July 3, 1975 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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July 3, 1975 |
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I~~~~~~~~~II~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I~~I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I~~II
By LOU DONNELL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
the death of a very dear friend, demohtion of an old, old By LOU DONNELL
prompts people to remember things from the past that they
thought about in years. That's how it was in Allyn last week as
of the tearing down of Allyn House spread.
own memories of the old building were confined to the last few , me to delve into its history by
The tearing down of Allyn
House, one of the oldest buildings
in the North Mason area, inspired
hotel was purchased by Dan
Nevitt, who continued to operate
it as a hotel until a few years after
prohibition. Business probably
slowed as logging operations
when, by order of the health
department, the premises were
vacated.
Since then it has remained an
empty shell, a reminder to many
after it was known as Allyn House, a nursing home for the talking this past week to some m o v e d e 1 s e w h e r e a n d of events that took place in days
By then the building was old and it was only a matter of time local residents whose memories of transportation and roads hadlong gone by. As vandals took
eit would be considered a fire hazard and renewal of the nursing happenings in Allyn go back improved so that salesmen notheir toll and the grass grew high,
license refused, but it was the sewage disposal p oblems that much further than mine. longer had to sleep away from it became a fire hazard and a
~dthe order to evacuate the building in October of 1972. An eyesore for the last couple home if they came from Tacoma request had been made of the fire
~vith two weeks' notice given, there was much to do in a hurry, of years of its life, with its or Seattle. Fights became marshal for condemnation by the
homes had to be found for the occupants, many of whom shed windows broken by vandals andcommon occurrences in the commissioners of Fire District 5.
lawns uncut, the old building saloon and "the whole thing Pat Reynolds, who purchased
[as they left the old building headed for more lUXluri:us and itself would have been a great fizzled out" said Mr. Raisoni. the property in 1971 from the
[ern quarters. What the old nursing home had lacked in 1 rywas source of information if only it In the late 1930's Nevitt Edman estate, has hired Chuck
than made up for in the oersonal attention given by the staff and c o u 1 d t a 1 k. For a bout leased the building to Mrs. Faye Mustain Sr. to tear the old
|el .* -- ~ --
~Ianuly atmosphere" that prevailed. Since someone was on duty 24 three-quarters of a century it Archer who converted it to the building down. The Mustain sons
~s a day, for severalyears the staff at Allyn House had answered the dominated Allyn as one passedBayside Nursing Home. She and are helping in the demolition
[gency phone for Fire District 5, so the radio equipment had to be through town, first as a hotel to her five young sons, who attended project, which will include the old
across the street to Allyn firehall and a new dispatch system set which a dance hall and saloonAllyn School, lived there. One building used as a laundry and the
were added later, then a nursing son, Keith Archer of Victor, says white house south of that, across
~perated by volunteers until the district budget could gradually hire home followed by conversion to he believes there were two dance from Allyn Tavern. Removal of
]employees to be on duty 24 hours a day.
ltalked to many people last week in an effort to trace the history apartments during the housing floors when they moved in. The the roof was contracted
shortage of World War II, then Bayside Nursing Home took in •separately. Mike Mustain said that
~e old building; some I contacted and others who heard of my back to a nursing home for the old folks sent by doctors in when the roof is gone he expects
lest called me to offer information or leads on people who could elderly. What tales the old Shelton, most of whom werethe building to be down within
[.I know I missed others who have their own memories of events building could tell, particularly of terminally ill and needed care for three weeks. At present they are
ltook place through the years at the old building and I hereby invite the days in which it housed a only a short time before they removing salvageable materials for A LANDMARK IN ALLYN for over seventy years, the old building which last
people to write down any facts I failed to turn up or any "blind pig" (speakeasy, that is) died. resale from the interior of the housed Allyn House nursing home until it was closed by order of the health
uotes of happenings throughout the history of the building and during prohibition, or the Early in the 1940's the building, department in October, 1972, is being torn down.
|them to the Herald. I will publish as many as I have room for and Saturday night dances attended property was purchased by a Mr. - -
Jail over to the Mason County Historical Society for preservation, by loggers of the area which and Mrs. Bleekly or Beekley, I ' I~~1
|n tact, interest in Allyn House and its history was so acute in the occasionally turned into brawls, although the wife seems to have
~.-Victor area last week that many expressed a desire to have a or the quiet desperation of the been in charge. With a critical
aged who came to the old housing shortage in Bremerton I : Section ofShelton
~lng of the historical society in Allyn in the near future to renew building to live out the last days during World War II, the building
emories and this suggestion has been passed on to the society, or years of their lives, was converted to apartments, | : Mason County ,Journal
l3n Thursday I had coffee with Elaine Kowalczyk who shared her The original building was with tenants being Navy men and ~ -Thursday,-Ju]y 3~-1975
ories as a wartime bride living in an apartment in the old building erected in Allyn somewhere their wives. In 1945 newlyweds
[gshWelth other Navy couples. The apartments contained wood stoves around the turn of the century; Frank and Elaine Kowalczyk, j
[~ e said slay went to pick up a stack of wood where it was being Vic Raisoni thought it was around now owners of Allyn Shell and
lpped for use by the tenants and looked down to discover it was 1899, Gloria Crawford, who has Western Auto, moved into one of !
|g chopped on a floor of Philippine mahogany, evidently the old her own historical file on AUyn, the apartments while he was
hall floor. After her husband's discharge from the Navy they has it recorded as 1902. It was stationed in Bremerton with the
~,ed to the Chicago area but decided theyliked it out here so they built from lumber floated to Navy. Mrs. Kowalczyk said there
Allyn from Detroit (now was one bathroom on each of the |
Lthelr two small children came back and stayed in the old building Grapeview) which had come from two floors to serve all the
[snort time until they found more suitable living quarters. She still a much larger hotel built near the apartments. At that time the
tubers a character referred to as Black-eyed Dolly, a brushpicker, p re se nt D e t roit Townsite building just south of the large
_seemed to wait for the call that announced that the men who development. According to Mr. ex-hotel, which later housed
red at PSNS had better step on it to catch the bus. Just as the men Raisoni, a senior citizen who has laundry facilities for Allyn House, ~[f ~
[~ded the hallway on their way to work, Dolly would leave her room lived in Allyn all of his life, the contained three apartment units,
Fed for the one bathroom on the upstairs floor, wearing only a hotel had been built by a rather with tenants having to run across By MARGARET BARNARD
t°at draped over her shoulders, shady real estate company to the yard to use bathroom The LakeLand Village's
[laine said that it was a common occurrence for the wind to blow promote sale of lots in the North facilities. As the war ended, a t we-day Chapman Scotch Ball
[lights out in those days and that became the cue f Bay area. Unfortunately, some of series of transients rented the Tournament held June 21 and 22
t. .... , or a candle oartv the purchasers discovered the lots apartments.
[o-,~une s apartment. It was at these parties she learned to*t)la- had the following winners: low
Fr. ~ Y they had bought were actually inThen it became a nursing gross, Gary Shirbish and Lance
iThat's where I learned to dance," said Pat Lowell Of Allyn, North Bay and within a very few home again. A woman, name Thurston; low net, Ed Okonek
~lzssing the old building She said her father played in the band on years the company folded and the unknown, leased the building and and Russ Dalai. They defended
gaY m_ghts for thelively dances and she went along to join the fun. fancy hotel, which had been cared for elderly people. Around their championship in a sudden
pictured on brochures sent all 1953 the building was purchased death" playoff with Bob Andrews
he~ ..... bullm~em ....... ana his wife, Ruby, also remember attending many dances over the country to inspire sales, by Mr. and Mrs. Edman and and Dick Johnston. On Saturday s
~- " '~,,~ ~ ueyuay.
~Sh°me memories have remained stored in the walls and floors of the was empty, named Sarah House after her play Norm Sanders had the
A man named Bob Carter mother. They continued to longest drive for the 1st Division
and Russ Schillinger for the 2nd
buildingofandlastareweekbeingwheaUncoveredl droppedaS theby toPtaCetalkistodismantled'the By moved the lumber on large floats about 1960 when Mr. Edman died Division. Dick Porter had the
inesday bought it, tore it down, andoperate it as a nursing home until
~[are tearingit down, they had found a pair of glasses in a case, aMUStains' to Allyn. The hotel he and the building was leased to nearest the pin (No. 8) in 1st
| letter dated in 1911 addressed to Roy T. Arthur, a collection of reconstructed, according to Mr. Frank White, Sr., who had nursing Division and Maury Fugitt for the
Lcigarette cards from Duke Cigarettes and a $4 money order dated Raisoni, was smaller than the homes in Olympia and Tacoma. It 2nd Division. On Sunday s play
~made out to Barbara Schilling, c/o Sarah House I learned 1 original. Loggers and travelling was renamed Allyn House and Gary Shirbish had the longest
Frank Whir • ater
In e, Jr., that Barbara Schilling had been a nurse a salesmen were the main clientele. Frank White Jr. managed it for drive for the 1st Division and H.
• tient a . nd then A dance hall and saloon were about five years until he went to Olson for 2nd Division. Jim Yoest
. t Allyn House. He beheves she has passed away.
~By last week newspapers dating back to the earl i940'sadded and it became a favorite work at PSNS. Frank White Sr., had nearest the pin (No. 5) for 1st
|st the "o .....- . _ Y were the place for local residents and with the assistance of Pat Division and Russ Schillinger for
!, # ,rag men ned round hidden behind paneling and under loggers working in the area to Medeiros as administrator, kept it 2nd Division.
ra p? : ,Iasked to save all the interesting things they find and spend Saturday nights. Whenin operation until his death inOn June 24 the ladies' club
prohibition came along it housed January, 1971. Mrs. Medeiros played at Alderbrook and were
too, wm attend a future meetin in Allvn of the hi " "n " "
ty and share • • • .. _ "storical a speakeasy, called a bh d pig continued to operate Allyn House guests at lunch. Patti Schillinger
their findings with others.
SOmeday, a history of Allyn is written, a lengthy chapter could according to Mr. RaisonL following his death, fight up to had low net for the LakeLand
lY Otevent the -] ev°ted t°sthe °ld building .alone if everyone who has an interesting Somewhere around 1920 the the sad day in October, 1972, club, Duleie Schillinger, second,
and Betta Richlen, third.
!" too : place there would write it down and
|newsna,,er ..- ~, .. send it to ~ The Gold Mountain ladies
i,.. t, ,,, Mason t;ounty Histori al '
IWould,,', : ..... - c Society, Belfalr. came to I.akeLand to play on a
- u oe tascmatmg if the walls could tell the histor
rssea throughout the years? y they d rainy Thursday, June 26. Billie
Churchill had low gross for the
SALVAGING DOORS from the many rooms in Allyn House,
as well as other items which can be sold, are Mike {left) and
Rob Mustain, sons of Chuck Mustain, Sr., who was awarded
the contract to tear the former nursing home down. This
picture was taken in the area which housed the office of the
nursing home.
Tri-lakes club mem
to vote on club's future
Is the Mission-Tiger-Panther
Lakes Improvement Club to be or
not to be?
Some of the club officers have
taken a giant step in requesting
either a temporary suspension of
club activities or a dissolution of
the club itself.
There has been a growing lack
of interest and non-attendance at
the quarterly meetin~ of the
group in spite of an increase in
residents and property owners
around the three lakes. Only a
dedicated few have given offers of
assistance or submitted ideas for
club activities.
The club dates back to 1950
and has accomplished such
projects as bringing power lines,
• ":l:rr,~,-.__ __ mail delivery, telephones and
~'~ 'I~L~/HROUGH used stamps collected by St. Nicholas school bus routes to the lake
lim'u tosut err_ PP t overseas missions are Iris O sen (left) and areas. Club cooperation with
Styrwold Persons who w sh to tear off stem s from Mason and Kitsap County
r dail maii P commissioners has resulted in
ilm o • to donate to the Tahuya group may drop improvedroads, fire protection
_~'~le~,~r a,~ the. Tahuya Grocery in Tahuya or the and has brought adjustments of
Letters are sent prior to each
quarterly meeting by the
secretary to some hundred people
who own lake property. The few
responses to program suggestions
have been put into action, using
the large and nearby conveniences
of fhe Bear Creek Community
Club building.
Some 90 notices have been
mailed to residents and lake
property owners of the pending
action to be taken. A vote of
confidence is requested by
writing, before July 5, to the club
secretary, Mrs. Betty Larson, Star
Rt. 1, Box 845, Bremerton, WA
98310.
Those who do not take the
time to answer will be casting a
negative vote against continuation
of the group.
BOAT STOLEN
A complaint was made June
25 of a 7-foot white pram stolen
from Benson Lake.
field and Dulcie Schillinger had
low net. In the 1st Division
Eleanor Knapp had the closest to
the pin on No. 5 and Helen
Neuhauser for the 2nd Division.
Billie Churchill had the longest
drive on No. 9 for the 1st Division
and Helen Neuhauser for the 2nd
Division. In the 1st Division Faye
Boroughs had low net, with Patti
SchiUinger second and Louise
Okonek third. Dorine Porter came
in first for low net for the 2rid
Division, with Helen Neuhauser
second and Sandy LePere third.
The Bayshore ladies' club is
coming to LakeLand to play golf
and be guest~ of the local club for
lunch on July 3.
The Glorious Fourth will be
celebrated by a Mixed Best Ball
tournament for members and
guests. Tee-off time will be at 9
a.m. for the nine-hole event.
On July 8 the ladies' club is
going to Clover Valley to play
golf and will be their guests for
lunch.
AMONG APPROXIMATELY 80 GIRLS from this area turning out for
softball in the Kitsap Peninsula Girls' Softball Association are these members
of the major league team, the Bulldogs, for girls 13 to 15. They have hopes
of entering the state tournament set for July 26, 27 and 28. Of the nine
districts in the state, this is the largest, with close to 40 teams involved.
Team members are, front row, left to right, Pam Sieh!. Teri Moore, Gayle
Olson, Sandy Burrows, Bonnie Staley. Middle row, left to right, Patti
Roberts, Colleen Berry, Patty Shriver, Brenda Barro-w,-Avis Draper. Rear
row, left to right, Linda Williams;, Lisa Marsh, Kelly Staley, Bernice
Crosswhite, Tammy Barrow and Coach Don Siehl. The team is sponsored by
Reid Realty.
TAHUYA RIVER
BREAK-INS
Several cabins at Tahuya
River Valley Tracts were
discovered last week to have been
broken into, with entry made
through windows broken or
removed. Owners were contacted
by the sheriff's department and in
some cases it was still unknown if
anything was missing. Items were
reported mis~ing from two places.
From the cabin of Claude Spigier
of Bremerton, jackets, pillow
covers, canned food and a
flashlight were reported missing;
from the cabin of Floyd Langton
of Bremerton the burglars took
canned goods, a shower cap and
toilet tissue. Nothing appeared to
be missing from the residences of
Aimme Weaver of Tacoma,
Richard Steele of Port Orchard,
Albert Sokytis of Port Orchard
and Ralph Martens of Olympia. It
was unknown if anything was
taken from the cabin of W. P.
Gattis of Scoots Valley,
California.
ANOTHER MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM in this area, with most girls playing for
the first time this year, is the Stealers, sponsored by Belfair Cafe. Members
include, front row, left to right, Assistant Coach Jaspar Hedge, Peggy Gatlin,
Denise Smith, Lorna Lumley, Kathy Lutzenhiser, Pare Knight. Rear row, left
to right, Tammy Melugin, Mona Hedge, Caron Zech, Pam Newman, Dianna
Perley and Coach Mike Lutzenhiser. Not pictured, Kim Jones. North Mason
also has two minor league teams for girls 11 and 12 and one mini-league
team for nine and ten-year-olds. Next year there will be a league for girls 16
to 18.