH ,, UNTIL AUGUST.
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BASICS FIX THE DAMAGE Trees and shrubs took a beating during the January storms. And the time to deal with that damage is now, before such plants start their spring growth, said Matt Pommer, general manager at Squak Mt. Greenhouses & Nursery. Damaged branches can be a point of entry for insects and disease, so removing them quickly is critical to the health of a tree, so it does not have an open wound. When removing a branch, Pommer said, try to get close to the tree trunk, but not so close as to damage the collar or trunk. Pommer recommends using a nice, clean pruning cut. , In layman s terms, that means cutting close to the trunk, but not flush against it. While there should be a bit of branch left, leaving a few inches is probably too much. When in doubt, or if the tree is particularly valuable, it is probably best to consult with a professional arborist. PLANTING FOR WINTER Winters in the Puget Sound area are generally mild. The days are short and usually wet. Local master gardeners recommend the spot chosen for winter gardening be well-drained and receive the maximum amount of sun.
BY ARI CETRON
Pansies and cyclamen are among the first flowers to bloom as the weather warms.
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✱ ✱ ✱ February can also be a great time to start on flowering plants. “If the ground’s not frozen, you can plant trees and shrubs,” Pommer said. It’s too late for early blooming plants like daffodils or forsythia, those should have been planted in the fall for blooms this spring. But there are a lot of other choices for plants that will give some color in the late winter or early spring. Garrison suggests flowers like pansies and primroses can be planted now to get
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Some seeds can be sewn now for later transplanting, while others should probably wait a bit longer. Pommer suggested that staff at a garden center or even the seed packet could give the best advice about when to start those plants from seeds. He noted that even if a plant started indoors is transplanted outside too early, and is damaged or killed by a late frost, it won’t be too much of a loss, since the time and money invested in at that point should be minimal.
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Carole Moklebust plants a container of flowers that could add some early color to gardens. some color later in the year. Winter Daphne, a plant known for its fragrance, can be planted now, Pommer said. Ornamental trees are also good for planting around now. The key, said Pommer is getting them planted before they break out of their winter dormancy and start new growth. While the selection at garden stores may not be as extensive this time of year, people who find the right tree shouldn’t be worried about planting it. “It’s a great time to put a tree in,” Pommer said. ■
APARTMENT DWELLERS People with small yards _ or no yards _ do not have to be left out of winter gardening. While some might be eager to jump on hanging plants that will burst with color in late spring, it is probably too early for that, said Matt Pommer, general manager of Squak Mt. Greenhouses & Nursery. There are plenty of options for container gardening, he said. For those who might want some edible gardening, container-grown lettuce and even potted blueberries can be an option. For people just looking for a dash of color to brighten the late winter days, there are a variety of flowers, like daffodils or primroses, that can work in containers, too.
Acacia Hair Salon helps everyone look their best The philosophy at Acacia Hair Salon, at Snoqualmie Ridge, is to create an experience where you can step away from the demands of life, put your trust in the very skilled designers and leave feeling like they have truly improved your appearance. Acacia is proud to serve the whole family, including haircuts, styling, coloring, waxing, and makeup. Acacia also offers the latest retail & styling products and stylists engage in continuing education, to keep up with the latest trends. “We believe that a great haircut or color is only the foundation to the exceptional salon experience that every client deserves,” says owner Rene’ Howell. “We strive to go above and beyond to make our clients feel relaxed and pampered. Call 425-396-7036 to schedule your appointment, or visit www.acaciahairsalon.com.
Award-winning hometown news for 112 years! Delivered weekly, updated daily at
www.IssaquahPress.com 425-392-6434
GO THE DISTANCE ✱ BY BOB TAYLOR
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WINTER WEATHER DOES NOT KEEP SEASONED TRIATHLETES FROM YEAR-ROUND TRAINING
he triathlon has become one of the most popular spring and summer sports. It attracts people of all ages, athleticism and professional backgrounds. Essentially, the race consists of swimming, bicycling and running. However, triathlons range in difficulty from the Olympic and sprint races to the rigorous Ironman events. The three popular local races — Issaquah Triathlon, Beaver Lake Triathlon and Lake Sammamish Triathlon — are classified as sprints. Because the actual season does not start until late May, many people put off training for triathlons until the weather warms up. But veteran triathletes like Mark Stendal, of Sammamish, begin preparing for triathlons in January. Stendal has been involved in triathlons for 20 years. He has competed in at least 60 triathlons. “I did five triathlons last year, two sprints and three Olympics,” Stendal said. He is the founder of the Beaver Lake Triathlon, an event held in late August that has grown in popularity every year.
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At top left, swimmers in a wave of participants adjust their goggles and prepare for a starting gun at the 16th annual Beaver Lake Triathlon. Johnna Koenig, of Sammamish (below left), reaches the finish line as the winner of the women,s division in the 2009 Beaver Lake Triathlon. BY GREG FARRAR
On the opposite page, a racer speeds around a corner on West Beaver Lake Drive Southeast, at the beginning of the 13.8-mile leg of the 2010 Beaver Lake Triathlon. BY CHRISTOPHER HUBER
✹ TRIATHLON
101 TRAINING TIPS
Stendal’s early season training does not include taking a dip in the icy Lake Sammamish or Beaver Lake. It does not involve cycling up Duthie Hill Road, either. Rather his preparation for triathlons would seem to benefit anyone trying to get into shape. Stendal, 59, starts his training almost as soon as the last college bowl game ends, or perhaps even earlier depending on the bowl game schedule. “Typically what I do is around the first of January I begin lifting weights,” Stendal said. “It helps build up my lean body.” Stendal’s body softens up bigtime after his last triathlon of the season because he
takes the fall off. “I use big weights,” he said of his weightlifting plan. In addition, Stendal does some aerobic exercises and does his running on a treadmill. Using the treadmill helps his knee joints. He saves the swimming for summer. “When the water in the lake hits 60 degrees, that’s when I start swimming,” said Stendal, who lives near Beaver Lake. Because of his conditioning, he said he is in better shape now than when he first started doing triathlons. “My swimming and bike times are better now. My running time is not as good as when I was 40. I weigh less now than when I was 40,” Stendal said. “I will be 60 CONTINUE TO PAGE 46
Whether one is a seasoned runner or swimmer or a novice who plans to try a triathlon for the first time, the International Triathlon Union maintains that a structured training plan is essential to improve fitness and make the sport enjoyable. Training for sprint triathlons should start at least 14 weeks before the scheduled event. Below are some general suggestions for the frequency of practices on a weekly basis: ● For maintaining ability: swim one or two times per week, bike one time a week, run one time per week ● For improving ability slowly: swim two or three times per week, bike one or two times per week, run two or three times per week ● For improving more quickly: swim three to five times per week, bike two or three times per week, run two or three times per week. For a beginning triathlete, it is estimated that it will take two minutes per 100 meters for the swim leg, about an hour for the bike (averaging 12 mph) and 30 minutes for the run. The two transitions will take anywhere from three to five minutes each.
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at the end of the year. I want to be in better shape at 60 than I was at 40. I really think my almost-60 body could kick my 40-year-old body.” He tells people, “Health is your No. 1 wealth.” Besides conditioning, Stendal maintains a fairly strict diet. “I cut out all meat. In fact I always have a ‘Meatless March,’” he said. “I am more of a vegetarian, although I do eat some fish. My diet also includes fruit, but no red meat.” Before getting involved in triathlons, Stendal had always maintained some kind of athletic activity. He was an allconference football player in high school. As a student at Washington State University, Stendal did not participate in intercollegiate sports but always took a physical education course each semester. “I took courses in boxing, soccer, bowling, weight training and other sports. I have always been interested in sports,” he said. He got started in triathlons as president of the Beaver Lake Community Club. “The club had a triathlon a few years before but we brought it back as a
BY GREG FARRAR
Mark Stendal, 59, the founder of the Beaver Lake Triathlon, does some conditioning situps at the Beaver Lake Park lodge in Sammamish. fundraiser,” Stendal said. “I had never done a triathlon before.” Because he was director of the Beaver Lake Triathlon, Stendal did not compete in the first one. However, the day before the race, he went out and did the entire course. The next year, he was race director and a participant. He has not missed a BLT since. In some years, Stendal competed on a team with his daughter
Samantha, a former Skyline High School student now furthering her education at the University of Oregon. Stendal’s first triathlon was a learning experience. “When I did my first triathlon, it seemed so difficult at the time. There were things I did not understand like the imporCONTINUE TO PAGE 48
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TRIATHLON
101
ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT
SWIMMING Goggles, bathing suit and a wet suit (wet suits range in price but they can also be rented). While training, equipment like a kickboard or a pull buoy can help. If you do not know how to swim, take lessons. The Issaquah Parks & Recreation Department has a swimming program for people of all ages.
BIKING For the noncompetitive type, almost any bike will work. However, it is advisable to ride a bike that will go the distance. A fitness bike is recommended. Mountain bikes can also work if you switch out the tires to a smooth type of tire for riding on the roads. If you are the competitive type, you will want to get as light a bike as you can afford (usually made from carbon fiber) and a bike with a tri-specific geometry. This type of bike is designed to put the rider in a more aerodynamic position and to also , benefit the rider s legs a bit, so they are not so fatigued when starting the run. These bikes can run more than $1,000. There are three types of pedals: basic, cages (or clips) and clipless. The basic pedal is a platform that you push down with your foot. It works, but is not very efficient. The cages are your basic pedal with a cage-like structure that allows you to slip your foot in and keeps it from sliding forward. This allows you to put more force on the pedal without fear of your foot sliding off. The clipless is the most efficient type of , pedal. Efficiency translates to speed. It s called clipless because it does not have a cage or clip on top of the pedal. It allows you to use your energy and force on the whole complete cycle of the pedal stroke. If you want to be competitive, you will need clipless pedals. RUNNING Competitive or noncompetitive athletes should go to a running shoe store and get real running shoes. Training for triathlons is demanding and a good running shoe will help prevent injuries.
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✹ TRIATHLON
101
EAT AND DRINK RIGHT
Besides keeping the body in top shape, the body needs the right foods. Here are some tips from RacingWeight.com: ● Eat fruits and vegetables. Eating a lot of fruit and vegetables is the most effective way to nourish the body for fitness and health. The USDA recommends adult women eat two and a half cups of vegetables per day. Men should aim for three cups. Men and women should aim to consume at least two cups of fruit per day. Fresh, canned, frozen, dried, cut and pureed fruits all count toward the total as does 100 percent fruit juices. ● Eat a balance and a variety of foods. Besides vegetables and fruits, it is recommended to eat whole grain foods six to eight times per week; lean meats, poultry and eggs one or two times per week; fish three to six times per week; dairy three times per week; and beans, nuts, legumes four or five times per week. ● Limit the consumption of fried foods and foods with trans fats. Minimize the consumption of foods that have artificial additives and preservatives. ● Customize your nutrition to your unique body. Each person is genetically unique. Some foods may have different affects on different bodies. Pay attention to how foods and eating patterns affect you. ● Have a drink. Drinking during workouts and races is proven to enhance exercise performance by keeping blood volume higher and core body temperature lower. Sports drinks are always a better choice than plain water because they are absorbed faster and retained better. They also provide energy for muscle contractions as well as fluid for hydration. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER There are plenty of good references for begin,, ning triathletes. Many books such as The , ,, ,, Triathlete s Training Bible or Triathlete , ,, Magazine s Complete Triathlon Book are good sources. There are also numerous magazines available and many online sources.
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tance of nutrition and hydration,” he said. Since that race Stendal always remembers to have a bottle of water and some nutrients at a triathlon. “It doesn’t matter whether you are competing in the Canada Ironman or the BLT. You need nutrition and hydration,” he said. Stendal has done other challenging races in the past including half-Ironmans and the Canada Ironman. The latter, held in Penticton, British Columbia, consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run at an elevation of more than 1,000 feet. “I told my friends I did two Ironmans in one day — my first and my last,” Stendal said with a laugh. “It took nine months of training for that race.” “The thing my trainer taught me for that race was training for an Ironman is a lot like going to a bank. You keep making deposits until one day you make a big withdrawal,” he said. Stendal said he is pleased to see how the Beaver Lake Triathlon has grown in popularity over the years. In fact, the sport of triathlons has grown. “At the time we started the BLT, you could count all the triathlons around the
BY GREG FARRAR
Mark Stendal shares some of his medals for participating in triathlons, Seattle-to-Portland bike races and the 2004 Ironman Canada Triathlon. state on one hand,” he said. “Now there is one almost every weekend.” ■
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BY TOM CORRIGAN
Don Wilson, a founding member of The Ventures, plays guitar in front of a wall , showing off The Ventures gold records in his Sammamish home.
GUITAR GODS ROCK PIONEER DON WILSON AND SON TIM , ENGINEER GUITARS TO CAPTURE CLASSIC SOUND âœą BY CALEB HEERINGA
L
ittle did Don Wilson know that the $15 electric guitar he bought from a pawnshop in Tacoma in 1958 would lead to worldwide fame, more than 100 million albums sold and now his own line of custom-made guitars.
Wilson, a Sammamish resident and the sole surviving original member of seminal rock and roll band The Ventures, has partnered with his son, Issaquah resident Tim Wilson, to translate his band’s rabid international following into a signature line of Ventures guitars. The story of Wilson Brothers Guitars is closely intertwined with the story of The Ventures — the meteoric rise of two 20-something Tacoma-area construction workers to superstardom in the preBritish Invasion 1960s, their influence on countless later bands, and enduring popularity in Japan and the rest of Asia, where The Ventures still perform to thousands of adoring fans. Tired of working construction, Wilson and friend Bob Bogle picked up a pair of beat-up old electric guitars and set to practicing and playing club shows around the area. The band’s modest goals were quickly surpassed when they reworked Chet Atkins’ “Walk Don’t Run” into an instrumental surf-rock anthem. The song was a hit, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Singles charts and turning The Ventures into worldwide stars. “We had aspirations that we could get out of heavy lifting and not pick up anything heavier than a guitar,” Don Wilson said. “We hadn’t even played guitar before.” The band would spend the ensuing decades touring relentlessly behind many other hits, including the theme to the television show “Hawaii Five-O.” By the time The Ventures were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008 — becoming only the second Washington state-based artist in the hall after Jimi Hendrix — The Ventures’ legacy was undeniable. ✱ ✱ ✱ The band was credited with pioneering the “surf-rock” genre, though Wilson and the rest of the band are still lukewarm about being called a surf-rock band. The list of musicians and bands that cite The Ventures as an influence spans genres and generations — George Harrison, Jimmy Page, John Fogerty, The Ramones and thrash-metal band Anthrax are just a handful. And nothing is more central to the ethos of The Ventures than their guitar tones — full of reverb, a bit of fuzz and the round, warm sound commonly associated with surf rock. After beginning their career with a trio of Fenders — a Jazzmaster, a CONTINUE TO PAGE 52
PRESENT
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ISSAQUAH LIVING WINTER 2012
I KNOW WHAT I LIKE , AND WHAT I DON T LIKE IN A GUITAR. I WANTED THEM TO BE AS LIGHT ,, AS POSSIBLE. DON WILSON CO-FOUNDER OF THE VENTURES
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Stratocaster and a Precision Bass — the band adopted the guitars of Los Angeles-based Semie Moseley, who had been working for Rickenbacker International Corp. — a seminal American guitar maker. As The Ventures became a household name throughout the 1960s, Moseley’s “Mosrite” brand guitar became a hot commodity among players eager to piggyback on the band’s unique sound. During their heyday, The Ventures would carry five or six extra Mosrites with them on tour and sell them after their shows. “Whatever The Ventures were playing, people went out and bought,” Tim Wilson said. The band’s distribution deal and sponsorship of Mosrites came to an end in 1968 due to disagreements over money, Tim Wilson said. That was bad news for the Mosrite Co., which ended up filing for bankruptcy a year later. The band was quickly courted again by Fender and would continue to play the guitars for much of the rest of their career. The Ventures would go on to endorse a custommade line of guitars for Fender and Aria guitars. ✱ ✱ ✱ It wasn’t until 2003, though, that Don and Tim decided they would try to capture “The Ventures sound” themselves. The two founded Wilson Brothers Guitars and set to designing a line of guitars that encapsulated the long story of the band. Though they are father and son, The Wilsons elected to name the company Wilson Brothers, partly in honor of Tim’s brother Kelly Wilson, who died in a horse riding accident at the age of 4 in 1966 while Don was touring Japan. The name also speaks to Tim and Don’s relationship over the years, which was stunted at times due to Don’s constant touring. “As I got to know him better over the years … we really became more like brothers rather than dad and son,” Tim Wilson said. ✱ ✱ ✱ Don and Tim Wilson helped design the guitars, though they are actually produced and assembled by Aria Guitars in Asia, because it would be costprohibitive to have it done domestically. Don said Wilson Brothers Guitars have a body design similar to the Mosrites the band used to play, with a playing feel along the lines of a Fender Jazzmaster. The guitars are also designed to be light and feel natural on a player’s shoulders. “I know what I like and what I don’t like in a guitar,” Don Wilson said. “I wanted them to be as light as possible.”
The guitars are designed for players of all experience levels and financial fortitude. Entrylevel guitars start at $200, while deluxe customdesigned versions — modeled after the vintage Mosrites that collectors pay $4,000 or more for — start at about $2,000. J.C. McCormick, the nephew of long-time Ventures band member Nokie Edwards, sells the guitars at his Puyallup music store, J.C.’s Music. Though much of the market for Ventures memorabilia and guitars comes from a small group of rabid Ventures fans, McCormick said he’s surprised by how well the entry-level Wilson Brothers Guitars play. “We get kids that come in here that have never heard of The Ventures that pick these up and start playing and say, ‘Wow this sounds good,’” McCormick said. “I’ve sold so many of these guitars — I didn’t think it was going to go quite so phenomenally.” ✱ ✱ ✱ Tim Wilson said they’ve made a conscious effort not to turn the company into a large-scale mass production — they distribute through “mom and pop” guitar stores as well as on their website. “A lot of the people that run those mom and pop stores are ex-guitar players and band members that can really appreciate” the guitars, Tim Wilson said. “We felt like they would get lost in the shuffle at Guitar Center.” Wilson said the recession has taken a toll on sales in recent years, but the company still moves several hundred guitars a year. Tom Ott, a Poulsbo resident and self-described Ventures nut, owns three Wilson Brothers guitars along with several of the vintage Ventures models. He said he’s impressed by the Wilsons’ ability to approximate the distinct Ventures sound of the old Mosrites in the new line. “The finish is nice, the look is nice and it plays real well,” Ott said, adding that the sound “feels completely controlled when you’re playing. “I’m really pleased” with them, he added of the company’s guitars. “It’s a lot of value for the buck.” Ott said the fact that The Ventures are able to sustain their own line of guitars more than 50 years after the band burst onto the scene speaks to the band’s timelessness. Ott recalls first hearing the band while driving around with friends in high school. “I was driving around with one of my buddies that could afford a car and I heard The Ventures on the stereo,” he said. “I didn’t know what it was but it affected my soul … I’m 67 years old now and I still love this stuff.” ■
PRESENT
BY CALEB HEERINGA
Tim Wilson displays a Wilson Brothers, Guitars offering in a memorabilia-lined room at his father s Sammamish home.
,, WHATEVER THE VENTURES WERE PLAYING, PEOPLE ,, WENT OUT AND BOUGHT. TIM WILSON CO-FOUNDER OF WILSON BROTHERS GUITARS
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ADVERTISER
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INDEX
HEALTH
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Apex Dental Care Barry Feder, DDS and Mark Germack, DDS Eastside Pediatric Dental G2 Sports Therapy Overlake Medical Center Snoqualmie Tribe
ACTIVITIES Issaquah History Museums Village Theatre
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HOME & GARDEN Issaquah Cedar & Lumber Issaquah Glass , Thompson s Hearth & Home
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Susan Gerend, Windermere Nancy Olmos, Windermere Monique Verger-Perrault Pulte Group zHome Howland Development
SCHOOLS Backstage Dance Studio Dance With Miss Sue Eastridge Christian School Forest Ridge School Our Savior Lutheran Preschool Puget Sound Gymnastics & Dance
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FINANCIAL Fisette Financial
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SENIOR LIVING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Red Oak Senior Housing
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FOOD & DINING Agave Cocina & Tequilas Boehms Chocolates Country Pride Restaurant Fischer Meats Flying Pie Pizzeria Issaquah Cafe Pine Lake Ale House WildFin American Grill
VE TE! A S DA E TH
23 38 22 18 23 22 23 4
Acacia Salon Huntington Learning Center Issaquah Insurance Mathnasium VCA Alpine , Animal Hospital Zoriana s Beautique
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SPECIALTY SHOPPING Issaquah Highlands Nault Jewelers Snoqualmie Tobacco Co. & Liquor Store
REAL ESTATE Coldwell Banker Bain Design Duo
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Issaquah/Sammamish 2012
SPRING HOME TOUR Saturday & Sunday April 28 & 29 1:00-5:00 PM each day FREE self-guided tour
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