PRESERVING THE STORIES OF ISSAQUAH
A Memory Book Project of the
Issaquah Historical Society
Mary E. (Knoernschild) Lewis
11/25/13
All my life.
I liked living near my family.
I went from first grade through high school in the old brick building that was torn down.
My parents moved to Issaquah before I was born. They owned the property where the Bank of America now stands.
There weren’t many students in high school at that time, so we knew everyone.
To go to out-of-town games we car pooled so there would be a rooting section.
Besides turning out for sports there were clubs. (Boy’s, Girl’s, French, etc.) We also put on plays and an operetta. Besides having a Junior and Senior Prom we had sock hops.
We had a contest to name the annual and I submitted the winning name – Sammamish – and received many prizes.
Beulah Eades was my algebra and PE teacher and she was my favorite.
Minnie Schomber was my substitute teacher in the fourth grade while Miss Cook was ill.
No. I graduated in 1931.
I was in the chorus of an operetta when Bill Bergsma had one of the leads. We were dressed like Dutch girls in the chorus. It was “Tulip Time.”
We had chores to do but on Friday nights we went to the Issaquah Theatre sometimes. (When we lived in Issaquah.) When we lived in the country we had parties at the different neighbors’ homes on Saturday nights.
The first store I remember was the Grange Mercantile store. You could buy almost anything there – groceries, gas, kerosene, and food for livestock.
Also went to Fischer’s for meats, Coutts (later Brady’s) for clothing and Cussac’s for shoes.
I also remember going to Schomber’s Bakery and later on Jacobsen’s.
The Grange store and Fischer’s are still there. Coutts' was on the north side of the present Lewis Hardware and Schomber’s Bakery on the south side. Jacobsen’s bakery was in the Gibson Building on East Sunset across from the hotel.
When I was going to school I went to Paul Benson’s barbershop after school. Some of the men would be unhappy because they had to wait for a kid to get her hair cut.
After I was married I went to Doris’ Beauty Shop. She did French braids for me.
I remember when Lewis Hardware was further north. Approximately where the Cascade Bank parking lot is. You could get some kitchen items as well as hardware.
In the mid-30s I did shop at R&R Grocery. One Thanksgiving I won a live turkey there by coming closest to guessing its actual weight. Wasn’t so much fun when I had to pick and clean it!
Also shopped at Barney White’s grocery that was located in the bottom of the old Odd Fellows Hall.
Later shopped at Tony and Johnnie’s and also Kramer’s Market. I especially remember Ethel Clark (Inger) who would save a couple of packages of Jell-O for my son who couldn’t eat most desserts because he was allergic to wheat. This was during the Second World War while rationing was on.
We mostly bought food and gasoline when I was young.
Later when I was married we rented a food locker.
I had my first banana split at Drylie’s Honeysuckle, had luscious pie and chocolate cake at Rena’s and hamburgers at the XXX.
Boehm’s is hard to stay away from.
Rocky Road and chocolate covered nuts are my favorites in the candy line.
Also think their ice cream on a stick is super.
We bought heating oil from them as well as garden supplies.
Mr. Lawill was a very quiet man.
They had gift items, candies, etc., besides drugs.
My father died in 1930 so the only income we had was from selling the milk from one or two cows. My mother had a big garden and a few chickens so we didn’t have to buy eggs.
The money from the milk was used to buy staples like flour, sugar and beans. Mom baked the most wonderful bread. Um um!
We only had two or three dresses to wear to school so we had to keep washing and ironing them to keep clean.
After I graduated in 1931 I started to work. Go $13.20 a week but that certainly made things better.
Paul Benson Jr.
Boeing and the shipyards in Seattle and Kirkland employed lots of men and women. My husband worked at Todd’s shipyard.
I remember the queen contests they had at Labor Day. The girl who sold the most tickets got to be queen.
It just keeps getting bigger and bigger on Salmon Days. The parade route changed so there could be more booths.
My son fished in the derbies and won some prizes. In those days the East Fork of the Issaquah Creek had lots of fish.
We went picnicking and swimming at Alexander’s Beach when I was young. Later I swam at Sunset Park.
I tried ice skating at Horrock’s Farm but wasn’t good at it. Did enjoy the huge bonfires they had though.
I remember all of them. We went to see the Monohon Mill while it was burning.
We bought alder firewood from Hall’s mill for $2.00 a cord.
I think it is a wonderful teaching experience for the children as well as adults in the area.
We went to Seattle via Renton. We shopped for clothing and shoes. Also saw some movies.
It encouraged development in the area.
A Ford Model A. Don’t know where it was purchased.
At one time I belonged to the Issaquah Valley Grange and the Rebekah Lodge.
My husband belonged to the Sportsmen’s Club. We did target shooting and also went to the turkey shoots.
Went roller-skating there.
I went to dinners, lodge meetings and basketball games there.
I remember when they were on strike and my grandfather not working.
Went to the Friday night movies. One of the serials was “The Perils of Pauline.” It cost 10¢ at that time.
The Community Baptist Church. Going to Sunday School and being in Christmas programs. They also had a picnic at Alexander’s Beach each year.
I remember Dick Bush always rang the church bell and Charlie Ellis was always taking pictures. Mrs. Tim Evans was a great Sunday School teacher.
Mrs. Edith Dahlby was one of my favorite pastors. She was not only a pastor but a friend.