HOMEPAGE: THE CLAYTON/DEER PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Who We Are & Where We Are
Deep in the inland Pacific Northwest, just inside the eastern edge of Washington State, and a few dozen miles north of the city of Spokane, lies a remarkably beautiful valley — a valley enclosed to the north, east, and west by the eroded remains of once majestic mountains. In the northwest corner of this valley, two small towns, four miles apart, drift through time. One town, Deer Park, is rapidly growing, the other, Clayton, is slowly declining, but both share a common, sometimes sleepy, sometimes exuberant history.
The Clayton & Deer Park Historical Society is composed of individuals who live, or once lived in this community. The Society was originally organized as part of an effort to save the old Clayton grade school — built in 1915 — from sale or demolition. While the Society fought to place the old school on the Historic Register, a group of dedicated educators fought to bring the old school back to life. Because of everyone's efforts, this historic old building was extensively refurbished and returned to its glory as an active educational institution.
Having achieved its original intent, the Society has turned its attention to saving what it can of the area’s history, before it dissolves from memory.
At this time the Society has no physical structure — no office, no buildings, and no museum. But we do have a presence in the community. And, through our publications, and now our website, we are carrying out the primary mission of any historical society — the preservation, interpretation, and dissemination of history.
How To Use This Website
There’s nothing fancy about the layout of this website. As you move the cursor down the menu bar on the left side of the page, titles for various other pages on this site will be underlined. Click on the underlined area, and that page will open.
For society news, current events, and updates on society projects, check for the latest issue of the society's newsletter, the 'Mortarboard' - as listed in the menu to the left. Each edition is contained in a PDF file that can be viewed on-line, downloaded, or printed.
How To Contact The Society
If you wish to contact the Society with comments, corrections, additions, insights, or whatever, the addresses below should prove helpful.
You can email our webmaster at
You can email the president of the historical society at
The Society's mailing address is: Clayton/Deer Park Historical Society, Box 293, Clayton, Washington 99110.
What You’ll Find On This Website
This is a listing and general synopsis of the contents of each page.
About The Society: This page details the history and mission of the society itself. Here you’ll find the location and schedule for Society meetings, means of contacting the Society, and an outline of the Society’s future goals.
Society News: You can get updates on whatever's going on within the society.
Historical Society Publications: Details local history publications produced by our group.
The Society's Copyright Policy: Our policy regarding coypright issues and downloading material from this site.
Deer Park’s Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic Missile: From 1961 to 1965, the most advanced weapon in America’s nuclear arsenal — the Atlas ICBM — lay at ready in a small, fortified military bunker buried beneath a patch of land several miles east of the town of Deer Park. This is the story of the site, the weapon, and the men who stood watch over both. (This is a very large download.)
Atlas Missile Album: Photos of the Atlas missle installations, including Deer Park's, that once surround Fairchild Air Force Base. Photos courtesy of Spokane's Armed Forces & Aerospace Museum.
Atlas Missile Schematics: Drawings taken from the official Air Force Dash-1 manual used by the missileers of Fairchild's 567th Strategic Missile Squadron.
Deer Park High School Boxing: 1945 – 1949: Robert A. Clouse, twice recipient of the coveted Golden Gloves, recounts his experiences as a high school boxer — including his bouts during the 1947 Washington State Championships at Pullman.
Boxing Photos: Photos of Deer Park's boxing teams ... 1945 - 1949.
Homesteading At Clayton Washington: Originally written by one of the area’s pioneers, this is a compelling account of carving a life and a home from the wilderness. A must read for anyone interested in the early history of our area.
Stepping To The Side - A Dynamite Primer: Dynamite was just another tool for farmers back in the 1950's. This story is a recollection of the handling and use of 'stumping powder' in an age when blowing up the neighbor's outhouse on Halloween was usually the closest rural people ever came to a terrorist act.
Various Photo Albums: Albums as listed.
.jpg)
REDEDICATING THE CLAYTON GRADE SCHOOL - 2004
The Deer Park School District undertook a major restoration of the old Clayton grade school with the intent of using the building for a commuinity outreach program that would allow home schooled youth access to classes and learning experiences not available at home. This program is designed to be highly respectful of the concept of home schooling, and supportive of the parents and students who choose the home schooling option.
Visitors To This Page - 4652
This is the 8th grade graduating class of Clayton Wa. the spring of 1944. Front row L-R. Mira Costa - Luella Milner - Catherine Baker. Middle Row Minnie Westby - Evelyn Casberg - Phillis Sloan - Nancy Viles Top Row. Wayne Peterson - George Hefley - Mrs Sweeney. 8th grade teacher and Principle - Tommy Lewis - Don Steele - Bob Clouse.
