The Journal of Fort Walla Walla Museum
Remembering the USS Houston, Captain and Crew
The USS Houston (CA-30), a 600-foot-long Northampton class heavy cruiser, was commissioned on June 17, 1930. She was President Franklin Roosevelt’s favorite warship, taking him on a 12,000 mile cruise from Annapolis, Maryland, through the Caribbean and Hawaii to Portland, Oregon. She was present during the festivities surrounding the opening of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge in May 1937. In August 1941, Eastern Washington native Albert H. Rooks would take command of Houston, the Flagship of the Asiatic Fleet. In six months, both would be lost in one of the most costly battles in U.S. Naval history.
Samuel M. Stout's Journal from the Oregon Trail
Each year, thousands of pioneers braved the Oregon Trail, which ran from Independence, Missouri to either Oregon or further west to California. The journey took around five months, with wagon trains only averaging 12-15 miles per day. Journals written during or after the journey document what it was really like to travel those 2,000 arduous miles. Samuel M. Stout (1814-1877) was the captain of a wagon train headed for Oregon.
Comparative Collection: 19th Century Ceramics
Fort Walla Walla Museum houses more than six linear feet of books and numerous journal articles that specialize in 19th-century ceramics used in the United States as well as a comparative collection of more than 500 complete pieces. Because most items in an archaeological assemblage represent a relatively small portion of the complete item, it is very helpful to have complete pieces for comparative purposes.
An Ode To Winters Past
According to the January and February editions of the 1862 Saturday Morning Washington Statesman, this area was receiving the severest weather in recent memory. “We deem it important that the history of the present winter season should be put on the record . . . that they may prepare for its recurrence; and also to give a truthful impression to those who are contemplating removing hither for the purpose of permanent settlement, that they may know what kind of climate they will be liable to find.”
Can You Identify these Women?
One of the most memorable photos taken by William “Bill” Mach depicts two female mechanics working on a plane. The photo would have been taken around 1942-44 at the Walla Walla Army Airbase. We are searching for the identities of these women. Do you recognize them?