LOOKING BACK: July 5, 2017

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100 years ago this week (1917)

Port Angeles is the Fourth of July mecca on the Olympic Peninsula. No Independence Day festivities are planned in Port Townsend. There are events planned in Center and Quilcene, “but conditions of roads will probably prevent many Port Townsend people from making that trek.” Tacoma is hosting auto races as part of that city’s Fourth of July events.

“The auxiliary sloop Teowah, owned by Dr. L.T. Seavey, was placed in the water yesterday and is now in commission for the season’s cruising. The Teowah is about the last of the local pleasure fleet to go into service, and will be utilized principally by her owner in covering the Glen Cove run, as Dr. Seavey has a summer home at the popular recreation spot.”

“The cracked cylinder head, which caused the lay-off of the steam Sioux on Monday, was repaired in time to allow the trim little ship to cover her run as usual yesterday.”

70 years ago this week (1937)

The search for oil on the Olympic Peninsula carried on for years promises to reach a new climax this summer with field tests by the Sun Oil Co. near Forks. Consolidated Oil Co. and Hoh Oil Co. have rigs in place at Hoh Head, and three companies have purchased leases at Queets.

60 years ago this week (1957)

Col. F.W. McIlroy raises the national and state flags in a ceremony July 1 marking the sale of Fort Worden to the State of Washington. Just four years earlier, Col. McIlroy had hauled down the flag when the U.S. Army decommissioned Fort Worden. State officials give Port of Port Townsend officials a check for $127,533.18 for being the agency that held the surplus government property until the state appropriated money for its use by the Department of Institutions. The port gave the state a quit-claim deed and a contract of sale.

Port Townsend registers only .55 of an inch of rain during the usually damp month of June. The high temperature was 81 degrees on June 1, and the coldest was 47 degrees.

35 years ago this week (1982)

• The Hood Canal shrimp season saw a 100 percent increase in fishing pressure compared to 1981, with 5,000 pots in the water at any one time. The catch is estimated at about 200,000 pounds. Businesses in Quilcene and Brinnon enjoyed the extra traffic, but many area residents are tired of the extra boats and visitors.

Julie McClanahan of Quilcene is helping to circulate a petition “calling for the dissolution of Jefferson Transit.” The aim is to get the measure on the ballot for November’s general election.

“The new Marine Science Center, located on the dock at Fort Worden State Park, is moving closer every day to reality.” Beach walks and classes in marine biology start, led by Judy D’Amore and Libby Palmer.

(These “Looking Back” news items are gathered from The Leader newspapers on file at the Jefferson County Historical Society Museum and Research Center.)