2021 Edition
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This is an annual ride for me. Often, if the weather is good, more than once a year.
Been coming out here since around 2005 or so. But didn't have a web site or a decent
camera back then. The Bluebird saloon [re]opened in ~ 2006. Before that, the town was
just a whistle stop. Had lunch in Goldendale back then.
Pictures taken on Bickleton area rides in
2006.
The Spring 2010 ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE.
The Spring 2011 ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE.
The Spring 2012 ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE.
The Spring 2013 ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE.
The 2013 ride to the Bickleton car show is posted
HERE.
The Spring 2014 ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE.
The Summer 2014 ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE.
The Fall 2014 ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE.
The Spring 2015 ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE.
The Summer 2015 ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE.
The 2015 season finale ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE.
The 2016 season opener ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE
The 2017 season opener ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE
The 2017 Summer ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE
The 2017 Fall ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE
The 2018 season opener ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE
The 2018 end of Summer ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE
The 2018 Season Finale ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE
The 2019 Season Opener ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE
The 2019 Season Finale ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE
The 2020 season Finale ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE
The 2021 season Finale ride to Bickleton is posted
HERE
The Summer 2014 rides to Cleveland are posted
HERE and
HERE.
The 2014 visit to the Bickleton Whoop-n-Holler Ranch Museum is posted
HERE.
The 2015 visit to the Bickleton Whoop-n-Holler Ranch Museum is posted
HERE.
The 2016 visit to the Bickleton Whoop-n-Holler Ranch Museum is posted
HERE.
The 2017 Spring visit to the Bickleton Whoop-n-Holler Ranch Museum is posted
HERE.
The 2017 Fall visit to the Bickleton Whoop-n-Holler Ranch Museum is posted
HERE,
The 2018 Fall visit to the Bickleton Whoop-n-Holler Ranch Museum is posted
HERE,
The 2019 Fall visit to the Bickleton Whoop-n-Holler Ranch Museum is posted
HERE.
The 2021 Fall visit to the Bickleton Whoop-n-Holler Ranch Museum is posted
HERE.
I was out to the
Bickleton Methodist Cemetery in 2017
I was out to the
Bickleton IOOF Cemetery in
2017
Pictures of the Boot Hill cemetery in Cleveland, Washington are posted
HERE,
HERE,
HERE and
HERE
Pictures of my 2014 stop in
Roosevelt, Washington
Pictures of my Spring 2015 stop in
Roosevelt, Washington
Pictures of my Fall 2015 stop in
Roosevelt, Washington
Pictures of my 2014 stop in
Blockhouse, Washington
Pictures of my 2015 stop in
Blockhouse, Washington
Pictures of my 2015 stop in
Maryhill, Washington
Pictures of my 2016 stop in
Maryhill, Washington
Pictures of my 2017 stop in
Maryhill, Washington
Pictures of my 2020 stop in
Maryhill, Washington
Pictures of my 2021 stop in
Maryhill, Washington
Pictures of my 2015 stop in the Ghost Community of
Dot, Washington
Pictures of my 2017 stop in
Dot, Washington
Here is some updated information about the Bickleton area:
The Methodist Cemetery is just East of Bickleton.
The IOOF Cemetery is on top of the hill above Bickleton to the north on a paved road.
The school at the Whoop n Holler museum was originally located 1/4 mile NW of
the intersection of East Road and Matsen Road. In Fairview.
These images were taken with my Nikon D810 and Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 Planar T*
manual focus lens.
I always enjoy visiting with Ada Ruth Whitmore. She is a wealth of
information about the early years of Bickleton and the nearby communities
of Dot and Cleveland, Washington. I wish my memory was better. There is
just so much information thrown out there on each visit that there's no
way to accurately remember it all. Maybe Ada Ruth will see and comment on
the images I've posted here to add more background information for our
visitors.
Interesting back story for this massively heavy and LOUD church bell.
Seems that one day Lawrence came home and announced that he had just
bought a church. Never wealthy people, money was tight back then and Ada
Ruth was not pleased at this expenditure ..especially having not even been
consulted before hand. Ada Ruth said "things were chilly between us for
a while"... which I guess goes to show that even the most devoted couples
have their disagreements. It all turned out ok though... Lawrence, scamp
that he was, didn't exactly hock the farm to acquire this treasure.
This is a fiberglass, electric powered kid's Ford Thunderbird. I'm guessing
made in the mid-1950's.
This classic 1958 Edsel has a "touch and go" push button automatic
transmission shifter in the middle of the steering wheel.
This is an early mobile gas station pulled by horses. Ada Ruth said
they would go around filling up the local's model T's. This must have
been in the teens or early 1920's when Bickleton didn't have a gas station.
Ada Ruth said they used to go down to Arlington, Oregon for groceries
since it was only a dollar to take the ferry across the Columbia River.
I'm guessing on dirt roads that must have been a long and arduous trip.
Ada Ruth is very proud of this old Ford with the Rajo high performance
head that apparently makes this old heap quite the rare rig. I don't know
if the vacuum controlled fuel delivery was standard... I'm guessing not
as I believe the old 4 cyclinders used a simple gravity feed carb.
Interesting story about this old piano which is quite small but massively
heavy. I was not able to get a decent picture of it's innerds but it is
very colorful behind the strings.
Ada Ruth said it was used at the dances in Bickleton where folks from all
around would come out Saturday night to prowl for girls. I assumed that
they played phonograph records at the dances but apparently not. If I
recall the story correctly, Ada Ruth's parents met at one of these dances
and danced to the music of this incredibly well preserved piano. Including
providing the music at their wedding.
Ada Ruth was quite the ingenue in her early years. This portrait was
taken during Ada Ruth's sophomore year... I'm guessing 1945-ish. I can
certainly see why she would attract the attention of a handsome fellow like
Lawrence.
Ada Ruth said she's never been off the hill for more than 5 weeks
at a time.
A picture of Lawrence and Ada Ruth Whitmore, a handsome man and
a lovely young bride taken around 1949 or so.
Stopped by to pay my respects to Lawrence
Lawrence Delano Whitmore was born April 24, 1928 in The Dalles, Oregon.
He was the second child of Del and Fern (Churchill) Whitmore. He was
brought home to join his sister Ethel just one year older. At that time,
the family lived at the Spence Place. In 1929 the Grandparents, Tom and
Nellie Whitmore moved back to their old home in the Mohawk Valley in
Oregon and Del’s family moved up to the Whitmore Homestead. Eileen
joined the family in 1931 and little sister Betty Jo in 1939.
Lawrence and his sisters attended Juniper Canyon school until it was
time for Ethel to go to High School in 1940. There had only been the 3
kids for several years so it was a big move for 3 country kids. So
Lawrence was 12 years old and driving a car to school (there were no
school buses then). Other kids were riding in on horseback but they
were a bit too far out.
He graduated from High School in spring of 1946 in a class of 5. He
married Ada Ruth Whitmore December 24, 1947 at the Presbyterian Church
in Bickleton. They moved onto the Whitmore Homestead in 1951. Lawrence
farmed with his dad for several years and eventually purchased family farmland.
Lawrence belonged to the Bickleton Fire Department, Past Master of White
Creek Grange, Member of Alder Creek Grange, 20 year Bickleton school
board member, past President of Alder Creek Pioneer Association, Fraternal
Order of Eagles in Sunnyside and the Yakima Valley Studebaker Club.
Lawrence passed away at the Prestige Care Center in Toppenish, Sunday
evening June 12, 2016.
He is survived by Ada Ruth, his wife of 68 years and 5 children: Carolyn
(Lyle) Cleveland, Jack (Tami) Whitmore, Christine Whitmore, Tom (Melinda)
Whitmore, and Dave (Debbie) Whitmore. He is also survived by sisters
Ethel Read of Bickleton and Betty (Don) Berger of Kittitas, and several
nieces, nehphews and cousins.
He is also survived by 8 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren: Tina
(Andy) Jeffries of Medical Lake; Crystal (Scott) Taylor and sons Hunter
and Tanner of Loon Lake; Laurie (Robert) Cheney of Vancouver WA; Delano
(Erin) Whitmore and children Sydnie, Hali, John, and Addison of Mabton;
Kate (Chris) Watson and son Warner of Yakima; Bryan (Melissa) Whitmore
and daughter Audrey of Kennewick; Ashley (Sean) Bryan and son Alex of
Goldendale; and Phylicia (Tommy) Quinby and son Boston of Grayland.
He was preceded in death by grandson, Alex James Whitmore in July 2006
and sister, Eileen Wilhelm Bowden in December 2006.
Lawrence spent his life raising kids, grandkids, wheat and cattle. His
love for old cars and antiques continued all through his life and
together with his wife their passion lives on through the Whoop-N-Holler
Ranch and Museum.
A viewing was held Thursday, June 16 at Valley Hills Funeral Home in
Sunnyside. Funeral services were held Friday, June 17 at Bickleton
Evangelical Community Church at 11:00am. Lawrence will be laid to rest
beside his Great Grandfather Rev. John Huston Whitmore. Rev. Whitmore
homesteaded in the Juniper Canyon area beside his two daughters.
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