About:

Built in 1917, the Wauconda Community Hall has been in continuous use ever since. Our annual Flag Day Celebration is the oldest annual event in Okanogan County.

On Flag day, June 14, 1914, a Wauconda school teacher by the name of Miss Agnes Lorz organized a flag raising ceremony at Wauconda near where the Community Hall now stands. Helen Laurie was chosen as Flag Day Queen with Twila McMichael and Beulah Jones as Princesses. Agnes taught the children patriotic songs, drills and skits. Frank Stebbins and Billy Moore gave speeches. The program was followed by a picnic lunch for all the local people. Everyone enjoyed the day, so it was decided to have the same ceremony the next year.

In 1915, Agnes, (now Mrs. Jim Laurie), again organized the program. After the children's program was over and Mr. Stebbins was speaking the rain began and soon became a cloudburst. The canvas over the speaker's stand began to sag in the middle with the weight of the water. Tom Laughton reached up to push the canvas (with a knife, knowing full well what would happen) The canvas split open, drenching the speaker, (his step - father) as well as others who had sought shelter from the downpour. Everyone was soaked, so they quickly gathered the food and rushed to the big barn on the Van Brunt place. The barn still stands today. After lunch there was talk of building a hall in case June 14 of some other year should be wet. A date was set for a meeting to discuss the building. There are no records of the meetings between June 14, 1915 and March of 1917, but during that time money was borrowed from the First National Bank in Tonasket on a note signed by the President and five trustees. Local sawmill owners, Steve Turpen and John Laurie, donated much of the rough lumber and some had to be delivered. William McCord was hired to do the building which was begun in early 1916. Merrill and Rowe, owners of the Wauconda store at the time, supplied nails and other supplies at cost.

Men of the community donated their time, some money and tools to the project. But even with all the donations, the community was in debt for many years. They bought three more acres of land for a baseball field and also purchased stoves for cooking and heating, a piano, and kerosene lamps. Later they upgraded to gasoline lighting. One wood cook stove was donated by Mrs. Moore and it is still in the basement. By June 14, 1917 the building and grounds were far enough along so they could be used for a big celebration. Program posters were put up in all the surrounding towns. People came from all over Okanogan and Ferry counties.

The sports committee organized children's, men's and women's foot races, a tug of war, team pulling a greased pig contest and got baseball teams to play on the new field. The food committee provided a bountiful roast beef dinner with all the trimmings as well as pies and cakes. Agnes Laurie planned the after dinner program. A refreshment stand was built outside the hall where ice cream, candy, pop and gum were sold. The first orchestra for the evening dance came from Tonasket. The total money taken in at this first celebration was $ 811.41 and expenses took nearly all of it.

The next year charges for dinner and grounds had to go up. In between Flag Days, dances, basket socials, shows and many other activities and events were held at the hall to raise money and help with the debt. In these early days the whole community helped with the work, donations, etc. The program varied from year to year.

All the early years had a good baseball game with teams from Republic, Curlew, Tonasket, Toroda, Ellisforde, Chesaw and Wauconda. There were 17 of these big Flag Day celebrations until they were scaled down due to the Great Depression beginning in 1934. From that time until 1950, only a dance was held on Flag Day. But there were Rodeos held in the years of 1947? and 1948. The Wauconda Flag Day Celebration has continued every year in one form or another since those first beginnings in 1914. It is the oldest continuously held event in Okanogan County.

The Flag Day Celebration is held each year on the Sunday closest to Flag Day (June 14). In 1998, a large event was held to celebrate the 100th Birthday of the town of Wauconda, Washington. That day more than 1000 people were on hand to once again join in tug of wars, foot races, listen to music and enjoy many other events as well as plenty of good food.

The information on this website is available in the wonderful book, "Trails & Tales", which was first published and copyrighted by the Wauconda Hall Association in 1982. The materials for the book were collected and edited by the Wauconda and Surrounding Areas Historical Committee, which was formed expressly for this purpose.

Trails & Tales is currently out of print but plans are being made to get more copies printed very soon. Some copies may still be available at the local museums in the towns of Okanogan and Molson.