A weekly look back compiled by the Clark County Historical Museum from The Columbian archives available at columbian.newspapers.com or at the museum.
- 100 years ago
On Nov. 12, 1923, Clark County exhibitors “made an unusually good showing in poultry” at the Portland International Livestock exposition. Clark County poultry company Rick & Kinnear “had the grand champion bird of the show” and received a gold medal for the best hen with the farm’s single-comb Black Minorcas. Brush Prairie’s E.F. Rice had the best laying pen, “when six of his hens (laid) 40 eggs in eight days.” Heisson resident Earl Ferbache’s birds took all awards in the white Muscovy duck category. After their big wins, the poultry raisers claimed their industry would soon rival the prune industry.
- 75 years ago
On Nov. 15, 1948, Clark County bowlers claimed the top prizes at the annual Portland Women’s Bowling Association event at Vancouver area alleys. Bowlers from this side of the Columbia River took home the top three honors from each event. Vancouver’s Ivy and Mabel Marrs won the doubles competition. In the singles contest, Fay Barthelemy of Camas took first place.
- 50 years ago
On Nov. 14, 1973, the Vancouver City Council passed an ordinance decriminalizing public drunkenness, making it the first city in Washington to do so. After the law’s passage, anyone found drunk in public wouldn’t be arrested but “instead taken to a receiving and rehabilitation center near Vancouver Memorial Hospital.” Individuals can be held up to 48 hours or as soon as “center staff feels they are able to take care of themselves.” Vancouver was leading the way in the state, as a new Washington law would require cities to decriminalize public drunkenness and provide a receiving center.
