100 years ago this week (1918)

The third Liberty Bond loan drive to fund America’s part of the world war is underway: “Dare you allow your dollar to lie idle, when even at this moment, brave American lads offer their blood as a sacrifice – fighting nobly to preserve for you and for me the very foundation of our republic?”

Advertisement: “Fresh cows and cows soon to become fresh, for sale by William Haley, Station Prairie.”

Two big ocean steamers sailed from Port Townsend. They were the Shingo Maru, destined for Yokohoma, with 8,000 tons of general cargo loaded on the Sound, and the motorship Point Arena in the service of the U.S. Shipping Board, bound for Honolulu, with a cargo of lumber loaded at Tacoma and Port Ludlow. The latter called here to clear, while the former to land her pilot.”

60 years ago this week (1958)

“All 24 gold and silver eggs were quickly recovered by eager searchers Sunday morning in the annual Easter egg hunt sponsored by the Elks lodge.”

The Uptown Theatre shows “The Ten Commandments” in Technicolor, along with Walt Disney’s “Old Yeller.” The Rose Theatre has a double feature: “County Music Holiday” and “Daniel Boone Trailblazers.”

10 years ago this week (2008)

Following a public hearing on April 7, the City Council voted 7-0 to keep three interim zoning ordinances in place for at least six months. The temporary regulations limit the size of new homes, prohibit the demolition of designated historic homes, and eliminate R-III or multifamily housing within the National Register Historic District in Uptown.

More than 400 people shared spaghetti and memories at a celebration of life for James A. “Bonzo” DeLeo on Saturday at the American Legion Hall in Port Townsend. DeLeo, the last of three DeLeo brothers, died at age 85 on March 18, 2008.

A week after receiving just one bid to build a new 50-car ferry for the Port Townsend-Keystone route, Washington State Ferries has decided to start the process over.

WSF had estimated that the cost of building one new ferry based on Steilacoom II, which is currently leased from Pierce County for service here, would be $16.8 million. Only one of Puget Sound’s three major shipyards, Todd Pacific Shipyards, bid on the project at $25,985,125.

Looking Back news items are gathered from The Leader newspapers on file at the Jefferson County Historical Society Museum and Research Center at 360-379-6673 as well as from hardbound copies of The Leader.