Back in the day in Anacortes, April 29, 2009
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April 29, 2009 - 02:00 PM

April 29, 1909
The post office is at last established on Guemes island. The name of the office is Guemes, and the postmaster is Frank Cousland. The location is at the Cousland & Sons store on the south side, directly in front of Mr. Janvier’s residence. The new post office here is but the re-establishment of the old institution… It was with a keen regret that the patrons of the office had to forgo the post office here a few years ago when Mr. Blackinton felt no longer able to continue in the service.

April 24, 1919
The Fanny Dutard, Capt. J.A. Matheson’s codfishing schooner, left Anacortes Monday for Seattle to finish her outfitting for her season in Bering sea. Capt. Matheson himself took her to Seattle. She expects to sail within a week or ten days for the North. No word has been received from the Azalea, another of Capt. Matheson’s codfishing schooners, but she is expected in daily to outfit for the North.

April 25, 1929
Last Sunday many motorists tried out the new Deception Pass road, which was built with state highway funds and which was opened last Friday, having been inspected by a state highway engineer and accepted on behalf of the state. Cars swarmed over the new road all day and from the general discussion it evidently meets the approval of the motorists.

April 28, 1949
Nick Petrish, who has been on the Anacortes police force for the past nine years and who served as assistant chief of police here for a number of years, recently resigned from the police force here to go into the fishing business. Mr. Petrish has purchased the “Traveller,” purse seine boat, from “Little Joe” Suryan and expects to leave around the 10th of May for Alaska.

April 30, 1959
A “Dear Elvis” letter is being quickly dispatched to Germany with news of the engagement of Judy Colvin, a former head of the Presley Fan Club here. Don’t feel bad, Elvis, the same thing happened to me — and I had only been in basic training two weeks. Stick with hound dogs — they have proven themselves as man’s best friend.

April 24, 1969
The action of the Skagit County commissioners in rezoning a portion of Guemes Island for industrial use was invalid, the State Supreme Court ruled last week in a 5-4 decision. Opponents brought action to Skagit County Superior Court to prevent the commissioners from rezoning a tract of land from recreational and residential to industrial. The lower court denied the petition. Northwest Aluminum Co. was planning to build a plant on the island but located it elsewhere as a result of the controversy.

April 25, 1979
An informal indication of support was given the proposed “Skagit Transit” concept last week by the Transportation Committee of the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce. Meeting April 19, the committee members agreed that the proposal to establish a system of bus and van service throughout much of Skagit County — including several routes inside Anacortes — was worth presenting to county voters.

April 26, 1989
For the first time, the Anacortes community has a comprehensive trail plan for its forest lands and a grievance procedure to resolve any trail disputes that might arise. The plan was the outgrowth of guidelines delineated by the Anacortes Community Forest Lands Board, Forest Manager Tracy Powell said. The board appointed five representatives of user groups concerned with trail management, Powell said. Doreen Dunton, president of the Friends of the Forest, spoke for hikers; Karen Beebe represented horse riders; Marty Laumbattus spoke for motorcycle riders; Justin Bannerman represented mountain bikers and Leigh Slotemaker contributed as a staffer on the forestry board.
— From the archives of the Anacortes American





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