WASHINGTON STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESENTS AWARDS FOR DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENTS IN
STATE AND LOCAL HISTORY
TACOMA – June 8 - The Washington State Historical Society will present awards for
distinguished achievements in state and local history on June 20 during the Society’s 118th
Annual Meeting at the Washington State History Museum. Presenting this year’s awards are
David Nicandri, Director of the Washington State Historical Society, and John Hughes,
Chairperson of the Awards Committee of the Board of Trustees.
The following awards are being presented:
The Robert Gray Award for lifetime achievement is the Washington State Historical
Society’s oldest award. This year’s Robert Gray Award is presented to two people; Margaret
Riddle and David Dilgard, both of Everett. Riddle and Dilgard are the creators and evangelists
of the Northwest Room at the Everett Public Library, where they worked together for 31 years
until Margaret’s retirement last spring. They created a repository of Snohomish County history
there, making the library the place where people come to find their ancestry, trace the history
of their homes, or tell their stories to eager listeners.
The David Douglas Award is presented to a person, group, or organization for significant
contributions to Washington State or local history. This year’s Douglas Fellowship goes
to two people; Todd Warger and David Lowrance, both of Bellingham, for their work on the
documentary "Shipyard," which chronicles the history of the Bellingham shipyards from 1941
to 1963. This six-year project started when 24 reels of color footage of the shipyards were
discovered. The Whatcom Museum, the Talbot Family, and Bellingham Cold Storage agreed to
sponsor the project. The project led to a major exhibit at the Whatcom Museum, a
documentary, a resource CD, and resulted in the preservation of the history of what was
once a pivotal Bellingham industry.
The Governor’s Award for Teaching History recognizes an outstanding contribution by a teacher
of Pacific Northwest history in Washington. This year’s award goes to Paula Cautrell of Sunrise
Elementary in Redmond. For more than 13 years, Cautrell has devoted herself to inspiring
students to learn the methods of history, and enjoy themselves in the process. Students in her
class become archaeologists, ancient Greeks and contemporary politicians, adopting different
roles and learning historical research methods in the bargain.
The Charles Gates Memorial Award, established in 1965 in honor of Professor Charles Gates, a
former University of Washington professor, is awarded for the best article published in the
Pacific Northwest Quarterly in the previous year. The 2008 Charles Gates Memorial Award is
presented to Roxanne Easley of Ellensburg. Professor Easley's article, “Demographic
Borderlands: People of Mixed Heritage in the Russian American Company and the Hudson's Bay
Company, 1670-1870,” compares American and Canadian approaches to liquor reform. Professor
Easley's comprehensive article examines how two profit-oriented companies operating far from
their home base perceived and treated people of mixed-race heritage in their midst.
The John McClelland, Jr. Award is presented by the Society to the author of an article that
best exemplifies the popular history approach of Columbia: The Magazine of Northwest History.
Columbia is written for people who want to experience Pacific Northwest history, not just
read about it. This year, the McClelland Award goes to Nathan Roberts of Seattle for his
article, "The Death of Peter Stanup," which describes the controversial death of Puyallup
Indian Peter Stanup in the middle of a confrontation over land in 1855. Roberts is a
graduate student at University of Washington.
The Peace and Friendship Awards, originally awarded by the State Capital Historical
Association in 1975, have honored many distinguished tribal leaders and influential
residents. The awards are presented to a Native American and a second individual, each of
whom have advanced public understanding of the cultural diversity of the peoples of Washington
State.
This year’s awards are presented to two people who have worked together for more than a
decade to further cultural understanding.
The first award is presented to Rex Buck, Jr. of Toppenish, a member of the Wanapum tribe who
is known throughout the Columbia River Plateau as a leader and advocate. Buck, Jr. works for
the benefit of all indigenous peoples, serving on the Burke Museum’s Native American Advisory
Board and working with colleagues from other tribes to repatriate Plateau ancestors. Under his
guidance, the Wanapum Heritage Center is embarking on an expansion that will further promote
understanding of the rich and diverse culture of the Wanapum people.
The second peace and friendship award is presented to Justice Charles Z. Smith of Seattle,
who has broken barriers throughout his distinguished career. In 1955, he became the first
person of color to clerk for a Washington Supreme Court justice. Ten years later, he became
the first African-American to serve as a Seattle municipal court judge; and in 1966, when
Gov. Dan Evans named him to the King County Superior Court bench, he broke yet another color
barrier. Gov. Booth Gardner chose Smith from six candidates to fill a vacancy on the Supreme
Court, making him the first—and so far, only—African-American justice. Smith was reelected
to the position three times, and retired in 2002.
The Lorraine Wojahn Award, named in honor of the retired state senator and former Society
trustee, recognizes exceptional volunteer service to the Historical Society. This year’s
award goes to Ron Houser of Tacoma, a school programs assistant volunteer in the education
department since the museum opened in 1996. Houser greets school groups, and explains the
rules of their visit with humor and brevity. He engages even the most indifferent students
by finding out their interests and connecting that to something in the museum or Washington
History. He often acts as lunchroom monitor, lost-chaperone finder, gallery interpreter and
more. His fellow volunteers speak highly of his dedication and work.
# # #
About the
Washington State Historical Society
The Washington State Historical Society is a non-profit 501 c 3 membership organization, open
to any and all individuals, families, or firms. The Society is also recognized in statute
(RCW 27.34) as a trustee agency of the state of Washington with enumerated powers.
Founded in 1891 and now into its second century of service, the Washington State Historical
Society is dedicated to collecting, preserving and vividly presenting Washington's rich and
varied history. The Society is comprised of a family of museums and research centers, offering
a variety of services to researchers, historians, scholars and the lifelong learner.
Media Contact:
Marketing Office
public relations coordinator
Washington State History Museum
253-798-5877