100 years ago (1916 — Oak Harbor News)
According to a page-one story, Mrs. Holland received a box of peaches from Texas and “they looked mighty good.” Another story noted that Joe Maylor received a large, up-to-date gasoline pump for automobile service, “the largest and best gasoline supply pump in the county.”
An article re-published from the “Langley Islander” instructed readers on the proper care of fruit trees.
The young editor of the “Langley Islander” sampled a new restaurant started by a couple of “good-looking girls” in town. According to the story, “the way he went at the menu with his trenchant pen makes us blush for such an enormous appetite in a youngster who was raised better.”
All members of committees appointed to make preparations for the Oak Harbor Fourth of July celebration were notified of a mandatory meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to “adopt definite plans of procedure” and to hear a report on finances.
75 years ago (1941 — Farm Bureau News)
A one and one-half inch downpour came at an opportune time for Whidbey farmers. Following a dry spring, crops were badly in need of rain.
The Oak Harbor High School graduating class of 1941 was the largest in history with 36 graduates. The class motto was “Here we launch, where shall we anchor?”
Island County had the largest turkey crop in history, with an estimated 80,000-85,000 birds raised. In 1940, there were approximately 60,000.
While visiting his father in Langley, Ray Schlanbush learned that a British vessel on which he had once been a dinner guest had been sunk by a Nazi battleship. Schlanbush had dined aboard the H.M.S. Hood while serving in the U.S. Navy.
A story in the column “We Women” touted the success of one woman’s “hobo party,” “an idea so clever other women may like to adopt it.” Guests, each of whom were named in the article, wore old or tattered clothing. Lunch was served from pots and kettles.
50 years ago (1966 — Whidbey News-Times)
The Oak Harbor School District prepared for an estimated increase in enrollment of 14.4 percent, or 512 students, for the coming school year. The elementary school was expected to be the hardest hit, with an estimated increase of 350 children.
The Oak Harbor City Council voted to approve the construction of a 44-by-24-foot addition to the north side of the Public Safety building, to be used primarily as an emergency operating center for Civil Defense. Civil Defense was expected to pay half of the $19,000 tab.
A $100 reward was being offered for information leading to the recovery of between six and eight tons of stolen cobblestones. S.L. Smith of Seattle had spent three years digging them from a Seattle street in the path of the freeway before transporting them to Whidbey.
Fresh Dungeness crab was advertised at 39 cents per pound and canned bacon at 79 cents per one-pound can at Payless.
25 years ago (1991 — Whidbey News-Times)
Sheriff’s Deputy Rick Norrie uncovered a pot farm while responding to an unrelated matter at a North Whidbey residence. When a raid was conducted with the help of the Oak Harbor Police Department, the team located and seized 59 marijuana plants.
Two Oak Harbor school principals resigned to accept positions elsewhere, and Oak Harbor schools Superintendent Roger Woehl was named one of the three finalists for a superintendent position in Marysville.
The Base Closure and Realignment Commission issued a list of military installations to be considered for closure. In addition to three naval air stations, the Everett home port was named as one of 36 installations to be evaluated.
Members of the federal Base Closure and Realignment Commission were scheduled to tour Leemore Naval Air Station in California. Under a proposal to close NAS Whidbey, NAS Leemore would receive EA-6B and A-6E warplanes and about 7,000 personnel based at NAS Whidbey.
The Oak Harbor Fire Department developed a fire setter intervention program after three major fires were started by careless children within an eight-month period.
