Brian Griffin Oral History Series

Welcome to another in a series of oral histories that I have been doing for some time now, of significant people of our community.  All of these oral histories can be viewed, and in fact borrowed at the Bellingham Public Library, and viewed at the Whatcom Museum Photo Archives or the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies at Western Washington University.
 
Someone one said to me “when an old man dies, it is like a library burning.”   Well I’ve never forgotten that and that has prompted me to do this series of oral histories.    I think it is important to record the life stories of people of our time for future generations.

Brian Griffin

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John Arnold	The Painterly Doctor.   A long time community physician, mountaineer and artist, Dr. Arnold shares his interesting life story.
Frances Waldron Barber	Daughter of C.W. Waldron.   Incredibly, this woman in her eighties is the daughter of one of the major players of the Fairhaven Boom of 1890.  Her father built the Waldron Building still standing on 12th St. in Fairhaven.
John Blethen	Civic Leader, Cabinet Maker  and “Squire of Toad Hall”.  John was a early arrival among the “hippy” occupants of Fairhaven in the 1970s.  Always an activist he created “Toad Hall” in the basement of the Nelson Block.  Now a staid and respected local business man, John tells of those wild old days in Fairhaven.
Jack & Joanne Bowman	Dust Bowl Refugees.  Both Bowmans came to the Northwest with their families as infants fleeing the tragedy of the “Dust Bowl”.  Rising from the depths of the great depression to the leadership of one of America’s great corporations, they have now retired to the city of their youth.  Their generous philanthropy has enriched their community and validated the American Dream.
Muriel Byron	Fort Bellingham Resident.  A longtime resident of the Fort Bellingham area of Bellingham, Muriel relates her family story including early retailing history in downtown Bellingham.
Jim & Betty Christie	A Spokane Story.  Afamily story from Eastern Washington.  An archetypical American family story.
Vince & Brantly Davis	The Brothers Davis.   Two brothers, one an MD, the other a DDS, tell the story of their bringing up, and sharing a fascinating role in the resurrection of Fairhaven.
Dr. Peter Elich	The Intellectual Fisherman.   Born into a fishing family in the Croatian “Slav” enclave in Fairhaven in the early 1930’s, Pete Elich tells his fascinating story of that culture and of his rise to a major administrative position in higher education at WWU.  This is a classic American story.
Jo Elsethagen	Bellingham Native .  Born in Bellingham to an prominent family, Jo tells of her youth and growing up in Bellingham.
Pat Fleeson	Savior of the Whatcom Museum's Old City Hall Building.    This determined and resourceful woman almost singlehandedly saved the iconic old City Hall from demolition after the fire.  The Whatcom Museum is indebted to her for its very existance.  This fine artist tells about her life and the fight to save the Museum Building in an entertaining interview.
Dr. Robert Gibb	Past City Coroner.  The life story of a well known Bellingham family long established in the medical community.
Tom Glenn	Retired Port Of Bellingham Manager.  Listen to the incredible recall of this longtime Port figure as he relates his long and productive life.  Those who knew and loved him will treasure the memory. Its a long story on two discs.
Brian Griffin	WWU Library Interview.  Interviewed by the WWU library staff as a part of the 2007 Campus School reunion program.  Much about his life but mostly about the Campus School experience.
Joe Hansen	A Lifetime Recalled.  Joe, now in his early nineties was raised in lower Fairhaven, a star athlete  and student leader at Fairhaven High, a flier during WW2, an engineer, sailor and community leader.  His life story tells much about Fairhaven in the twenties.
Ken Imus	Fairhaven Revitalizer.  A hometown boy who went to California, made a fortune and came home to resurrect Fairhaven.  Ken and his family have owned most of the historic village at one time or another, built many of the new buildings and been responsible for much of its renaissance.
Larry & Bev Johanson	The Doe Bay Chronicle  2 discs.  The interesting story of the creation and development of the enclave of Bellingham folks at Doe Bay on Orcas Island. The story is entwined with the history of the Culver/Johanson families.
Dick Johnson	Demise of the Fairhaven Hotel.  This longtime Bellingham florist shares his family history and a wonderful tale of the demolition of the iconic Fairhaven Hotel.
Mitch Kink	Long-Time Southsider Slavonian.  Another of the south Bellingham “Slav” fishing community, a longtime educator, Mitch Kinkocich tells about the early days in the Fairhaven ethnic community.
Martin Kuljis	Lifetime Purse Seiner.  A Bellingham native and lifelong participant in the fishing industry.  Martin tells his family story and much of the story of the “Slav” fishing community.
Irwin LeCocq	Owner, People's Bank.  This business and cultural leader tells the story of his family and his bank, Peoples Bank.  A Whatcom County success story.
Gerald “Gerry” Main	“Gerry” Main & the Bellingham Yacht Club.   Lifelong Bellingham resident, active boater, wholesale lumber broker and father of five children, Main tells his family story with flashbacks about the old Yacht Club in Chuckanut Bay.
Robert McDermott	Sculptor.  The implausible life story of the artist who created the beloved Dirty Dan Harris statue in Fairhaven Village Green.  How an impoverished kid from the south grew to be a great artist, progressing through a rural education, being a submariner in the U.S. Navy, an engineering career, and finally attending art school in retirement.  a must see for anyone who dreams artistic dreams.
Josephine Kindall McNeill	Daughter of a Pioneer Bellingham Family.  This remarkable ninety three year old is the daughter of a prominent early attorney and the granddaughter of the civil engineer who built and operated the countie’s first railroad, the Bellingham Bay and British Columbia R.R.  Grandpa Stangroom was Pierre Cornwall’s man in Sehome. An important historical lineage.
Clemens Marc Miller	1988  Northwest Life.   The first oral history in the series done many years ago with Brian Griffin’s uncle.  A great recitation of family stories, with important side bars including, The Civil War, Early day Seattle and the siting of the Hanford atomic plant.
Robert Miller	Realtor.   Bob Miller a Bellingham native, a second generation realtor tells his life story.
Ruth Gahnberg Miller	Early Seattle Scandinavian.    The wife of Clemens Mark Miller, she tells a story of the Scandinavian immigrant families who have made such an impact on the Seattle and Pacific Northwest communities.  A news reporter and community activist she has led a full and interesting life.
Robert Moles Sr.	The "Father' of Boulevard Park.  Interviewed just weeks before his life was claimed by cancer, this remarkable community leader tells of his life.  Among his many contributions Bob Moles can be given credit for the creation of Bellingham’s Boulevard Park.  He tells how it all happened.
Ian & Ruth Monson	Memories of Margaret Gray.  Both Bellingham natives, Ian was a Fairhaven neighbor of Margaret Gray. They share their stories and their memories of the Grays.
David Morse Sr.	Morse Hardware Story.  The life story of this longtime community leader told on two DVD’s.  The scion of a historic pioneer family tells his and the Morse Hardware Co. story.
Joyce Pfueller Morse	A Powerful Story of Family.  At age 95 Joyce Morse tells her life story with charm, humor and wonderful recall.  A tale of covered wagons, homesteading and Ellis Island evolves over several generations into  a powerful story of family, business success and contribution to our community.
Robert Varian Pennington	Old Pals Reminiscing.  The life story of a Bellingham boy who came from Oklahoma in the late 30’s, grew up here and went out into the world to achieve significant business success.  He discusses his life with childhood and lifetime friend Brian Griffin.
Gordon Tweit	Fairhaven’s Pharmacist.  “Gordie” is a community treasure with total recall of the past eighty plus years of Fairhaven history and an incredible personal museum to back it up.  To know Gordie is to know Fairhaven.
Margaret Morse Watts	Memories of Margaret Gray.  The daughter of Cecil Morse, first son of pioneer Hardware merchant R.I. Morse.  A teacher at Bellingham High School she married local physician Arthur Watts.  A friend and confidant of fellow teacher Margaret Gray, she shares her family memories and reminiscences of Miss Gray.
Rose Zanchi	St. Josephs Night Nurse.  Another member of the Croatian community of Bellingham’s Southside, Rose was for many years the night nursing supervisor for St. Joseph’s Hospital.  This is her story.
Special DVDs	The Croatians of South Bellingham.  Peter Elich and Brian Griffin wander Bellingham’s Southside observing and discussing the homes haunts, people and culture of the old “slav” neighborhood.  A two disc look at an era and a way of life that is mostly gone. An important historic document. Bust of C.X. Larrabee.  Sculptor Bob McDermott and Brian Griffin discuss the technique, artistry and construction of the herioc bust of Larrabee which stands in the McKenzie Alley entrance on 11th Street in Fairhaven. The Lafayette Rogan Jones; “Broadcast Pioneer”. Memories of a giant in the radio and television broadcasting world in our region and the nation as recalled by a former employee, Joseph Coons.