To The Eagle:

Thank you, Wahkiakum County!

Thanks to my parents, Lief and Mattie Enge, along with Dr. Fritz who got me started in 1930 on this trip called life. Yesterday (Nov. 13) was birthday number 88, and things have gone very well. Also, thanks need to include a lot of other people and things, including two places called Puget Island and Skamokawa where all of my extended family got their starts. I am sure that all of them have now found a better and higher place to live. If that is possible, then Wahkiakum County is in second place.

I also thank the Puget Island Grade School, now gone. The last class was when I graduated in 1945. Thanks are also due the Mule school on the hill, gone but replaced. The Class of 1949 graduated from there very highly educated, as we were all able to find the way down to Goodfellow's Drug Store for shakes and sodas. There was the place next door called Gedunk (Navy language for a fast food café) where they had really good hamburgers and shakes. They did not know how to make good sodas.

Indian Country (yes, Indians did live on Puget Island) was invaded by immigrants from Norway, Sweden and Finland, all of whom have passed away today, leaving a good number of offspring who still remain. The county now has a large number of retired immigrants from other areas of the United States. The vast majority of these newcomers find their surroundings as wonderful as it has always been, with a small group who would like to make some changes that would probably not be an improvement for the best county that I know.

My only reason for leaving was the US draft board in 1950.

Again, thank you, Wahkiakum County, for giving me a very good start in life. And to you, Wahkiakum County Eagle, thank you very much for giving me a way to stay informed about my first homeland.

Elwood Enge

Mountlake Terrace