
"The Westerners, Spokane Corral is dedicated to Pacific Northwest history."
"The Westerners, Spokane Corral is dedicated to Pacific Northwest history."
The Ellensburg Blue agate is regarded as the third rarest gemstone in the world. It is the only blue agate regarded as a “precious gemstone.” Ellensburg Blue agate is only found in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains northwest of Ellensburg, Washington, USA.
This area of the Grand Canyon can be found northwest of Ellensburg. That said, by around the 1940s, the agate beds had become depleted from rock hunters and tourists trudging around the soil, searching for the Blue Agate. High traffic in the past has caused the hunt for the Ellensburg gem to become more challenging with a rare chance of success.
The purpose of the Westerners is to bring together in warm fellowship men and women who have a common interest and zeal for discovering and disseminating knowledge and understanding of the American West. To this end, Corrals generally meet on a monthly basis and are given a presentation on local or regional history, often times by a member of the Corral. Westerners encourage historical research and may popularize western lore and history though publications, awards, and preservation of archival records, documents, sites and other evidence of the Old West, which otherwise may be lost to posterity.
Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or becoming a member, spreading our purpose through word-of-mouth, we thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.
On July 21, from 9:30 a.m. until approximately 4:30 p.m., Westerners members are invited to join in a behind-the-scenes tour of the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture and also a behind-the-scenes look at the Eastern Washington State Archives. At the MAC, see how historic artifacts such as photographs, paintings, and furs are maintained. You’ll have time to view the current exhibit at the museum, DREAMWORKS ANIMATION: THE EXHIBITION - JOURNEY FROM SKETCH TO SCREEN, which highlights how Disney creates modern animated movies. After lunch, we will travel out to the Eastern Washington Archives in Cheney, to learn how all types of public records, like marriage and births records, are stored. Meet at Corbin Senior Center at 9:30 a.m. Transportation included. Call Corbin Senior Center at 509-327-1584 to register. Price not yet determined, though it will include the Museum entrance fee of $18 if you don’t have a museum membership.
Friday, July 22nd- 2 p.m. Dedication of our 30th Historical Monument: This one highlights the Vogel family, who ran Natatorium Park. Louis Vogel married Emma Looff, whose father made the carousel for them as a wedding present; that carousel is now in Riverfront Park. This dedication will take place at Fairmount Memorial Park Cemetery, at the Peace Abbey Mausoleum, and will hopefully be followed by a trip to the carousel afterwards.
August 4 ,Thursday- 11:00 am Picnic on Long Lake (also called Lake Spokane)
Picnic gathering at the Ann Fackenthall and Al Bendle home. Join us for a leisurely afternoon at the lake. See Al's huge three-car, garage-sized model railroad collection, and Ann's Native Alaska doll collection. Lunch will be catered by Corbin Senior Center, and will cost $20. Transportation on your own. Call Ann at 509-999-3639 to register. We need a count to know how much food to order.
August 20, 2022 Sat.
Unity in the Community Booth at Riverfront Park: Spokane Westerners booth at Spokane's annual Unity in the Community event. Volunteers needed to staff the booth; contact B.J. Leiss at hbleiss@msn.com if interested.
Westerners International has about 60 "corrals" (clubs) within United States and about 20 corrals located in foreign nations (mostly around United States Defense Department locations). Spokane Corral is the only corral in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. Our publication, the Pacific Northwesterner, is distributed to members and to many organizations including Princeton and Yale Universities. Our members are historians, authors, world travelers, and people interested in history.
The Spokane Corral of Westerners International is duly registered with Westerners International, an incorporated nonprofit in California, based at Canyon, Texas.