MEMORIES OF THE EARLY YEARS
COLUMBIA BASIN WARD
The year was 1955. Reese and Verna Hope were following their dream, along with other close friends, and as a Veteran Dad had the opportunity to put his name in to be drawn to receive an acreage of land in the Columbia Basin Project, in Washington State, of which was 80 acres was ours on what later became Taylor Flats Road.
At that time we were a family of six: Deanna, Lauanna, Terrill and Rhonda Hope. I remember so well leaving our little farm which was between Rexburg and St. Anthony, Idaho, and traveling to what would be our new home. I turned 8 while living in Moses Lake and was baptized in the lake, which was really, really scary for me as I did not like water.
We arrived in Moses Lake and stayed with my uncle for a short time until we could get us a rental house. Then Dad went to work there. I’m not sure of the timeframes, but will never forget the crying that went on when Dad and Mom took us the first time to see our new farm. There was NOTHING THERE, I MEAN NOTHING, NO ROADS, NO WATER, NO ELECTRICITY……… NOTHING BUT SAGEBRUSH AND RATS.
While living in Moses Lake my dad worked and built a one-room home to move onto our new property. That would be our home and later our chicken coop. Because it was going to be for the chickens later, he only put plastic over the windows instead of expensive glass. He set this building up on blocks. As the ground was leveled and getting ready for crops, the wind would blow into our house with no windows. I can remember Dad and Terrill getting up in the middle of the night to support the building somehow so the winds didn’t blow it off the blocks. WHEN WE WOKE UP IN THE MORNING WE COULD NOT HEAR, AS SO MUCH DIRT HAD BLOWN IN, IT FILLED OUR EARS FULL OF SAND. So, this was the beginning of our lives starting out as Pioneers in the Columbia Basin, developing some of the first acreages and causing the desert to blossom into what it is today.
I remember our first neighbors were Max and June Bitton and Gordon and Julie Mathews. Both families had great influences on my life. Many happy and sad times were shared with these families, but we all worked hard together to survive and develop the land. We shared equipment and helped each other any way we could – it was great – it was like we were just one big family.
Because we had no running water of any kind, we would have to haul the water from Eltopia where the Bureau of Reclamation was. I don’t recall whose truck we used to do that but remember hauling water in watering cans, etc., to provide us with drinking water, bathing, cooking, and water for any animals we might have. So, you know what happened when it got time for bathing. Yep, Mom would heat a little water, in the little round aluminum tub one would bathe, add a little more hot water to heat up for the next person, and so on. Funny thing as I look back, I don’t remember Mom and Dad bathing in that little round tub …… so not sure what they did …….. but I know they took baths because they were always neat and clean. Maybe Dad had a little makeshift shower that we didn’t know about. Probably not. They probably had a larger tub. I don’t remember.
I was in the third grade when we arrived and we went to school in the Eltopia school. It was just a small community school and so third grade met on the stage in one classroom and sixth grade met in the same room just below us. Those were great days at that school. Later a new school was built up on the hill above the old school, where we would walk for lunch and also for our baseball activities, etc. We had lots of fun times at this school, with the sports activities, sharing exciting times involved as a cheerleader and really close friendships were built. I’ll never forget the cooks June Bitton and Peggy Lye. They made the best lunches, the mashed potatoes and turkey gravy with homemade rolls……that was the best!!!!! When I graduated from 8th grade we then were sent to McLoughlin in Pasco.
I remember the meeting in our new home to establish the first branch of the Columbia Basin Ward. Up to that time we were attending church in the Pasco chapel and were part of the Richland Stake. We started the branch and met in Bill and Joyce Rigby’s house as it had two levels so we had space for several classrooms. We then later purchased ground, and purchased two or three pieces of Pre-fab homes from the Hanford area, joined them together, and that became our new church which was located on the same ground that our chapel is on today. I believe my mom was the first Relief Society President. I could be wrong about the first, but I do remember she was one of the first ones and she was very busy. Us kids and Dad had to help out lots at home while she served the Lord in this responsibility of taking care of the sisters in the ward. Those were fond memories for her and our family.
Other pioneer people that were brave that I remember were: Vaughn and Bardella Johnson, George and Jean Withers, Bill and Joyce Rigby, George and Lola Herron, Grant and Mary Bleazard, Boyd and Gayle Mackay, Winfred and Elaine Merrill, Art and Rhoda Lee, Homer and Myra Gessel, and other families living further north towards what is now Basin City with lots more people soon to follow.
As I said earlier, we all worked really hard just to survive and everyone seemed to be pretty poor, at least it appeared that way to me as a child. One of the things my family did to survive was to be the first custodians for the Columbia Basin Ward. After the Pre fabs were purchased and readied for meeting in them, we became the custodians. I remember that very well even though I was maybe 9 to 10 yeas old. My parents still expected us to help clean the building, as there were certain things we could do to help. We also took care of the outside mowing, watering, and at that time we had the keys so if people needed to get into the church, we would have to make sure it was open for them, and then go back over and make sure that all the lights, etc., were off and all the doors locked, etc.
Lots of fond memories of playing sports for the church, especially softball as we had a great pitcher in Cleo Mann and we had lots of great hitters. Many years we took championships. Those will always be fond memories.
The road shows in Mutual (Young Women’s), the dances for activity after Mutual, the Saturday night dances will always be remembered as great times. The Gold and Green Balls were special events. I don’t really remember the people who taught us the dances -- they were a couple from the Richland Stake – but they were good.
I remember working with Patsy Cook in the Young Women’s Mutual. She was a fabulous person. We went on the first temple trip with the girls to the Idaho Falls Temple. That was a great experience. Those years of working with the young people were really fun and great ones for me.
The two people who stood out in my mind for leading the music and playing the organ were my mom and Jean Withers. I don’t remember who did it before they were called but I know they served in that position a long time. I do remember Joyce Rigby as our chorister and choir director.
As the years passed and more people came to settle in the Columbia Basin, we outgrew the Pre-fab church and had to build a chapel. It was during this time that the church sent out a person to be the supervisor of construction and then sent a couple of young men as construction missionaries, and along with them and the ward we built our new church building. I remember very well that Brother Asay and family were the supervisory family and I remember one missionary by the name of Louie but don’t remember the other one. I worked as the secretary to Brother Asay. I must have been 16 or 17. I would answer the phone, take messages and deliver them, and anything else they needed me to do. That was a great time of truly being involved in building the new church on Eltopia West Road, which is still here and known as the Columbia Basin Ward Chapel.
Homer and Myra Gessel became the first custodians I believe for our new chapel. A trailer home was purchased next to the chapel to make it convenient for them and the ward members. Many fun and happy times with this family were shared and a very sad time for us when Homer passed away. He was a funny, super man. Myra was great, too, but more quiet. They raised a great family there. Again as time passed by ….. my parents became custodians and when Mom and Dad couldn’t handle it alone, Keith and I moved our little family into a doublewide home we purchased and lived next to the chapel. Mom and Dad took care of half of the church and Keith and I did the other half. Keith and I also took care of the double ball diamond for mowing and watering, while Mom and Dad took care of the yards around the church. Those were awesome times working with Mom and Dad.
When I became Seminary age, Deanna and I would get up really early, do our chores and get ready to be at seminary by 6:10 a.m. until 7:10. Then the bus would pick us up from the church. If I remember correctly, Julie Mathews was our seminary teacher and also June Monson. We then traveled, picking up more students and getting into Pasco approximately one hour later. The same for coming home, approximately a one-hour bus ride. We would just work on our homework so that when we got home we were ready to have a yummy homemade snack and then head to the fields for weeding crops. We could smell the yummy goodies that Mom had made for us right after we got off the bus and headed for the house.
The church was very important to us in growing up as all of our activities were centered around the church. We were not allowed to play school activities, as we had to come home and work on the farm to help earn that living. But we had many, many great times involved in the church activities.
The special days of July 4th celebrations, Pioneer Day parades and July 24th events were all happy times by all. I remember one year in 1971 we were having I believe the 24th of July celebration at Robert and Betty Perkes’ farm for which Keith had been asked to be in charge of the event. I was pregnant with our third child, it was hot, and I wondered what I would do if I went into labor while Keith was at that event. I really didn’t feel like being there as it was hot, etc., but I didn’t want to stay at home either (remember we didn’t have cell phones in those days). But the event came and went and needless-to-say, I didn’t have the baby until the 10th of August. But, those events were exciting for all. We also would have these kinds of events down in Ringold next to the Columbia River, in what I believe was part of the Purser’s ranch. Lots of fun games and a dunk tank were part of this celebration.
I remember working in the potato sheds and cutting potato sets for planting in the fields in the Columbia Basin. I remember going to work in Eltopia with my dad and working in the potato shed in Eltopia sorting through potatoes and getting them ready to be bagged and put on the railroad cars ready for sale. I also remember days of working in the onions with the Mackays. Even though these events were lots of work, they were times of memories of people who helped me and influenced my life for good.
Many other events and many other people were special in my life of growing up in the Columbia Basin Ward. I could never remember every single person that helped shape my life but I do know that I would not have traded it for anything now in looking back at it. My life was enriched by living and rubbing shoulders with all the great people that lived there. The hard work I was taught has stayed with me for life.
I’m so thankful for the opportunity of being a member of the church and being part of growing up in this great part of the Lord’s vineyard.
Lauanna (Hope) Callaway
COLUMBIA BASIN WARD
The year was 1955. Reese and Verna Hope were following their dream, along with other close friends, and as a Veteran Dad had the opportunity to put his name in to be drawn to receive an acreage of land in the Columbia Basin Project, in Washington State, of which was 80 acres was ours on what later became Taylor Flats Road.
At that time we were a family of six: Deanna, Lauanna, Terrill and Rhonda Hope. I remember so well leaving our little farm which was between Rexburg and St. Anthony, Idaho, and traveling to what would be our new home. I turned 8 while living in Moses Lake and was baptized in the lake, which was really, really scary for me as I did not like water.
We arrived in Moses Lake and stayed with my uncle for a short time until we could get us a rental house. Then Dad went to work there. I’m not sure of the timeframes, but will never forget the crying that went on when Dad and Mom took us the first time to see our new farm. There was NOTHING THERE, I MEAN NOTHING, NO ROADS, NO WATER, NO ELECTRICITY……… NOTHING BUT SAGEBRUSH AND RATS.
While living in Moses Lake my dad worked and built a one-room home to move onto our new property. That would be our home and later our chicken coop. Because it was going to be for the chickens later, he only put plastic over the windows instead of expensive glass. He set this building up on blocks. As the ground was leveled and getting ready for crops, the wind would blow into our house with no windows. I can remember Dad and Terrill getting up in the middle of the night to support the building somehow so the winds didn’t blow it off the blocks. WHEN WE WOKE UP IN THE MORNING WE COULD NOT HEAR, AS SO MUCH DIRT HAD BLOWN IN, IT FILLED OUR EARS FULL OF SAND. So, this was the beginning of our lives starting out as Pioneers in the Columbia Basin, developing some of the first acreages and causing the desert to blossom into what it is today.
I remember our first neighbors were Max and June Bitton and Gordon and Julie Mathews. Both families had great influences on my life. Many happy and sad times were shared with these families, but we all worked hard together to survive and develop the land. We shared equipment and helped each other any way we could – it was great – it was like we were just one big family.
Because we had no running water of any kind, we would have to haul the water from Eltopia where the Bureau of Reclamation was. I don’t recall whose truck we used to do that but remember hauling water in watering cans, etc., to provide us with drinking water, bathing, cooking, and water for any animals we might have. So, you know what happened when it got time for bathing. Yep, Mom would heat a little water, in the little round aluminum tub one would bathe, add a little more hot water to heat up for the next person, and so on. Funny thing as I look back, I don’t remember Mom and Dad bathing in that little round tub …… so not sure what they did …….. but I know they took baths because they were always neat and clean. Maybe Dad had a little makeshift shower that we didn’t know about. Probably not. They probably had a larger tub. I don’t remember.
I was in the third grade when we arrived and we went to school in the Eltopia school. It was just a small community school and so third grade met on the stage in one classroom and sixth grade met in the same room just below us. Those were great days at that school. Later a new school was built up on the hill above the old school, where we would walk for lunch and also for our baseball activities, etc. We had lots of fun times at this school, with the sports activities, sharing exciting times involved as a cheerleader and really close friendships were built. I’ll never forget the cooks June Bitton and Peggy Lye. They made the best lunches, the mashed potatoes and turkey gravy with homemade rolls……that was the best!!!!! When I graduated from 8th grade we then were sent to McLoughlin in Pasco.
I remember the meeting in our new home to establish the first branch of the Columbia Basin Ward. Up to that time we were attending church in the Pasco chapel and were part of the Richland Stake. We started the branch and met in Bill and Joyce Rigby’s house as it had two levels so we had space for several classrooms. We then later purchased ground, and purchased two or three pieces of Pre-fab homes from the Hanford area, joined them together, and that became our new church which was located on the same ground that our chapel is on today. I believe my mom was the first Relief Society President. I could be wrong about the first, but I do remember she was one of the first ones and she was very busy. Us kids and Dad had to help out lots at home while she served the Lord in this responsibility of taking care of the sisters in the ward. Those were fond memories for her and our family.
Other pioneer people that were brave that I remember were: Vaughn and Bardella Johnson, George and Jean Withers, Bill and Joyce Rigby, George and Lola Herron, Grant and Mary Bleazard, Boyd and Gayle Mackay, Winfred and Elaine Merrill, Art and Rhoda Lee, Homer and Myra Gessel, and other families living further north towards what is now Basin City with lots more people soon to follow.
As I said earlier, we all worked really hard just to survive and everyone seemed to be pretty poor, at least it appeared that way to me as a child. One of the things my family did to survive was to be the first custodians for the Columbia Basin Ward. After the Pre fabs were purchased and readied for meeting in them, we became the custodians. I remember that very well even though I was maybe 9 to 10 yeas old. My parents still expected us to help clean the building, as there were certain things we could do to help. We also took care of the outside mowing, watering, and at that time we had the keys so if people needed to get into the church, we would have to make sure it was open for them, and then go back over and make sure that all the lights, etc., were off and all the doors locked, etc.
Lots of fond memories of playing sports for the church, especially softball as we had a great pitcher in Cleo Mann and we had lots of great hitters. Many years we took championships. Those will always be fond memories.
The road shows in Mutual (Young Women’s), the dances for activity after Mutual, the Saturday night dances will always be remembered as great times. The Gold and Green Balls were special events. I don’t really remember the people who taught us the dances -- they were a couple from the Richland Stake – but they were good.
I remember working with Patsy Cook in the Young Women’s Mutual. She was a fabulous person. We went on the first temple trip with the girls to the Idaho Falls Temple. That was a great experience. Those years of working with the young people were really fun and great ones for me.
The two people who stood out in my mind for leading the music and playing the organ were my mom and Jean Withers. I don’t remember who did it before they were called but I know they served in that position a long time. I do remember Joyce Rigby as our chorister and choir director.
As the years passed and more people came to settle in the Columbia Basin, we outgrew the Pre-fab church and had to build a chapel. It was during this time that the church sent out a person to be the supervisor of construction and then sent a couple of young men as construction missionaries, and along with them and the ward we built our new church building. I remember very well that Brother Asay and family were the supervisory family and I remember one missionary by the name of Louie but don’t remember the other one. I worked as the secretary to Brother Asay. I must have been 16 or 17. I would answer the phone, take messages and deliver them, and anything else they needed me to do. That was a great time of truly being involved in building the new church on Eltopia West Road, which is still here and known as the Columbia Basin Ward Chapel.
Homer and Myra Gessel became the first custodians I believe for our new chapel. A trailer home was purchased next to the chapel to make it convenient for them and the ward members. Many fun and happy times with this family were shared and a very sad time for us when Homer passed away. He was a funny, super man. Myra was great, too, but more quiet. They raised a great family there. Again as time passed by ….. my parents became custodians and when Mom and Dad couldn’t handle it alone, Keith and I moved our little family into a doublewide home we purchased and lived next to the chapel. Mom and Dad took care of half of the church and Keith and I did the other half. Keith and I also took care of the double ball diamond for mowing and watering, while Mom and Dad took care of the yards around the church. Those were awesome times working with Mom and Dad.
When I became Seminary age, Deanna and I would get up really early, do our chores and get ready to be at seminary by 6:10 a.m. until 7:10. Then the bus would pick us up from the church. If I remember correctly, Julie Mathews was our seminary teacher and also June Monson. We then traveled, picking up more students and getting into Pasco approximately one hour later. The same for coming home, approximately a one-hour bus ride. We would just work on our homework so that when we got home we were ready to have a yummy homemade snack and then head to the fields for weeding crops. We could smell the yummy goodies that Mom had made for us right after we got off the bus and headed for the house.
The church was very important to us in growing up as all of our activities were centered around the church. We were not allowed to play school activities, as we had to come home and work on the farm to help earn that living. But we had many, many great times involved in the church activities.
The special days of July 4th celebrations, Pioneer Day parades and July 24th events were all happy times by all. I remember one year in 1971 we were having I believe the 24th of July celebration at Robert and Betty Perkes’ farm for which Keith had been asked to be in charge of the event. I was pregnant with our third child, it was hot, and I wondered what I would do if I went into labor while Keith was at that event. I really didn’t feel like being there as it was hot, etc., but I didn’t want to stay at home either (remember we didn’t have cell phones in those days). But the event came and went and needless-to-say, I didn’t have the baby until the 10th of August. But, those events were exciting for all. We also would have these kinds of events down in Ringold next to the Columbia River, in what I believe was part of the Purser’s ranch. Lots of fun games and a dunk tank were part of this celebration.
I remember working in the potato sheds and cutting potato sets for planting in the fields in the Columbia Basin. I remember going to work in Eltopia with my dad and working in the potato shed in Eltopia sorting through potatoes and getting them ready to be bagged and put on the railroad cars ready for sale. I also remember days of working in the onions with the Mackays. Even though these events were lots of work, they were times of memories of people who helped me and influenced my life for good.
Many other events and many other people were special in my life of growing up in the Columbia Basin Ward. I could never remember every single person that helped shape my life but I do know that I would not have traded it for anything now in looking back at it. My life was enriched by living and rubbing shoulders with all the great people that lived there. The hard work I was taught has stayed with me for life.
I’m so thankful for the opportunity of being a member of the church and being part of growing up in this great part of the Lord’s vineyard.
Lauanna (Hope) Callaway
