The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1936-08-27

luton. the General teoel auon OF
Women's Clubs and the National
Federation OF Music Clubs. Pioneers
who made the hazardous Overland
Journey will be honored Saturday,
under the auspices Of the Oregon
Trial Memorial Association. Sum
days religious services will be in
charge Of the Congregational and
Presbyterian Churches.
While Whitman College was
growing up, the grave at Waiilatpu
still was unmarked. In 1860 Rev
erend Eells rallied it in. His son
Myron Eels. dug a trench around
it in 1868, forming mound with
the dirt thrown up onto it. The
board fence which he built around
it fell down in the course Of years.
It must have seemed lonely and
forgotten when, in 1885. President
A. J. Anderson and some students
of Whitman college decided to build
a little picket fence around it.
This was kept in repair until 1897.
when the Whitman Monument As
ISOLATION was formed. mainly
through the efforts Of G. II. Hines
and DR.. c. c. Strong Of Portland.
William II. Gray, Whitman's former
associate at Waiilatpu had much to
do with making the plans and rails
ing money.
On November @, 1897. the fif-
tieth anniversary Of the Whitman
Massacre, a huge crowd attended
dedicatory services in the opera
house at Walla Walla. The grave
was beautifully but simply marked.
and a monument was erected on
the little hill overlooking the mis-
sion site. On the polished slab
topping the marble mausoleum
were carved the names Of the four
teen victims Of the massacre.
For many years small park has
been maintained Immediately
around the grave by the Kiwanis
Club and the Daughters Of the
American Revolution Of Walla Wal
la. The actual site Of the Whitman
house. blacksmith shop, emigrant
station. and the like, however. is
covered by farm buildings. as
Eell's original claim was sold to
raise money to keep Whitman Col
leEe open in its early difficult days.
On March 3. 1896. whitman Day"
was proclaimed by the governors Of
Oregon and Washington. That was
the hundredth anniversary Of the
day Dr. Whitman set out toward
Oregon from Rushville, New York,
with his golden-haired young bride.
Walla Walla's observance Of Whit
mans Day was held at Waiilatpu
beside the Whitman grave. Among
those present were many descen.
dants Of pioneers Of the l8l3 wagon
train DR. Whitman piloted into the
Car West
Upon such a rich and noble his
torical background. officers and
members Of the Whitman Centen-
nial Association have built their
plans not alone for the celebration
in August, but for the years to come
to end that the Whitmans there
may be established q truly fitting
and permanent memorial = the
Whitman National Park.
Congress has approved q measure
establishing the original mission
grounds as q national monument
site. It Is the hope Of the Associa-'
ton members that on the site there
Will be reconstructed the Whitman
Mission TO appear % It did the day
an Indian tomahawk struck down
one Of the sincerest friends the In.
dams ever had.
So IN the future years visitors 10
the shrine which marks the spot
where Pacific Northwest civilixa-
lion started. win be reminded not
that the WhitmAns died. but that
they lived. Famous - he Whit
man Massacre has become, Il b
not that alone which gave the Whit
mans their rishtfully prominent
place n Northwest history. Their
story was . story Of Waiflatpu, -
story Of wagons West"
Dr.. Whitman must be re0aA-
bered most q N for his work q
- EVERYDAY missionary pAysieiaa|
and for lii services n a3d)Ag -
NoE1AWe0lss earliest Sete3es8. 81
s6de hin worked . Woo1aA deo0
~ evea REooAef hoooe, - eeoao4
ct 0hat history e. beOe0W: NlRen'
PFse1lss Whllnaa. - F1ooeef
Aoeher.