From Winters Past
Temperatures are dropping, icicles are forming and the snow is falling! We've been slammed with winter weather in northwest Washington state, so as we snuggle into heated homes and offices and drive on freshly-cleared streets, we wanted to bring you a few reminders of days past when snowfall was a bit more inconvenient.During Eastern Washington’s severe winter of 1936-37, trains were buried, men hopelessly plowed snow with wimpy plows, and “the highway between Tekoa and Latah was closed all winter."
Settlers in Enumclaw recalled some winters with horror. Crowded homes with minimal heating led to terrible disease; freezing conditions made travel nearly impossible, though hot water from a teakettle served to warm up the engines of Ford cars; and warm winter clothing was hard to come by: gunny sacks were the footwear-protector of choice.
Winter wasn't always dismal, though. Early Washingtonians celebrated Christmas in drifts of white powder, and folks in Ritzville took advantage of freezing temperatures to flood a tennis court for ice-skating.
But perhaps our favorite snowy image is brought to us from Whitman County during the 'big snow' of 1937. We're not sure what they were up to, or who was setting up a camera in such a frosty setting, but Pete and Govenor's trek through the snow inspire us. What's a few inches of snow compared to drifts looming over one's head?
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Secretary of State
Steve Hobbs
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