This is it! The big day when we give away the keys and title to a beautiful Ruby Red Ford Maverick AWD Hybrid. Join us at 1:00 p.m. sharp when we draw the lucky winner!

Grays Harbor native Aaron Goings’ long awaited treatise on the history of radicalism among Grays Harbor’s lumber workers has just been released by the University of Washington Press and and the Polson now has a large inventory in stock at the Museum Store.  We’ve also scheduled Goings for Saturday, November 8 at 1:00 p.m. to present a lecture and book signing at the Polson.  Goings is a professor of history at Peninsula College in Port Angeles.  His new hardback sells for $29.95.

In “Red Harbor,” Goings resurrects the forgotten history of lumber workers in a bastion of labor radicalism, examining the conflict as workers faced down an alliance of employers, police, and anti-radicals, including the Ku Klux Klan. But he goes beyond these clashes to illuminate the vital roles of families, immigrants, and working-class women in the labor movement, revealing how people fought not only for labor rights but also for the good of their communities.

Have a listen to Feliks Banel’s excellent recent “Cascade of History” podcast interview with Goings here:

https://soundcloud.com/cascadeofhistory/bonus-episode-red-harbor

1971. September 3-7.  All day and all night.  Satsop Valley, Grays Harbor County, Washington.  A seventy seven acre farm —affectionately dubbed “Reality Farm” by its new owners — is the site of Washington State’s first legally-sanctioned rock festival.  Over 50,000 people descend on the farm on the first of four days in early September to gather, party and listen.  But there was more to the story.

2025.  October 18.  5:00 p.m.  7th Street Theatre, Hoquiam, Washington.  Come for a one-night feature-length program that explores “the other side of the stage” of the now infamous 1971 festival as told by Leann Paul who details her family story surrounding their farm, the festival and its  aftermath.

Organized by Leann Paul, the Polson Museum, the Music Project and the 7th Street Theatre, this history program will feature a long forgotten documentary film about the festival, a live narrated slide show, and an on stage Q&A with Leann Paul and rock festival historian Todd Miller.  Admission is $15 and guests are encouraged to dust off their early ‘70s attire and come ready to party (but please leave your joints, acid and jug wine at home!)

If you joined us this June for our forest talk with GHC’s Pat Mahoney, you discovered that he was ill that day and the tour was lead by B-Team’s John Larson.  Trust us, you won’t be disappointed to hear from the A-Team’s Pat Mahoney with whom we’ve rescheduled on Saturday, September 27.

At 1 p.m., join Grays Harbor College Forestry teacher Pat Mahoney for a “Forest Walk & Talk” through Camp Klahanee’s forests.  Pat is a fascinating speaker whose depth of knowledge and enthusiasm for all things trees is infectious.  Pat will take attendees on a long walk through the trail network, exploring the extensive species diversity found in Klahanee’s mature forest, discussing the recent thinning, forest health, growth and life cycle.  Guests are invited to bring their curiosity and questions as Pat loves to be quizzed!

Klahanee is located at 94 Larson Bros. Rd., 13 miles north of Hoquiam off US101.

Please join us on Sunday, September 7 at 2 p.m. at our Railroad Camp in honoring Larry Jones as our Pioneer of the Year for 2025. 

Born in Arizona on a cattle ranch in 1935, Jones has called Grays Harbor home since his family moved to South Aberdeen in 1944.  Larry attended Aberdeen schools, graduating in 1952 from AHS and later Grays Harbor College, Western Washington University and finally the University of Oregon for his Masters.

In his youth, Larry worked at some of the Harbor’s most iconic businesses.  Larry’s father was a carpenter for the Schafer Bros. Lumber Co. and with that connection, Larry worked at their South Aberdeen mill as well as for the Schafer family members doing carpentry work at their Aberdeen homes, Hood Canal vacation properties and at the Schafer Game Farm in the Satsop River valley.  Larry also worked at the Morck Hotel as a bellboy and as a bus boy at the hotel restaurant. 

An accomplished athlete, Larry immersed himself in local sports, playing for AHS, Western and for the semi-pro 1952 Industrial Twilight League championship Wagar Lumber baseball team.   Larry is especially well known on the Harbor for his forty plus year career with the Hoquiam School District.  Starting out as a grade school teacher for a combined five years at Lincoln and Emerson, he ascended to assume the principalships at Lincoln, Emerson and Central Grade Schools.  He completed his career as Assistant Superintendant of the district.

Larry’s volunteerism is far reaching, serving over six decades with the Hoquiam Lions and Elks clubs, as a founding committee member of the Loggers Playday Committee as well as on the Polson Museum’s Board of Directors since 2012.

Please join us for an afternoon of community fellowship celebrating Larry Jones this September 7!