A Look Back …This week in the Forks Forum

Published 1:30 am Thursday, March 26, 2026

This week, 25 years ago, the community was holding public meetings, organizing, and the city of Forks was sending officials to Washington, D.C. to get the message out that the West End did not want the USCGS Quillayute River to close. Volunteers had come to the rescue of the Logger’s Memorial statue as the base had rotted and the carving was in peril…a new cement base was created, and all was good (photo). Sharon Fox and Manuela Velasquez received Clallam County Community Service Awards. Charles and Missy Barlow were celebrating 60 years of marriage.

In 1976, it was reported that the Leyendecker house, near Three Rivers, had burned. Ocuppants had discovered the home on fire at about 5 a.m. The forty-year-old home was a total loss. The previous house on the same spot suffered the same fate in 1935. A bit of history was being taken down to make way for the new Leppell’s floral shop. The old Wahlgren & Shearer Freight Co. Depot on 1st Ave. (now Spartan) was coming down. Jim Northrup and Guy Decker were featured in a photo (photo). Mrs. Palmer’s 2nd-grade class had made a Bicentennial quilt for the Booster Club Carnival.

This week in 1969, the FHS Drill Team was competing at State Competition; competing with much bigger schools, the team had won a Superior rating the year before. Construction of a Hatchery was to begin soon at Pavel Springs. “What Was It” was the headline of a photo taken of the playground and Forks Elementary school…and a UFO!?

In 1954, a suspension bridge over the upper Bogachiel, built by George Seigfried in 1929, had suffered significant damage from heavy snow. It was the last remaining suspension footbridge of its type in the area.

In 1940, it was reported with a huge headline that Butts and Pattison were building a fish dock, ice plant, and a restaurant at La Push. The plan was to clean, box, and get the fresh fish to Seattle the same day. In community news, it was reported that Ed Beebe had purchased a student guitar and was studying to learn the art of playing guitar.