A Look Back …This week in the Forks Forum

Published 1:30 am Thursday, May 7, 2026

This week in 2001 Patty Vaughn’s Alternative School science students had planted trees at the Forks Elks Lodge. Over 1,000 people had come to view the AIDS quilt. It was Savanah Norbisrath’s first birthday.

Fifty years ago this week, the KVAC scholarship auction had brought in $3,000. So many items had been donated that a second weekend was needed to auction them all off! Henry Bechtold and Miriam Self Kennedy had volunteered their time auctioning items over the airwaves (photo). Local sorority members Vicky, Patty, Sandy, Cris and Lenna planted a tree at the Forks Hospital (photo).

In 1969 Sheriff Harley Bishop had addressed a standing room only crowd at the Forks Chamber of Commerce meeting as he spoke about the difficulty in covering the west end of Clallam County and the expanding drug problem. Principal James Traver shared that drugs were being seen in Forks schools. An after-Mill Creek Fishing Derby photo by Lonnie Archibald, showed hopeful fishermen and two collies still hoping to catch a few planted trout (photo).

In 1954 a front page story told of a crazy crime spree …a car thief who was employed for a week at Anderson Motors wrecked the car he had stolen, he then hitched a ride with Larry Klahn back to Anderson’s where he stole the wrecker and then wrecked the wrecker. He was picked up by state Patrolman Boyd Rupp who he gave the slip when he said he needed to stop at his home and get some money from his wife (he was not married) he then slipped out the back door of the house. He was last seen heading south …Aberdeen authorities had been alerted. The Diimmels had opened a new soda fountain next to the Ruel and Vedder Store.

This week in 1940 it was reported that the Forks Shingle Mill was up and running again after a week long breakdown.