A Look Back …This Week in the Forks Forum

Published 1:30 am Thursday, July 23, 2026

This week in 2001, it was a busy weekend ahead …Feast of Forks, the Fly-In, and the Fred Orr Tournament. Volunteers had painted the Forks Abuse office. In the Fun Days Art Show results, June Bowlby’s painting “Strange House” had won Best in Show. John and Edna Leppell had been honored in the Quileute Days parade (photo).

Fifty years ago, plans were in the works to widen Calawah Way. Don Dilley had opened a new Auto Parts and Repair business on Bogachiel Way (photo). A short story appeared about Eileen Henserling (Nursie) as she had been the weekly clue in the Forum’s Who’s Who contest (photo). There was continued turmoil at the school board meeting.

This week in 1969, the school board had viewed plans for the new Elementary School building and had approved the purchase of 60 new desks and chairs. A Wenatchee woman had drowned in a boating accident off of La Push. A “Dope Cache” of six kilos of high-grade marijuana had been found by law enforcement hidden in an abandoned car on the A Road.

In 1954, a lumber strike was in its 5th week. In Olympic Clinic news, four-year-old Keith Windle had a tonsillectomy. Sue Whitehead had won a blue ribbon in the 4-H “Let’s Cook” Contest.

In 1940, the jetty at La Push was being repaired. A “catchy” headline read,… “Man is fined for molesting salmon.” Magee Grocery was celebrating its 4th anniversary; coffee was on special …three pounds for 69¢.

In 1939, it was reported that William M. Bowlby didn’t really want to, but due to his age, he was leaving his beachside home south of La Push and moving into Forks. Helping barge his belongings to La Push were Jack Olson, Art Wentworth, and Shiel Parker. His new residence was near the Wahlgren Mill.