The Mysterious Odor of 1941, Grays Harbor

The approaching American involvement in the Second World War was not the only concern on the minds of Grays Harbor residents. I ran across this article from the Oct. 25, 1941 Aberdeen Daily World, page 3.

All these towns not claiming responsibility makes me think of a what happens in a crowded room when everyone is trying to find who is guilty of flatulence! Not me! Not me!

Postcard - Westport, Washington

"Westport, Washington, Salmon Capital of the World. This view shows many of the motels, restaurants and stores that service the thousands of people who visit this area during the season. In the background are the berths for the sports fishing fleet which is at sea catching their limit and the white streaks are some of the boats returning."

1970s. 

Postcard - Westport, Washington

 

"Westport, Washington, Salmon Capital of the World. In this aerial we can see the sheltered harbor which protects both the commercial and the sportsmens' boats. This thriving ocean port is the base for the finest Salmon fishing in the world. In the background are ocean liners waiting for high tide so that they may enter the Pacific Ocean."

1970s. Probably taken around the time of one of Grays Harbor County's more interesting alleged UFO stories, Elk River Mudflats, near Westport, Nov. 25, 1979.

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Grays Harbor, seen from Hoquiam

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The shades of gray we call home in coastal Washington

Chehalis River as it empties into Grays Harbor

Aberdeen

Postcard - Ocean Shores, Washington

 

"Ocean Shores. Spectacular peninsula on the Washington seacoast, a complete new resort city with golfing, sport salmon fishing, clamming, dozens of motels, many private homes, six miles of sandy beach."

[Click on image to enlarge] In the far distance you can the entrance to Grays Harbor and Westport. Looks to be from the 1970s.

For a brief time Starhead Comix was headquartered here, located just outside the range of this camera shot, off the lower left-hand corner on Rain St.

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Grays Harbor

Hoquiam, Washington

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Grays Harbor

Hoquiam, Washington

Postcard - Aberdeen, Washington

"Greetings From Aberdeen, Wash."

Some say, and for good reason, this postcard is a bit misleading. Looks like it dates back to the late 1950s-early 1960s. This is just a guess, but the top photo might be the view east from Ocean Shores, looking over the northern half of Grays Harbor, which is about a half hour from Aberdeen. At low tide that same body of water becomes a giant mud flat.

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A portrait of that one-eyed genocidal pirate, Robert Gray, "discovering" the harbor that now bears his name. Found in the Grays Harbor County Courthouse, Montesano, Washington. Personally, I would like us to rename this chunk of land "Sasquatch County." The so-called Sasquatch myth is more credible than the bunk we have been fed about Robert Gray.

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Isaac Stevens, Washington's first territorial governor, is pictured stealing land from the Natives of Grays Harbor in the 1850s at a site that is now the city of Cosmopolis. Yes, we actually have a city called Cosmopolis here. Locals call it "Causy." This scene is in the Grays Harbor County Courthouse, Montesano, Washington, which the locals call "Monte." Monte is a most pleasant city.

Stevens has a controversial place in Washington history generated in part by his shabby treatment of the Indian population. After he left our corner of the world, he was killed in action at the first Battle of Bull Run in the Civil War while serving in the Union Army.

William Henry Bush : The Civil War's Youngest Person in Uniform?

Last Oct. 20 I gave a presentation to the Washington State Historical Society on the life of Indiana-born Willie Bush, who is possibly the youngest person to wear a military uniform during the Civil War. Born in 1857, he served as a valet for his father, who was a guard at the CSA POW camp in Elmira, NY, also known as "Hellmira" by the unfortunate prisoners. Prior to that his father had served with distinction in many battles.

To make a long story short, Willie's journey led him to be part of the pioneer life out here in Oregon and SW Washington. He was a very active participant of building the Montesano, Washington community, including serving as Mayor. He became one of my heroes when I researched how, in his role as county Sheriff, he courageously defused the violent 1887 Grays Harbor Fishermen's War without firing a single shot.

I'm submitting my findings for publication, but in the meantime I prepared a handout for those folks who attended my presentation. I intended to produce just a one-sheet flier to accompany my talk, but I got carried away and it is 20 leaves with photos. PowerPoint turns me off. I want my audience to leave with something they can read later. I'm better at writing than speaking anyway.

Those of you who are Morty the Blog Patrons will be getting a copy of the handout. I know, it isn't comix, but this is where my creative energy went the last few months. I only printed 50 copies, and most of them are gone. But the Patrons can have this physical manifestation of my interests outside of comix.

This was a very wonderful and life-affirming project. Not only in admiring some of the choices made by my subject, but also with all the people I met in person or online who helped me along the way in gathering data.

The above image is courtesy of Mark Weldon.

Morty Comix # 2438

Morty Comix # 2438 was drawn on a sea serpent log at Damon Point, in Ocean Shores, Washington. That white streak on the water in Grays Harbor is comprised of a tight flock of shore birds.

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Westport and ocean cargo ship as seen from Damon Point

Ocean Shores, Washington