Open house and cake planned for Royal's golden anniversary
According to long-time Royal Slope resident Shirley Stewart, the two men seated in this photograph are the first mayor of Royal City, Ed O. French, left, and the first treasurer, Francis W. Cobb. They visited the state capitol in Olympia to sign papers making Royal City an official fourth class town. We were unable to identify the other two men in the picture.
ROYAL CITY - The entire community is invited to an open house celebration of Royal City's 50th anniversary at city hall on Feb. 14, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
The celebration will include a 50th birthday cake, according to Mayor Mike Stark. City hall is the last building on the south side and east end of Camelia Street.
Royal City was incorporated on Valentines Day, Feb. 14, 1962. There was an election among the residents within the proposed city limits, with 56 votes in favor and 16 against.
Royal City was incorporated as a fourth-class town and remained one until Jan. 15, 1985. That year's town council voted to change the status to city.
The first Royal City town council was sworn in on Feb. 20, 1962. The mayor was Ed O. French. The treasurer was Francis W. Cobb. Council members were Hugo Van Binsbergen, Ralph Plank, Ray Potter, Leo Simpkins and Ray Wageman.
The then Grant County Auditor J.F. Peddycord did the swearing in. He also advised the council on the next steps to take in early town affairs.
Peddycord said council members needed to recommend a man in the community for the office of justice of the peace and appoint him police judge. At that same meeting, French gave Cobb the added duty of temporary clerk.
Then the clerk was instructed to write a letter to the county commissioners to request the grading of Royal City's streets the next time the grader would be in the vicinity.
The minutes of that meeting listed the town's sources of revenue as liquor funds, motor vehicle fund, road district assessment, licenses, police court fees and building permits.