The National Guard of Washington gave us a priceless gift!

This 9 ft tall, 8 ft wide Eagle was sculptured, molded, fired and assembled at the Washington Brick & Lime Terra Cotta Plant in Clayton, Washington, about 1922. It perched on the National Guard Armory in Spokane, WA, until 1976 when it was removed and placed at its new location at Spokane’s Geiger Field. Because of extensive revamping the National Guard awarded possession to us, the Clayton/ Deer Park Historical Society. This is the Mighty Eagle's tale.

Due to the rather small membership of our Society we do not currently have a Museum or a place of our own to conduct our monthly meetings. However, we are blessed with friends by the name of Randy and Taffy Long who own and operate the one and only CLAYTON DRIVE IN. See the 5th photo down. We hold our meetings in this spotless warm environment.Our plan is to erect this latest acquisition, THE BALD EAGLE, at the east end of their parking lot. Everyone will be able to see and admire our pride and joy for decades to come.  We enjoy sharing our good fortune. That is what historical societies are all about.                               There is one other detail we haven't yet mentioned. Not only do we not have sufficient funds for a museum, likewise for the cost of bringing our NATIONAL EMBLEM home. We are having a drive to cover the cost of the move. To date we have received pledges for $2800.00. The tab for the concrete cutting is $2500.00 plus tax.  The cost for boxing and protecting this treasure is in the ballpark of $2700.00. The cost of the crane, the cost of the Lowboy, the cost of winter storage, the cost of reloading the eagle and transporting it from Deer Park to Clayton $0000.! Mr. Jim Knight of Knight Construction will not accept one thin dime. What could we possibly say or possibly do to thank him properly? This good will gesture was key to our gambling on getting the other $5200.00. So if you are so inclined to help, our mailing address is:CDPHS Box 293 Clayton, WA  99110                                                                       We can't thank you enough for your consideration, but we'll try.                                                                                                   This entire page is dedicated to the WASHINGTON ARMY AND AIR NATIONAL GUARD with sincere thanks from   THE CLAYTON / DEER PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY                                                                                                    AMERICAN EMBLEM, THE BALD EAGLE, 6-20-1782.Honorable mention. Rowena Valencia-Gica, Jim Knight, Sgt. Lonnie Beatty, Art Ohler, Marvin Jacks and the 161st Battalion.                                                                                                       

 

This vintage CARD COW postcard, taken circa 1922 in the era of the horse and buggy days fading into the auto era.

Our National Emblem at its finest.

This is a photo of The Eagle as it stood, December 22, 2 009, at Geiger Field with the new airport tower looming in the background. Monday December 27, 2009, Pro Cut Concrete cutting commences slicing the base of the sculpture, then the next day Knight Construction arrives with their Hyster fork lift and a Low Boy 16 wheeler. Wrap the Eagle in plastic bubble, erect a wood box surrounding it and blowing the box container full of Styrofoam plastic to insure safe passage home to Deer Park where it will be stored until spring. The members of CDPHS will build a new perch for good old Baldy to roost on forever and ever. Amen.

This masterpiece photograph by Society member Mr. Jeff Lilly. A professional photographer. The Eagle. Thank you Jeff Lilly. I can only imagine the photos he'll have for us during the move!

This is the famous Clayton Drive in, right off Highway 395. Once upon a time it was the Cottonwood Stagecoach trail. The hoped for location will be a little to the right of where this photo ends. It will be ideal for the Drive in and ideal for viewing this champion of artifacts.

This is the first meeting of CDPHS and Mr. Jim Knight of Knight Construction. He's running this show, make no mistake. Sgt. Lonnie Beatty of the Washington National Guard co-ordinates the operation & keeps the military powers informed of the progress & relays Command instructions. On the left is Shane of Pro Cut. He does his talking with diamond studded concrete and metal cutting saws. Others of invaluable importance not pictured, Rowena Valencia -Gica, located on Quartermaster Rd. Camp Murray, WA. She started the process. Mr. Art Ohler was part of the work force that moved the Eagle from the Armory in downtown Spokane to its existing location at Geiger Field, Spokane, WA. Art is chief adviser and information officer on how to move an old relic. He is also cheer leader of the retired military, pulling in great numbers for the CDPHS. How sweet it is.

An article carried in the Spokesman Review dated 1976 and detailed at the bottom of this page left had column

First on the job site was Pro Cut. All they have to do is figure out how to cut a 6 ft x 6ft x 6 ft slab of concrete with a maximum blade of 42" that will cut only 20' deep. The crew is Scott Brenner & his side kick TJ Scott. Hustling out to advise and get in the way is professional CDPHS photographer Jeff Lilly.

The tools of the trade, and 4 more hours.

After a day and a half, two 16"x 16" notches have been removed and two kerfs have been cut. The balance of the second day should see the final cuts finished and they'll give us the Bird.

The Eagle is ready for the journey home on December 30th, 2009.

Old Baldy likes his new home and settles in warm and snuggly for the winter. Soon to be heading home with a stopover in Deer Park at the Knight Construction compound, then relayed to Clayton to his new roost next spring.

Jim Knight says we are going to put a little crate around him, wrap him in bubble plastic and Styrofoam because we aren't taking any chances. Brother, they weren't kidding!

The Hyster hoists him, breaking the last bond before being gently lowered to the ground.

So at a few minutes till 5, blacker than the inside of a cat and Tom searches for the lowboy. It doesn’t matter if it’s dark because he can't see around this crate anyway.

This is the White Knight of Deer Park, Washington. Owners are Jim the father, Dave, Doug, & Ken, the sons. They teamed up to make this a reality.

So Tom and his heavy equipment operator side kick Dave Knight give final inspection to the securely strapped cargo. Then the White Knight will take them home. The next episode will begin in the spring of 2010. THANKS and HAPPY NEW YEAR to the Knight family!

Because of a slight mix up in scheduling your Webmaster was not alerted until almost 3 PM that Knight Construction was hard at work putting the Eagle in a protective cover. Yours truly was also unaware that Dave Knight was covering for CDPHS and took a series of super photos during the entire operation. Here the Eagle wrapped in plastic bubble as the newly built custom container is jockeying into position to be slipped over the Eagle.

An image panorama of most of the equipment employed by Knight Construction of Deer Park, Washington, to move this National Symbol home to Clayton, WA. Equipment included, 3 Manpower, a Gradall Forklift from the nearby Spokane Waste to Energy Plant, a huge Hyster Fork lift capable of lifting the Eagle including a large slab of concrete, a 16 wheeler Lowboy Diesel truck, a one ton Flatbed loaded with Styrofoam panels pulling, a trailer loaded with tools and building materials. This entire project was presented to our Society at absolutely no cost due to the generosity of Knight Construction, Mr. Jim (Father), and his 3 sons, Dave, Doug and Ken. Dave mentioned that donating to Civic projects such as this one is not uncommon. It's their way of saying “Thank You” to a community that has helped make them what they are today. The CDPHS and the community at large say, “THANK YOU & GOOD KNIGHT!”

SAY GOOD KNIGHT GRACIE.

The Eagle is tucked away, now its time to have the Hyster see if has the heft to hoist this heifer. The Knight Riders had it right. The Hyster handled the Eagle with ease and not long after five PM, and the sun had long vanished the Knights saddled up and took their cargo home. This entire month of Dec. with all the planning, all the detail and all the work, and there was not a hitch from beginning to end. Oh how thankful we at CDPHS are.

Then alas, our President just had to get in on the act. While traveling about 2 miles east of Clayton on Mason Road he spied this eagle perched in a tree. Not long after taking the picture the Eagle took wing and landed in a tree within the confines of Clayton’s Zion Hill Cemetery. Thanks Bill for this timely picture, January 4, 2010.

Mr. Art Ohler retired. 1st Battalion of the 161st Infantry presents to Mr. Bill Sebright our President this solid brass plaque to be incorporated with the display at Clayton, Washington, the Spring on 2010. Thank you to Art and your fellow members.

Knight Construction's WHITE KNIGHT

Mr. Marvin Jacks, co-member with Art Ohler presents a $200.00 check to Bill Sebright and the CDPHS from the Retirees of the 1st Battalion. Thank you one and all for your generosity. You will be part of our Clayton National Symbol forever.

This is Sgt. Lonnie Beatty. The responsibility of coordinating this operation fell on his shoulders. This entire project began long before our society entered the picture. The Military, unable to retain the Eagle directed Rowena Velencia-Gica and Sgt. Beatty to find a Home for it or it would be demolished. Rowena found us and Sgt. Beatty has been saddled with us ever since.

It is felt that this CDPHS meeting held on January 9, 2010, is the beginning of a new era. Plans were formulated as to where the American National Symbol Eagle was to be located and to be completed no later than August 7, 2010, for the Military Dedication, Clayton Day 2010. Karen Meyer of the Loon Lake Historical Society put it best, “Clayton has the best historical society around.” That is music to our ears.

This is Mr. Jim Knight, the Gentelman. Without this man this story would have ended before it began.

(A special note!) The Oliver Olson interviewed was a cousin of Clark Satre. Oliver was the son of Anna Satre and Martin Olson. Martin and Anna were also parents of Ruth Stelting. This article appeared in the Spokesman Review in 1976. It was written and researched by Larry Young. It was clipped and saved by former Washington Brick & Lime employee, Eddie Olson. He in turn gave the article to Warren Nord, who likewise passed it on to CDPHS. This detailed article tells the Eagle’s tale at its best.

This is a photo of only about half of the employees at the Knight Construction company Christmas party 2009, Deer Park, Washington. As you can see this youthful energetic group are out standing in their field. The CDPHS is deeply indebted to Knight Construction.

OUR NATIONAL SYMBOL