Thelma Billingsley Nicks remembers Western Flyer sleds

Many a youth remembers sledding down the hills of the Columbia Basin and hot chocolate being served to warm everyone after time on the snow. Well, so does Thelma Billingsley Nicks in her story about Ephrata. Read on.

The Grant County Historical Society has compiled several volumes of Grant County history. The books are available for purchase at the Historical Society Museum gift shop in Ephrata.

I bought the series in 2009 and secured permission to relay some of the history through this column.

Memories of Grant County, compiled from taped interviews by the Grant County Historical Society.

Today we backtrack a bit and then continue the story of Ephrata by Thelma Billngsley Nicks:

The kids seemed to find a lot of fun things to do. In the winter they would find a hill to coast on. My first sled was a sturdy one my father had made. He forgot the steel for the runners and then built a wooden top, but when the Western Flyers came in we all had to have one of them.

There was a boy when we were in High School who had a big Hudson touring car. The streets in the evenings would be deserted and we would fasten the ropes on our sleds on to his bumpers. Sometimes there would be as high as 20 young people, one sled fastened to the other behind his car. He would go real slow. We would actually end up in someone's home for a hot drink of chocolate and get warm.

On moonlight nights when there was snow on the ground they would have jack rabbit drives. It was a gruesome thing. North of the high school there was a field we went to with a hay stack and a fence around it.

The rabbits had been eating the feed of the cattle and horses and had to be gotten rid of. The field would be surrounded by people and making lots of noise the rabbits would be driven into the stack and killed. I had enough with one drive. Many a winter evening I remember seeing the rabbits running down the streets in town.

Next CBH historical picture book due out before Christmas

Yes, we have discussed this before, but I don't want you to miss out. Read on. The first CBH picture book was a great success and has become a treasured keepsake for those who own the book. The CBH is now in the process of assembling the second edition, known as Volume Two, which will make the perfect companion for the first book.

The contact is Tera Redwine. She is working to gather the photos and the two of us will place them in the proper order.

This book is expected to be titled "The Columbia Basin; A photographic Perspective; Volume Two." If you missed the chance to get your family photos in the first one, here is your chance. Don't miss the opportunity this time.

We are looking for photos of, everything, such as Girl Scouts, school sports, church groups, construction, towns, etc., etc., etc. If you are not sure if your photo or photos are what we are looking for, let Tera have a look at them.

Contact Tera at the Herald at 765-4561 to have your photos included.

E-mail from Cheryl

Facts from the past gleaned from the Moses Lake Herald, Columbia Basin Herald and The Neppel Record by Cheryl (Driggs) Elkins.

From the CBH on Thursday, Sept. 14, 1950:

Firemen to work on rescue gear

It's not the experts, just eh guys willing to work, who are wanted for the fire department's work party tonight. Lakeshore Marina will be the scene of mad activity and wire bending.

Firemen and anyone else who can handle the stuff will gather to make and repair hooks and grapples for the lake rescue equipment.

Circus funds bought the steel wire, which must be formed and lashed into usable form. Floor manager for the evening will be Jerry Huntley, and work begins at 7 o'clock.

Wilson Creek area history

The Rev. David H. Crawford compiled and published a history of families in and surrounding Wilson Creek titled, "Family Memories of Wilson Creek Area." The book was printed in 1978, which was the 75th anniversary of the town. David's son, John Crawford, has given permission for those memories to be a part of this column.

Today we continue the story of the Lane family by Ben Lane:

In the early days, there was a beanery near the depot and horse-drawn drays would meet each train. Mr. Pope was the drayman and later built a fairly nice dance hall, which burned down around 1933.

The year 1932 was the lowest point for the Lanes. After the schoolhouse burned, the town suffered a very bad flood; then in August, Ben was injured in a railway accident. He spent many months on crutches, and had a limp for the rest of his life. The family lived on the proceeds from the cows and chickens and took in a couple of school teachers.

The family tore the old house down and rebuilt it with scrap lumber right while Ben was still on crutches. Things were rough, but in retrospect, they were happy because everyone was working together. They believed in a faith in God, the goodness of people, and themselves, and were imbued with the work ethic. It is nice to know that there is a Ben Lane III now in Oregon, all of 3 years old. It is hoped he will carry on the family traditions.