ETTA MAY BENNETT AND NANCY FISHER
DEER PARK PAST AND PRESENT (1970)
There wasn't a high school until 1911 because an 8th grade education was thought sufficient. When the Crawford School was built students for miles around came here to the two-year high school. Many had to stay in town while attending classes if they were not fortunate to live close enough to walk. In good weather some pupils came on horseback.
Today this pleasant campus surrounds the new High School built in 1958. There were about 1150 enrolled in the Deer Park schools in the spring of 1970. The area is growing rapidly and all schools are filled beyond their capacity.
This is the inside of one of the two rooms in the Clayton School. It is typical of the classrooms of this time. Forty pupils were enrolled here in 1904.
This two story structure was built in 1914. It housed all 12 grades in the one building. Today (1970) the Deer Park 5th and 6th grades hold classes here.
In 1904 there were three general stores in Clayton. One of these was the Washington Brick and Lime Company's store pictured here.
Deer Park was also experiencing a rapid growth as seen by this picture taken about 1908. Dr. Slater's Drug Store is just out of the picture in the lower left corner. The tall three story house on the left was the Congregational Church parsonage. The white building, top center, is the two story frame school house. The bouse below the school was built by Dr. Slater who came here in 1892. He was fondly known as the "Horse and Buggy" doctor. He served the community for more than 40 years, and had the enviable record of having delivered 3,000 babies, and without the loss of on mother! Nine of those babies were born to himself and his wife.
The present Deer Park Drug Store building was built by Louis Olson in 1912. This picture shows a view of the interior in1915. Upstairs there was a large dance hall with hardwood floors. As may as 500 people attended dances there at one time.
Main Street has change since Dr. Slater's days. This view of the west side of Main Street shows part of the Kelly Building in the foreground and the Slater Building at the end of the street.
Looking at the east side of Main Street we see where the Kelly house once stood near the tree in the foreground.
Farther down Crawford can be found this modern shopping center.
Threshing in the early days was done entirely by hand and horse power but this picture shows a new modern convenience, a threshing machine being used on the Cy Yingst farm.
But it has been replaced by the Game Farm today which was established in 1945.
Farming methods have changed considerably. Horses have been replaced by tractors and crude pieces of equipment by more efficient machinery.
Where once celery and cabbage was grown there are potatoes, wheat, and peas now.
The early farmers had to rely on their own skills when an animal became ill. Today Dr. Kettle and Dr. Snook serve the area from this modern Veterinary Clinic.
|
During the WPA days the auditorium was added to the Crawford building. It is now used as a junior high and house only 7th and 8th grades. (1970)
Clayton to the north of Deer Park operated its own school district. This picture taken about 1910 has Dick Enright, Gertrude King, Inga McDonald, and Mrs. E. J. Stelting as members of its classes.
One of the modern conveniences of the day was this school bus. Dick Enright tells of walking six miles to school before the bus was available. During the winter he decided to take advantage of the new service, but found the smell of fish oil on the canvas so distasteful that he preferred to walk, even in winter!
The town of Clayton grew rapidly in its early days. The Washington Brick and Lime Co. in the foreground of this picture was built in 1893. In 1904 it was the largest brick factory in the State of Washington. The Terr Cotta Plant supplied much of the decorations for the Davenport Hotel and the Paulson Building in Spokane. In 1904 the population of Clayton was 200 and was the principal manufacturing town in Stevens County.
The boom days are over and today it is a peaceful town full of community spirit and pride in its past. A few remains of the brick and terra cotta factory can be seen across the railroad tracks from the town on the right.
This is the Slater House as it is today. (1970) It is occupied by the Lauer family who purchased it from Dr. Slater in 1943. The Lauers came to Deer Park in 1938 when they pruchased their funeral home business from Mr. Lambert.
Medical practices have changed and Deer Park is now (1970) served by the Tri-County Hospital and Clinic. It is staffed by several doctors and has beds for 26 patients. The hospital was completed in 1958 and the Clinic expanded on 1968.
This view of Deer Park is taken looking west on Crawford about 1909. The hotel building can be seen on the far left and the Kelly Store Building on the right. Houses in the foreground belonged to A, G. Cole on the left. He was depot agent. J. T. Grove built it and the one across the street for himself. Later A. J. Peters, the first Mayor of Deer Park, occupied the house. The Chad Coles family live there now (1970). The house in the right corner was built for Lynn Chapman.
Little of the view is available as trees have grown up lining the street of Crawford today. Johnny Erickson's residence is in the foreground. Just a small portion of the roof of the former A. G. Coles home can be seen over the top of the roof of the Erickson house.
This farm on the Little Spokane near Chattaroy shows the pride the early settlers took in their buildings and animals. Note the fine barn which was built before the turn of the century.
This was the early home of the Yingst family.
As this sign indicates -
The Dairy Industry with its modern pipelines and computer bookkeeping has progressed a long way since the milkstool days. Several Dairy processors serve the area by picking up milk at the farms with modern refrigerated trucks making the milk cans of the past obsolete. The Deer Park Creamery was started by Al Bishop in 1916 who operated it continuously for about 50 years before he sold. It sells its products under the brand name of Silver Crest, and is now owned by Darell Osterback.
Many conveniences are available to the farmer who at one time had to travel to Spokane Falls for farm supplies. They can purchase these now at o of the food stores in town or sell their grain to Fox Milling Company pictured here.
In the past the government offered the land for homesteading. Today they offer their services in order to make better use of this land. Many of these services are available through the local conservation offfice pictured here.
The District Forestry Office helps conserve our forests through fire protection, management, reforestation, and also offers many other services to the public.
|