On Tuesday, January 13, 1987 Dick Myers from Electric City was returning from a Grant County Centennial Committee meeting, one of his many duties for his local chamber of commerce. He was traveling along peacefully till he got about 10 miles north of Coulee City when a pick-up truck crossed the center line. That head-on collision wiped out Dick’s life.
Who was Dick Myers? He was a guy that was a couple of years older than I am and grew up in the Davenport area.
When Dick took up married life he settled in the Grand Coulee Dam area. The retired owner of Columbia Real Estate, [he] was a tireless worker for the betterment of his community. In his younger years Dick became quite a popular figure and later a local historian in his own right. He was an avid outdoor sportsman like his dad, the late Senator Charles Myers who wrote the book “Memoirs of a Hunter”.
Each year during our annual Davenport Pioneer Days Dick’s wife Esther had a hard time keeping up with him as he dashed here and there, renewing friendships with old acquaintances. An ardent reader of the Davenport Times, Dick wrote many letters to me when my columns reminded him of past events in his life. I have enough of his writings to make up a journal of some historical value. Through his letters we shared viewpoints on many subjects, including kooky religion—like oral Roberts and other scheming characters that sold early settlers fake mining stock.
Here are some excerpts from letters I received from Dick:
“Dear Walt, your “Spokane Las Vegas, Minus Gambling" column in KIKBACKS kikbacked memories of the fun some of the Davenport kids and I had in driving to Spokane to go to a Chinese restaurant and then take in a movie. We had a movie house in Davenport in the silent movie days but nothing like the big pipe organs in the best places in Spokane... The State Theatre had good silent pictures, but best of all was the thrill of the great organ music. I cannot remember the organist name [Jesse Crawford]* but there was no question that he was the best in the nation at that time. I do know that he went east and got national recognition for his art. Esther and I stopped in Salt Lake and enjoyed the great MormonTabemacle pipe organ. I would say I got more of a thrill out of the State Theatre organ which followed the progress of the movie.
"Another theatre in Spokane was the very old American Theatre.... By the way, the old Empress and Rex was where the out of luck and bums paid their 10 cents for matinee tickets, could see the show and have a good sleep besides.
“Old Woodhouse (Harley nickname) had a theatre at the place the Masonic Temple in Davenport now rests. That old building was used for stage plays, public meetings and grade school while the other school was being built. I remember that Cary Graham was one of my teachers...."The Davenport Times came and I am reading with interest what you wrote about Will Rogers on Nicaragua. My brother Dave almost worshiped Will Rogers, maybe that’s why his home was on Rogers Street in Okanogan..."
Dick and his wife traveled extensively throughout the world and had a wide knowledge and opinion of the world in general. Dick invited Sugar and me for an overnight stay as he had 1200 slides sieved down to 400. Regretfully we never took time out to accept his generous offer.
"Remembering Dick Myers" Kik-Backs No. 3, page 38, part 1, (continued) (thread) (thread) (home)
*The State Theater History (now named Bing Crosby Theater)
Historic Properties of Spokane / Clemmer Theater
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