Hydrofest Races of the 1950'sDuring the 1950's a group of local businessmen were successful in putting on a few years of sanctioned hydroplane races on Lake Chelan,The races brought the big names and bring boats to the valley for what was known as the Apple Cup. The event also brought crowds - almost unruly crowds - the likes and sizes that valley was unprepared to handle.
Thanks to the late Don Cannon (Cannon's Resort) and his daughter Linda Lu, we post one of Don's favorite personal photos. The Cannon's lived at their resort (across from Judy Jane Bakery, at what was formerly Jobe's Resort and subsequently after Cannon's sold became Campbell's Lodge #3). Don and family saw all the comings and goings of the Lake Chelan Boat Company boats back in the day when the Boat Company used to pick up passenger at the public dock at the foot of Woodin Avenue. Don told me at the time he took this photo, "Those Boat Company Pilots are [...]
Massive Change To Waterfront on Lower End of Lake Chelan In Feb 2017, we produced this "Newsreel" style video capturing an extensive look at an area of Lake Chelan waterfront that would soon be seeing extensive change. We knew then that Chelan Seaplanes would no longer be operating out of that area and that the former Howe Sound dock, just downlake from the Lake Chelan Boat Company would be removed and a major marina ( Sunset Marina ) w0uld be built at that location. As we up-date this post in January , 2019, we've learned that the Lake Chelan Boat Company [...]
Town of Chelan - 1908 vs 2018With locations viewed about 110 years apart. The original black and white was taken in the early 1900's - we're unsure of the exact year, and the color update was taken in the Spring of 2018.As we study these photos we can see what is apparently Woodin Avenue, and several other landmarks.Keep in mind the Chelan Dam had not been built when the 1900's photo was taken, so the waterline is different. That is especiallytrue the closer you get to the mouth of the Chelan River, where the channel narrows starting below Lakeside. When the [...]
A Snowy Winter Night - January 22, 2018There's something special about the beautiful brush that nature uses as part of a snowfall. We were lucky enough to be able to catch some of downtown Chelan's Historic Landmarks right after we had 2.5 inches of fluffy snow cover the city. (As you scroll down - Click On Each Photo for a SUPER SIZED HD Version of Each Photo ) Chelan's Historic Log Church The Culinary Apple and others Historic Log Church Original Klines Variety Store & Historic Ruby Theatre Whaley Building and Chelan Museum Bldg Lake Chelan Chamber [...]
Winterfest 2010 - How It Was Then Every year the Lake Chelan Winterfest has grown and changed. Here's a perspective ....This video from 2010 produced by Jerry Isenhart, Richard Uhlhorn and Greg Kennedy,.
Incredible 1950's Film Footage of Lake ChelanWe can thank many people for putting this together. The 'video rights' to this belong to Malcolm Keithly. The most recent editing was the work of Lise Anderson. We wish we could know who all to thank for capturing the many segments on film so many long years ago. This is classic footage. Enjoy!
Remembering Manson's 1983 Helicopter Santa In the 1980's we were part of a great Manson promotion that was aired on Northwest TV Stations in 1983 and then syndicated nationwide the following year. The story behind the program was recently re-told in a special edition of "Making Waves" on Lake Chelan Now.
Remembering Ruth PingreyThis too is a work in progress. This is a digitized version of a class project of Mrs Pingrey. Ruth Pingrey was one of the best Proud Americans I have ever known - and she was a 3rd Grade Teacher at Chelan Elementary School. There is much to be written and added here. In the interim.... here is a videothat tells a wonderful story.
Jim Griffith - One of Lake Chelan's Real CharactersThis page is a work in progress. The story of Jim Griffith is the a story of laughter and tears, Jim was one of the funniest people I ever knew. He loved working and loved his work. From an early age,Jim had a fascination for aviation and airplanes, and when he was about 14 he wrangled a job at Chelan Airways with Ernie Gibson. Jim's first jobs were to keep the fuel tanks topped off, keep the floats pumped (as most floats have slow leaks and take on water (over time), and wash [...]
