100 Years Ago

Sept. 28, 1921

The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company will shortly begin work on a project designed to supply certain sections of Pendleton with necessary additional facilities. The contemplated work will involve an expenditure of approximately $30,000 and consists of placing 90 poles and stringing 5.3 miles of aerial cable containing a total of 1210 miles of wire. Recently the telephone company acquired property in Pendleton upon which a new central office building will be constructed. The present construction work is only the forerunner of a large amount of additional work planned for Pendleton in order to provide necessary facilities in this fast growing city.

50 Years Ago

Sept. 28, 1971

The destruction of a pinball machine seized July 3 at the Hut Cafe in Pendleton was ordered Monday in Umatilla County Court. The Bally Brand Can Can machine is listed as defendant in a court action filed by Umatilla County Dist. Atty. R.P. Smith. Smith said Oregon State Police Officer Gary Martin played the machine June 19 at the Hut, and exchanged games won for cash. The court order calling for destruction of the machine said any money in the coin box should be turned over to the Umatilla County treasurer for deposit in the county’s general fund. The machine has been sitting in the basement of Pendleton City Hall since its seizure.

25 Years Ago

Sept. 28, 1996

Before the advent of The Weather Channel, not many people had heard of Meacham. Now, however, it’s unusual when the town doesn’t make the list of the nation’s coldest spots. Temperature, of course, is not what makes this small town so wonderful. Rich in history, Meacham was originally known as Lee’s Encampment. “Meacham, A Wide Spot on the Oregon Trail,” is a book written by former Pendletonian Betty Booth Stewart, who was born in Meacham. The book features a cast of many characters including Native Americans, stage coach passengers and those on the seemingly endless wagon train journeys. There are encounters with highwaymen, murderers and thieves hiding out on the mountain. Stewart’s book is selling well and is reportedly well written, well researched and has a genuine literary quality.