100 years ago — 1922

The Milton Eagle announces that it is determined to not print anything but the strict truth regarding any candidate during the campaign. This is not only right, but good policy, too. The East Oregonian long ago adopted that rule. While it is for the Democratic ticket, it has a host of intelligent Republican readers who, however they differ from us politically, have learned that whenever the East Oregonian publishes any specific statement regarding a candidate, its truth can be implicitly relied upon.

50 years ago — 1972

From the outside the new Burger Shoppe in south Pendleton doesn’t look big enough to even have a grill to fry its hamburgers. And it isn’t. “All of our hamburgers are cooked in compact microwave ovens,” said the establishment’s manager, Bob Peickert, Pendleton. He said that is why he can put all of the equipment needed for a hamburger stand into an eight by ten foot building. The Burger Shoppe, the first of the nationwide chain in Eastern Oregon, opened two weeks ago. “The pace of the world is getting faster and everything has to keep up,” said Peickert. “And the microwave oven is fast and clean.” The oven works on the same principle as a police radar system, Peickert said. Beams are reflected off the oven walls and pass through the material to be cooked. As the beam passes through it rearranges the molecular structure just as heat from a standard oven would. He said if a person were to put a hand in the oven while it was still on the hand would be severely damaged because the beams would rearrange its molecules just as it would a hamburger. “Housewives considering buying a microwave oven would want to check the safety features before they purchase,” warned Peickert. The Peickerts have plans for 23 Burger Shoppes in Eastern Oregon. They intend to put the second one in either Hermiston or Boardman, although nothing has been finalized.

25 years ago — 1997

The skies have been stormy of late, but the future looks bright for the Tamustalik Cultural Institute. Not only is construction at the museum and cultural center progressing three months ahead of schedule, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation just received a $275,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the landmark project. And tribal officials are even planning to invite President Bill Clinton to the grand opening, scheduled for May 1998. The institute will include interpretive exhibits, an auditorium, gift shop and cafe for visitors as well as space for artifact storage, classrooms and administrative offices. Considered the “crown jewel” of the resort, which will eventually include an RV park as well as a golf course that’s nearly complete, Tamustalik is expected to create 35 jobs. It will be one of five interpretive centers along the route of the Oregon Trail off Interstate 84.