Black Diamond Labor Days has been a wonderful event each year for a number of years
that the whole family can enjoy in between saying goodbye to summer fun and hello
to a brand new school year. While last minute preparations are taking place before
the 2011 event that will be held on September 3-5, following is a look at some of
the yesteryear Labor Days information reported in nearby publications.
Labor Day – 1947: In an album donated to the Black Diamond Historical Society from
Helen Manowski, it was written that in June 1947, Labor Day celebrations was reorganized,
“when Peter Dearden, first Chairman, Lew McCauley, Willie Franchini, Bill Hawthorne
and Frank Manowski threw $10.00 each into the pot to start it off.” They first met
at the Pool Hall and meetings were then held in the Show Hall.
Labor Day – 1950: In the September 4 issue of the Post-Intelligencer under the title
Black Diamond’s Labor Day Fete All-Out Deal, it was reported that the merchants
and townspeople had chipped in so generously to the Labor Day fund that they still
had approximately $600 in the “kitty” after providing “7,200 ice cream bars, 350
gallons of orangeade, and 1,200 bags of peanuts, popcorn and candy to be handed
out free to all the kids from miles around.” It was also reported that Queen Barbara
Jean Downey’s (14 years old at the time) father – “Sam Downey a native of Belfast,
County Down, but a Black Diamondite for a quarter-century, stood in the infield
marshaling the parade, a fine figure of a man in an Irish derby. ‘This is for the
kids,’ he remarked. ‘There’ll be nary a bottle o’beer on this field today.’”
That same year in an Enumclaw Courier-Herald news clipping, Mrs. Frank Manowski
(who is still living) writes – “Several thousand people attended the Black Diamond
Labor Day celebration this past weekend. Among them were Senator Warren G. Magnuson,
Mr. Ed Weston, President of the state American Federation of Labor of Seattle, John
Coffee and many other notables.”
Labor Day – 1952: It was reported that “Near-tragic was the accident during the
Soap Box Derby in which the wheels of cars driven by Cliff Johnson, 12, and Birl
Pierotti, 13, tangled, throwing them into a crowd of spectators. Severely bruised
was Mrs. Mary Paolucci, a spectator, who was taken to the Community Memorial Hospital
in Enumclaw, where she was treated for bruises and minor scratches. She was released
to go home Monday night. Billy Petchnick, 11, winner of Sunday’s Class B event.”
Labor Day – 1970: On August 27, 1970, the VOICE of the Valley (VOICE) reported on
page 4 that “An annual highlight of the celebration will take place Sunday afternoon
when approximately 15 members of the International Walking Team will hold a walking
contest from the ball park to Lake Twelve and back, according to tentative plans
at VOICE press time.”
Labor Day – 1971: Reported on the front page of the VOICE on August 25, 1971 was
– “The 18.6 mile course will bring racers of international caliber to this area
including Ron Laird from Pamona, Calif. He was on the American Olympic team in 1960,
‘64, and ‘68. He has won more national championships than any other track or field
athlete and was runner-up for the Sullivan Award given to the top amateur athlete.”
Labor Day – 1976: In a write-up from the 2008 Labor Day Program on page 10 the following
was provided by Naomi Givens: “In 1976, The News Journal reported in their September
9 issue, there was no Labor Day Celebration. But that didn’t stop Black Diamond
from having fun. A few people showed up on the playfield to have their own fun,
and some showed up at Kings Tavern to their annual afternoon-evening Labor Day Bash.
“Duane, The King’s Tavern owner, had met Ella the previous year on her 75th birthday
and decided she personified what Black Diamond Labor Days is all about. With the
help of her sisters, Naomi Givens and Hazel Williams, they were able to prearrange
the event.
“At 7:30 p.m., Duane crowned 76 year old Ella as Queen of Black Diamond. According
to Duane, ‘She was absolutely flabbergasted! She wouldn’t stop dancing. It was such
a great adventure. The kind of thing that could only happen on a Labor Day in Black
Diamond.’”
Labor Day – 1979: The event drew some more Olympic caliber competitors reported
by the VOICE on September 12, 1979. “The next event was the Olympic Walkers who
raced the four mile course to Lake 12 and back. Among the entrants were two Junior
Olympic champions, Terry Lingbloom, 1978, from Ferndale and Kris Hall from Richland,
current champion….first to cross the finish line was Karl Johansen with a time of
30 min, 10 secs, followed by Terry Lingbloom and Bruce Carter.”
Labor Day – 1986: In the September 10, 1986 issue of the VOICE, international walker
Ron Laird once again made an appearance at the event and was recognized in the Monday
Activities under “AAU Walkers, 4 miles: 1. Ronald Laird 30.58, 2 Dan Pearsen 31.38,
3, Mary Howle 35.06.”
The Black Diamond Museum, located at 32627 Railroad Ave. in Black Diamond, will
be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a variety of new Gift Shop items. A great way
to help support the town’s historical depot building is to stop in for a visit and
enjoy items from yesteryear.
Research for historical information provided by Black Diamond Historical Society
BDHS Archivist JoAnne Matsumura. Additional information can be obtained from the
BDHS at 360-886-2142,
http://www.facebook.com/BlackDiamondHistory, http://www.blackdiamondmuseum.org or email: museum@blackdiamondmuseum.org
Pictured above is the 1971 Black Diamond Labor Days button design used when Olympic
athlete Ron Laird competed in the 18.6 mile walking race.
