the hmong: a hiStory in FlowerS

The Redmond Recorder
REDMOND HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
March 2015 • VOL. 17 • NO. 3
Every town has a history. Discover ours.
Upcoming—Saturday Speaker Series
Saturday, March 14, 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon
Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center, 16600 NE 80th Street
The Hmong: A History in Flowers
Hmong Flowers at Pike Place Market (photograph courtesy of Hmong Association of WA)
If you’ve ever bought, or even just admired, the fabulous flower
bouquets at Seattle-area outdoor markets seen from Pike Place to the
Redmond Saturday Market, there’s a good chance they were grown and
arranged by families from a Southeast Asian people known as the Hmong.
During the Vietnam War, CIA-backed Hmong guerillas fought a secret war
against the communists. Their story of fleeing Laos after the war, resettling
in a new land and transferring their agricultural skills to carve out a new
livelihood, is a remarkable one. Indulge your love of history at this month’s
Redmond Historical Society Saturday Speaker Series, featuring members
of the Hmong community.
Every town has a history. Discover ours. • March 2015
1
2015
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Joe Townsend • President
Mary I. Hanson • Senior Vice-President
Ed “Dint” O’Brien • Vice-President Finance
Gene Magnuson • V.P. Collections
Lori Perrigo • Secretary
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Judith Simpson
Sherry Stilin
Kris Swanson
Margy Rockenbrock
OFFICE MANAGER • Jlean McDonald
ATTORNEY • Charles Diesen
Our finances are public record and may
be viewed at the office.
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redmondhistoricalsociety.org
What’s New
Online:
Explore Issaquah
History
Issaquah History Museum is
hosting two March events that offer a
rich look into the city’s storied railroad
and mining history.
First up, it’s all aboard for
fun at the Issaquah Train Depot
Museum from March 13th to 15th.
The Issaquah History Museum will
convert the Depot’s freight room into
a model train display with multiple
locomotives running at once through
an imaginative landscape, and
hands-on activities for kids.
Then, on Saturday, March 28,
join Doug Bristol in exploring the
mining history that continues to
shape downtown Issaquah. Get a
new perspective on the Olde Town
neighborhood through historic
photos, maps, and observation of the
changing landscape. The moderate
loop hike will cover the recently redone area near the Issaquah Creek
dam and Mine Hill areas.
Get more info and register at
issaquahhistory.org/category/
events/ Cost for events is between
$1 and $10.00.
Major Sponsors
2
March 2015 • Every town has a history. Discover ours.
The Merits of Membership
President’s
Notebook
To all of our community members, program
attendees, and newsletter readers who have
become Members of the Redmond Historical
Society, thank you. Membership has its benefits,
and the primary benefit is intrinsic—your personal
knowledge and satisfaction that you are supporting
the Society and our mission.
Sure, our members are offered free admittance
to the Saturday Speaker Series programs, where
other attendees make a suggested donation. For
Joe Townsend, Redmond
paid members who attend many of these speaker
Historical Society President
programs, this amounts to a considerable bargain.
Yet, we know that some members give even more.
We have touched on volunteers and volunteering in this column. For
the Society, Members are one of our most valuable assets. Members relate
to what the Redmond Historical Society offers the community, share our
vision, and support our mission. Members understand the importance of
volunteering, and recognize that stable funding allows the Society to pay for
increased staff support and facilities. Thank you, members, for standing up for
Redmond history.
From talented, supportive members come our committee volunteers and
chairs. From our committees come our board members and officers. Our
thanks to those who step up to make these commitments.
The Society has several membership levels: Pioneer, Homesteader,
Entrepreneur, History Maker (Lifetime), Student, and Corporate. A
membership form is included in this newsletter. Membership dues for
nonprofits like Redmond Historical Society are a form of donation and are tax
deductible, the same as other 501(c)(3) organizations.
It’s easy to join the Redmond Historical Society. You can join by mail,
or on our website, by credit/debit card or your PayPal account. Join at a
Saturday Speaker Series program, where we accept checks, cash, or credit
cards. Or, you can stop by the Society office and pay by cash or check. What
are you waiting for? Join today!
~Joe Townsend
Redmond Historical Society President, 2015-2016
Every town has a history. Discover ours. • March 2015
3
Saturday
Speakers Flower Farmers:
The Story of the Hmong
Hmong farmers aren’t usually the subject
of dinner conversations, but the floral crops
they grow are often found center-stage on
tables across the Puget Sound.
Ironically, the Hmong, an ethnic group
from the mountainous area shared by China,
Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, don’t even have
Seng Vue,
Bee Cha,
a long history of farming flowers. Their
president
WSU Small
families farmed rice and other subsistence
Hmong
Farm Program
Coordinator
crops, but when thousands of Hmong families, Association
of Washington
who had been recruited by the CIA during the
Vietnam War to help fight communist transportation of goods through Laos,
were resettled in the U.S. Many found a new niche crop in flower cultivation.
The Hmong story of adaptation in the Pacific Northwest is the subject of
the next RHS Saturday Speaker Series on March 14.
“In addition to highlighting a few Redmond area farm families, we’ll discuss
in some detail the secret war in Laos and the involvement of the Hmong,” says
guest speaker Seng Vue, president of the Hmong Association of Washington.
After the fall of Vietnam and Laos, more than 130,000 Hmong refugees
came to the U.S. between the 1970s and ‘90s. Most settled in California or
Minnesota, while a smaller contingent came to the Pacific Northwest.
Local support groups started an “Indo Chinese Farm Project” that aimed
to help the refugees parlay their farming skills into sustainable work, Vue
says. Hmong farmers learned how to handle the soil, weather and pests of
the Snoqualmie and Snohomish valleys. Today, they get some support from
Washington State University’s farm extension program. WSU Small Farm
Immigrant Program Coordinator, Bee Cha, will also be speaking.
Cha’s own family farms near Carnation—one of many families who lease
land along the Snoqualmie River. Their dahlias, tulips, dried bouquets and
vegetables are sold across the area, from Redmond’s Saturday Market to
Seattle’s Pike Place Market, where 40 percent of the farm vendors are Hmong.
Hmong farmers still face challenges, such as increasing local flooding.
Many have transitioned high-tech, aerospace, health care and careers.
“An overwhelming majority of the younger generation would like to get
out of the agricultural tradition,” says Vue, himself an engineer. “Children who
grew up in a farming family helped out their parents and understand the hard
work involved.”
The Saturday Speaker Series is presented on second Saturdays from
September through May (except in December) at 10:30 a.m. at the Old
Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center, located at 16600 NE 80th Street.
There is a suggested $5 donation for non-members.
4
March 2015 • Every town has a history. Discover ours.
History in
Incentives for Owners of the
Making
Landmarked Properties
By Kim Dietz, Historic
Preservation Officer,
and Tom Hitzroth Chair,
Redmond Landmarks
Commission
In the last two issues
of the Redmond Recorder
we discussed the process
Odd Fellows Hall in Redmond, in 1937. (Source:
for landmarking properties
Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Region)
and how those landmarked
properties are regulated after the designation has been made. In this third
and final article we will talk about incentives for owners of landmarked
properties. The City, County, 4Culture, other organizations, and State provide
incentives to help owners of designated properties.
The City provides grants to property owners and tenants to support
appropriate preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, and reconstruction
techniques. The purposes of the grant program include:
• Promoting and encouraging continued maintenance and preventing
deterioration of historic properties that convey a sense of the City’s
heritage and create a sense of place.
• Promoting and encouraging restoration of altered historic properties
to a condition that is in keeping with their original design and period.
• Maintaining the viability of historic properties to function for use as a
business or as housing.
• Enhancing the economic vitality of the City, especially in the Downtown,
by encouraging thriving businesses in existing historic properties, by
encouraging tourism, and by lessening impacts associated with demolition.
Grants of up to $10,000 can be awarded without matching funds from
the property owner and up to $50,000 can be awarded with matching funds.
In all instances, an easement will be recorded to ensure maintenance of
the grant-funded investment and community access in some form to the
improvement. For example, the former Odd Fellows Hall maintains its
front façade through an easement in perpetuity following grant-funded
improvements to its roof. Additional information regarding the acceptable
methods for implementing the four treatment techniques is available at
nps.gov/tps/standards/four-treatments/standguide/index.htm.
(continued on p. 7)
Every town has a history. Discover ours. • March 2015
5
Local
History Spokenword Gives Voice to
Redmond’s Literary Story
By Laura Lee Bennett
Once a month, on a Friday evening in Redmond, a group of like-minded
writers and readers meets in a classroom in the Old Redmond Schoolhouse
Community Center. Many carry poetry books, journals, or loose-leaf notebooks.
Others, bent over their smart phones, furiously type in the last lines of the piece
they’re going to read at open mic.
This is the home of Redmond Association
of Spokenword, also known as RASP. Founded in
1997 by Rebecca Meredith and Cora Goss-Grubbs,
the reading series ran for years at Victor’s Coffee,
moved to Woodinville, then back to Redmond, with
stints at the Stone House Café, the Redmond United
Methodist Church, Tully’s Coffee, and finally, in 2010,
the Schoolhouse.
At 7 p.m., Michael Heavener, RASP board
president, spreads his arms wide in welcome. He
introduces the evening’s emcee, who starts with a
sacrificial poem. Before the featured reader—usually
a prose writer or poet of local renown—there are a
few open mic readers. There is no microphone, only
a music stand. But something happens when these
readers stand at the front of the room.
The act of performing is transformative. You can
tell when that moment of realization arrives, and the
readers disappear into the act of reading. They become
one with their work. They find their voice. Afterward,
there is clapping, sometimes cheering. This is a warm,
welcoming audience, listening audience. Many firsttimers have honed their craft through RASP, and have
gone on to become experienced writers, teachers,
and readers.
Over the last decade, RASP has produced many
programs and events for the local community: writing
workshops, young author contests, and teen poetry
slams. In 2002–’05, the organization produced a
literary arts festival called Write Out Loud! In 2004–’05,
RASP organized a weekend conference, Poets in the
Park, at Clise Mansion in Marymoor Park.
(continued on page 7)
6
Ken Osborne takes a turn
at RASP Open Mic night;
RASP featured reader Eva
Moon. (Images courtesy
RASP.)
March 2015 • Every town has a history. Discover ours.
Incentives for
Property Owners continued from p. 5
Society
News
Redmond’s Heritage Grant program is further described at
redmond.gov/Government/HistoricPreservation/HeritageGrantProgram
In addition to the City’s grant support, King County provides the following
assistance and tax incentives:
• Historic Buildings;
• Special Valuation: A Local Tax Incentive Program for Rehabilitating
• Public Benefit Rating System, which is current use taxation for open
space or undeveloped portions of landmarked properties; and
• Investment Tax Credits For more information on the requirements
and qualifications for county tax incentives, see kingcounty.gov/property/
historic-preservation, Resources and Links, and then Technical Paper 16.
4Culture, a King County-chartered public development authority, administers
two landmark grant programs to which landmark property owners are eligible
to apply:
• Cultural Facilities Program; and
• Landmarks Capital Grants
Additional information regarding 4Culture’s grant opportunities is available
4culture.org/heritage.
Washington State’s Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation
provides a comprehensive list of additional financial assistance for the
maintenance and preservation of historic and landmarked properties:
dahp.wa.gov/financial-assistance
We hope that you enjoyed this overview of historic preservation. Please
contact us or any of the agencies mentioned herein to learn more about what it
means and how to preserve local history. Have questions for our history insiders?
Email your question to info@redmondhistorical.org.
Spokenword, continued from p. 6
In August 2012, RASP celebrated its 15th anniversary with a reading in
Anderson Park. In August 2013, RASP released its first poetry anthology, Here,
There, and Everywhere, edited by Michel Dylan Welch, a volume of 120 poems
by 70 local poets—many of whom started out at RASPs open mic.
Two of Redmond’s poets laureate have served on the RASP board of
directors. In 2012, Rebecca Meredith, co-founder of RASP and Redmond’s
first poet laureate, helped celebrate the city’s first 100 years by directing the
publication of the Centennial Poetry Anthology, and Michael Dylan Welch,
Redmond’s third poet laureate and curator of the RASP reading series since
2008, rallied members of the RASP community to help revive Poets in the Park, a
poetry festival, picnic, and book fair that drew over 100 participants.
On June 18, 19, and 20, 2015, Redmond will celebrate poetry with SoulFood
Poetry Night, a RASP reading, and another Poets in the Park festival. You can
read more about RASP and upcoming events at raspread.com.
Every town has a history. Discover ours. • March 2015
7
Society
News
Huge Historical
Thank Yous To:
The Society extends its thanks to Colin Berg for his
excellent February Speakers Series presentation on the
history of Eddie Bauer in Washington, and wishes him
the best of luck on his upcoming 1,000-mile charity bike
leg for Bike The US for MS.
Colin was born in Minnesota, raised in Southern
California and relocated to Redmond in 1997 where he
lives with his wife, Elizabeth, and their 19-year-old cat.
He’s has worked at Eddie Bauer for a total of 17 years—
broken into three different stints.
An avid bicyclist, Colin commutes to his office
in downtown Bellevue. This summer he’ll be riding
a 1,000-mile segment of the coast-to-coast charity
ride, Bike The US For MS, going from Minneapolis
to Malta, Montana. To learn more about the ride or
to donate, visit biketheusforms.org/cyclists/detail.
asp?cid=647 ; donations can also be mailed to Bike
The US For MS, P.O. Box 10001, Blacksburg, VA 24062,
with “Colin Berg” in the subject line. All donations are
Colin Berg, speaker,
tax-deductible. Bike The US For MS is a 501(c)(3) taxphoto courtesy of
Headspinner Photography
exempt organization; tax ID #27-2192426)
Huge Historical
r ink s
th
Thanks also to the following
volunteers, who made the
irthday arty
February 2015 Saturday
Dr. Lewis Fink
Speraker Serties program
is pictured here
possible: greeters Fran and
at his recently
Fred Stray; coffee setup
celebrated 100th
birthday party at
by Judy Lang, room set up
Emerald Heights,
and taken down by Tom
The Redmond
Hansen, Will McDonald,
Historical Society
& Dave Rockenbeck;
presented
Dr. Fink with
room Set-up Coordinator
an Honorary
Linda Randall; audio visual
Individual
manager John Stilin;
Membership as
a gift. (Photo
Redmond El reader board
courtesy Cheryl
by Lisa Tracy; videotaping
Magnuson.)
by Brian Ranck;
communications assistant
Miguel Llanos.
D .F
B
8
’ 100
P
March 2015 • Every town has a history. Discover ours.
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NOTE:
REDMOND REFLECTIONS is also available at the RHS OFFICE at the Old
Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center. (Hours of operation on page 12.)
Great Gift Ideas for History Lovers
Need something special for someone
who appreciates our history? These
are available at our Society office:
GREETING CARDS, MAGNETS
& NOTE CARDS
featuring artwork by local artists:
• PATTI SIMPSON WARD
• DORISJEAN COLVIN
• PAT DUGAN
“OUR TOWN”
History of Redmond by Nancy Way
“VIEW OF HISTORY” DVD
This painting of Marymoor Park, Flying Kites at the Clise
Mansion, is the work of fine artist Patti Simpson Ward.
Visit her website to see more images of Eastside settings—
pattisimpsonward.com.
Every town has a history. Discover ours. • March 2015
9
Society Redmond DAR Chapter
News Honors RHS
The David Douglas Chapter of the
National Society of the Daughters of the
American Revolution (DAR) presented a
Historic Preservation Recognition Award
to the Redmond Historical Society.
The Historic Preservation
Recognition Award recognizes and
honors individuals and groups who
have done remarkable volunteer
work in historic preservation at the
community level. The chapter cited
RHS accomplishments since its
founding in 1999: including amassing
an extensive collection of historical
DAR members present RHS with a Historic
artifacts; providing historic walking
Preservation Recognition Award. From left to
tours; and curatorship of the popular
right, Julia Craig (far left) Christine Himes,
Joe Townsend, and Jacqueline Riddell.
Saturday Speakers Series.
(Photo courtesy Headspinner Photography)
DAR is a nonprofit, nonpolitical
volunteer women’s service organization founded in 1890. For 125 years, DAR has
supported historic preservation, education and patriotism in our communities.
Our Society Lifetime Members
Eric Anderson
John Anderson
Barbara Neal Beeson
Brad Best
Marjorie Stensland
Costello
John Couch
Liz Carlson Coward
Tony Emmanuel
Frank Garbarino
Edward L. Hagen
Tom Hall
Lucille B. HansenBellings
Wayne Hansen
Jerry Hardy
Naomi Hardy
Chris Himes
Rosemarie Ives
Cory de Jong
Patricia Weiss Jovag
10
Barbara Weiss Joyce
Glenn Lampaert
Roy Lampaert
Allen Lang
Judy Aries Lang
Miguel Llanos
Jon Magnussen
Clare “Amo” Marr
Daryl Martin
Allison Reed Morris
John Phillips
Roxie Phillips
Dale Potter
Jo Ann Potter
Charles Reed
Frances Spray Reed
Vivian Robinson
Laurie Rockenbeck
Margy Rockenbeck
William Rockenbeck
Richard Shinstrom
Beryl Standley
John Stilin
Sherry Stilin
Fred Springsteel
Fred Stray
Doris Bauer Schaible
Herb Swanson
Doris Townsend
Roger Trepanier
Arlyn Vallene
Patti Simpson Ward
Don Watts
Rose Weiss
Joanne Westlund
Margaret Evers Wiese
James Windle
March 2015 • Every town has a history. Discover ours.
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Every town has a history. Discover ours.
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Redmond Historical Society
16600 NE 80th Street, Room 106
Redmond, WA 98052
425.885.2919
PHONE
WEB SITE redmondhistoricalsociety.org
info@redmondhistoricalsociety.org
EMAIL
Monday, Wednesday and Friday:
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and by appointment
HOURS
March 2015 • Every town has a history. Discover ours.