JULY 2015 • VOL 13, ISSUE 7
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lost some important businesses [over the last 125 years] and taken a few hard oming home…. Many of Kalama’s knocks, but Kalama has persevered and past and present residents say they grown. He pointed out. “If you look at dream of one thing while they are away how our town has grown, the industrial from Kalama…. Coming home, back to makeup is almost parallel as it was in the Kalama, Washington. And many are beginning of Kalama. When the railroad coming home to Kalama to take part in left, that almost wiped the town out the 125th anniversary celebration of the [only 75 people remained in Kalama at town. that time] and when the sawmill burned Past and present residents of down that had a heavy impact on the Kalama, Washington, have been invitcity [also].” ed to partake in the 125th anniversary But still Kalama continues to progof the City of Kalama, July 10, 11, 12, ress [towards the next 125 years.]. 2015. The three-day event kicks off “We,” Paulson said, “[City of Kalama] Friday, July 10, with the arrival of the don’t have an income stream [to make “tall ships” the Lady Washington and money for the city of Kalama]. We sell the Hawaiian Princess at the Port of water, that’s what we do. We have Kalama. These “tall ships” are remi[also] been doing a lot of annexation. A niscent of the sailing ships which plied little piece at a time, that’s how we are the waters of the Columbia River in doing it.” the 1800s. Dockside tours of these Frank Kockritz was raised in Kalama magnificent ships and information and served 43 years as a volunteer for PHOTO: Downtown Kalama circa 1800. photo courtesy of city of kalama about life at sea in the 1800s will be BACKDROP the Kalama Fire Department and was a INSET PHOTO: Downtown Kalama June 24, 2015. photo courtesy of cheryl and tony spaulding offered. Ships like these were a comlongtime Kalama business man. He mon sight on the river when Kalama was first settled. said he has seen the City of Kalama grow and change. “This was a lively town [as I Mayor Pete Paulson says the celebration committee plans to bring back some old was growing up,] he said. Over time I have seen more people shopping locally.” He traditions and possibly make some new ones. Festivities will start with an old-fash- went onto say, “its a real friendly little town. I don’t look for the downtown area to ioned street dance with a DJ and 1950s era music scheduled for Friday night in down- grow. I think it is going to stay just about the same [as it has been for many years].” town Kalama as well as a beer garden located in front of Poker Pete’s tavern. Paulson Kalama’s town motto is “where rail, highway and water meet” and during the celsaid most of the proceeds from the event will be used for maintenance of the Kalama ebration of Kalama’s conception and growth, on Saturday, July 11, the importance of Community Building (126 N 23nd St, Kalama.) Hats and T-shirts for the event will trains in the history of Kalama will be play out in downtown Kalama. Model train also be for sale. All contributions and donations for the maintenance of the Kalama enthusiasts plan to set up model train displays throughout the downtown area. In 1871 Community Building will be accepted. the first spike of the Northern Pacific Railroad was driven in Kalama, Washington. “Paulson said, as a town we [Kalama] has progressed, we’ve improved and we have KALAMA—cont’d on page 2 modernized. It [Kalama] is almost parallel with the original concept for Kalama. We have
BY CHERYL K. SPAULDING
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