75 years ago

March 6, 1942

County clerk Letha Wagner has enough sugar rationing cards in her possession today to make 1,652,000 purchases — if she could use the books herself.

But they are the supply sent here for Grays Harbor and which will be issued according to instructions, complete details of which have not bee received. The first step is the estimating of the population in each school area to be followed later this month by registration at schools of all persons.

50 years ago

March 6, 1967

An architect is calling for bids on a new building of ultra modern design for Benson Office Supply, Inc. The bids will be opened March 28 and will come as the Benson firm celebrates its 60th anniversary of continuously serving the Harbor and Southwest Washington.

Founder of the firm was John B. Benson. Hale Porter and his son, John B. (Jack) Porter, are now operators of the business which is expanding to the new building at First and L Streets across from the Post Office parking area.

The site of the new structure will revive memories in the minds of old-timers even though Benson’s has owned the cleared lot for some five or six years. At one time there was an arena on the site which saw many a bloody prize fight and later there was a midget golf course located there.

25 years ago

March 6, 1992

• There’s a whale of a party in Westport this weekend.

The tall ship Lady Washington and the Westport-Grayland Chamber of Commerce, will help kick off the 1992 whale watching season with the Whale’s Tale Celebration Saturday.

A video, lecture and various whale watching expeditions are scheduled throughout the day as Westport prepares for more than 22,000 barnacle-backed mammals to pass along the Grays Harbor coast on their annual migration from Baja, Mexico, to the abundant feeding grounds in the Bering Sea near Alaska.

• Bo Griffith has resigned after nine years as Montesano High School’s boys’ basketball coach.

The 40-year-old Griffith announced his resignation at the Bulldogs’ awards banquet earlier this week. He will continue as an English teacher and golf coach at the county seat school.

Griffith, who returned to the bench last season after missing much of the 1990-1991 campaign with a rare neurological disorder, said his health was improved but cited the physical demands of coaching as one of several factors in his decision.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom