From the Dayton Chronicle archives

Ten Years Ago

December 18, 2013

Port of Columbia completes Artisan Food Center, with tenants beginning to move equipment and products in, depending up the completion of their unit. It was reported some tasks, the plumbing and outdoor painting was delayed due to inclement weather.

Water Rights meeting draws a big crowd of 35 people to hear Chris Hyland, Executive Director of Walla Walla Watershed Management Partnership, explain the history and lease agreement which could impact junior water right holders in Columbia County.

During a public forum, Dayton School District released a proposal for a comprehensive renovation and construction project, with an estimated price tag of $24 million.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 16, 1998

Tarah Talbott was nominated and accepted an invitation to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum on Law in Washington D.C. Talbott, a junior at Dayton High School, is one of 350 outstanding juniors and seniors around the nation to visit with leading jurists lawmakers and legal scholars and tour various law schools, law firms and other legal institutions. She is the daughter of Mike and Chrissy Talbott.

Pat and Rhonda Barker were honored with Columbia Conservation District’s (CCD) 1998 Conservation Farmer of the Year Award. The Award goes to a family intrinsic to the promotion and adoption of no-till farming.

The City of Dayton officially broke ground on the city’s new $4 million sewer treatment plant. Dayton’s first sewer treatment plant was built in 1938 for $21,000, as a WPA project. The Council awarded a $3,837,752 contract for construction of the new sewer treatment plant to IMCo., a contractor from Bellingham, Wash.

Fifty Years Ago

December 20, 1973

Vic Anderson, superintendent of Dayton School District No. 2, announced during the monthly school board meeting held at the superintendent’s office, that Christmas vacation for all pupils will be extended three days until January 7. This action was taken to conserve school district gas and fuel oil allocations in the face of rising fuel prices and current energy shortage.

Becky Hatfield, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Hatfield, was crowned Queen of the Southeastern Washington Fair. She is a senior at Dayton High School and was selected as State farmer for her FFA Chapter.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

December 16, 1948

In an interschool boxing competition between Dayton and Pomeroy five local boys, Dick Rodrick, Ronnie Kenny, Arlie Eaton, Harley Literal and Jack Fine came out on top, four by decisions and one by a technical knockout. In the biggest smoker in several years, Dayton plans to enter 13 boys against Hermiston, besides having a number of preliminaries among the local prodigies.

Mrs. Ollie Ryerson, Mrs. George Thompson, and Mrs. C.J. Broughton are three of the four ladies who have faithfully worked for the Halpine Society of the Congregational Church during its more than 50 years of existence. Mrs. W.H. Richardson is the other member of the foursome. The 50th anniversary was celebrated in 1942, with a public chicken pie dinner put on by the group to mark the 50th year.

Kenney Cunnington, president of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce announced that all arrangements have been completed for the kids’ big annual Christmas party, with a show at the Liberty Theatre, followed by Santa Claus meeting the kids and 600 bags of candy and nuts to be distributed.

One Hundred Years Ago

December, 1923

No information available.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 17, 1898

Robinson & Stahl are kept busy making harness for the railroaders. They have the only machine in the northwest for making such harness as is required by the railroad graders.

The people on Eckler Mountain are going to have a “doin’s” at the Mr. Vernon school house Christmas Eve.

The very best of French candies in 25 and 50 cent boxes at McConnell’s, Hot tamales, oyster cocktails and oysters fresh at Goodwin’s.