By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“In this room, at this moment, this is West Seattle,” declared Southwest Seattle Historical Society executive director Clay Eals, toward the start of Saturday’s sold-out Champagne Gala Brunch fundraiser.

And West Seattle showed its generosity as well as its spirit – Eals tells WSB that the revenue from the event, which filled the Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) event rooms from windowed wall to windowed wall, totals “$77,180, up 26.4 percent from last year.”

Early on during the brunch, Eals had other numbers of note: SWSHS’s 31st anniversary, and the 100th birthday of Erma Couden, widow of its founder Elliott Couden.

While the brunch’s theme was “Coming Home to the Homestead,” he cited a long list of highlights for the year even before the historic Alki Homestead/Fir Lodge‘s sale was announced and restoration commenced, including:

–Art Wolfe speaking
–Admiral Theater upgrading (the SWSHS saved the Admiral a quarter-century ago)
–West Seattle Junction Historical Survey launched
-Museum Manager transition, Sarah Baylinson succeeded by Lissa Kramer
–“Count the Lincoln Logs” contest
-Supporting the Duwamish Tribe‘s fight for federal recognition
–“If These Walls Could Talk” tour of Ye Olde Curiosity Shop founder Daddy Standley‘s house
-Coat of paint and other touchups for the museum
-Interior work, new shelving at museum
–Riverside walking tour
-Third year of the Words, Writers, & West Seattle literary series
–Totem Pole Cruise to Alaska
–Richard Hugo tribute concert and film screening in White Center
–School Daze pop-up museum at The Kenney (WSB sponsor)
–First-ever Family Halloween on the Porch

The society won two big awards this year: Last year’s Totem Pole unveiling was at the heart of 2 awards, one from Association of King County Historical Organizations, “best single-impact-event award,” and SWSHS was crowned Nonprofit of the Year by the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce.

But the biggest news of all this year was new ownership of the landmark Alki Homestead/Fir Lodge, purchased in March by Dennis Schilling, who quickly embarked on its restoration, six years after the landmark was charred by fire. For so long, its fate remained unknown, Eals reminded the brunch audience, showing the 2010 “This Place Matters” gathering, echoed by a photo op this past summer – “This Place Still Matters” – that was more of a celebration.

The Homestead rebirth by itself has inspired myriad events, including the log-structure-restoration lecture/demonstration by David Rogers in August. Also, Homestead memories are being shared on the “virtual chicken dinner” page on the SWSHS website. And the 1,000-plus-student photo op on June 5th dubbed “Group Hug for the Homestead” was a morning to remember, as we showed you here.

(WSB photo, June 5th, as students were still arriving)
Eals enthused about the memories that event generated for a new generation:

“Every kid in [the official SWSHS] photo, they’re going to remember that for the rest of their lives. .. We know that because every time we went to a summer festival, kids would come up and look .. and say, ‘That’s me.’ What they’re really saying is, ‘That’s my community’.”

Eals also looked ahead to next year with plans including the major part of the Admiral renovations, continued work on the Homestead, and “Ivar is coming to our museum!” – part of an Ivar Haglund exhibit is going to continue on, in part, at the Log House Museum. Camp Long is celebrating its 75th anniversary, and more.

The live auction/sale was a highlight, featuring

*11×14 painting by Merrilee Hagen with the Alki Homestead and its neon sign – went for $500

*”The Dizzy Dance of Luna Park,” envisioned by Michael Birawer, huge print – went for $1000
*16 centerpieces made from slices of logs from the 1904 Alki Homestead were sold off for $100 each
*20 log sections were available, each of which will get a personalized plaque (made by WSB sponsor Red 27 Engraving) – 16 were sold, for $150 each
*Signed Pearl Jam posters, with autographs including West Seattleites Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament, framed by WSB sponsor Wallflower Custom Framing – went for $1900
*Seahawks HQ/Practice Facility Tour for 10 – went for $700

(Winning bidders included people who have already made a heavy investment in West Seattle history, including the owners of at least two historic local homes.)

On to the featured speakers: The children of the Homestead’s first longterm chef Bob Gruye, Catherine Gruye Alexander and Rob Gruye. They followed a video by Brad Chrisman, telling the story of the Fir Lodge/Homestead. Sighs rose from the tables as people watched a point-of-view tour of the restaurant as it looked before the fire. Then the guest speakers told their story (here’s their script):

(Video courtesy of SWSHS, substituted 11/13 for our original lower-quality clip)

“He was handsome, outgoing, gregarious, an endearing person – a practical joker with a little smirk,” said Rob, explaining that their dad learned to cook in the Navy during WW II.

They talked about the legendary Homestead fried chicken, which their dad “put on the map.” Do they have The Recipe? interjected Eals. They vowed they’d never tell. They also recalled some of the other traditions – from fruit cocktail to prime rib to Shrimp Louie, and ice cream with cinnamon applesauce and “sticky pudding,” canned milk boiled for hours. “Mid-century cuisine!” declared Rob. Catherine recalled going to Blake’s bakery in The Junction for dinner rolls, “and Mr. Blake always had a maple bar for me.”

They went on to work in the restaurant business when they grew up, including Hal’s Diner (for brother) at what is now Phoenecia (WSB sponsor), and she was co-owner of Webster’s Restaurants in the ’90s, as well as other jobs including at The Shack. He now owns Hanazono restaurant in Port Townsend as well as restoring classic cars.

“For us, it all comes back to the Homestead,” said Catherine. Her brother said it was almost like a monolith, “big and happy.” “It was happy and always a place for our whole family to go for important occasions.” Catherine said that the day after their dad died years ago, they called then-owner Doris Nelson and asked if she could accommodate them. Her brother said he thinks of lights when he thinks of the Homestead, recalling not only its neon sign but also a billboard.

“It was where people came to break bread and chicken legs, to feel the ambience, to share family style food family style memories and dreams. … I am predicting that today’s West Seattle kids will be taking their own kids there 20 years from now … We are so grateful for the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.” Rob concluded: “It’s all about bringing people together for a common purpose.”

Also part of the program – the Fund-a-Dream challenge, looking for people to make one time gifts, starting at the top, $5,000. They got one donor fairly quickly. Diane Tice donated it from she and husband Lou’s education foundation, in memory of her sister, a longtime SWSHS supporter. Next came a $2,500 donation. Then a $1,000 donation. And so on. Raffles raised money too, including the Golden Ticket to win a cruise – 100 tickets available at $100 each – this year with four choices of cruises, with a never-expiring Holland America Line gift certificate.

The brunch’s grand finale was a mini-quiz show: “Wait, Wait, West Seattle – Don’t Tell Me!” in the spirit of the similarly titled public-radio quiz show. Like last year’s rock ‘n’ roll panel, this was recorded for later broadcast online as a podcast on host Marty Riemer‘s website. “Contestants” were Jack Miller from Husky Deli, radio personality-turned-tech exec Shawn Stewart, author Michael Stusser, Josh Sutton from the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), TV reporter Connie Thompson – “five West Seattle luminaries” as Riemer put it. Here’s our video:

Some of the questions: “How did The Junction get its name?” “What’s the largest manmade island in the US?” “Which radio station had its studios in West Seattle?” “Which US President ordered recognition of the Duwamish Tribe?” “What is the building height limit in The Junction?” (Thompson quipped “Too high”) And for two questions, the panelists had to guess what an audience member would answer for a subjective question – “Where’s the best place to go for dessert in West Seattle?” and “What’s the best park in West Seattle?” (If you don’t want to or can’t watch the video, we have the answers to the aforementioned questions at the end of the story.)

When all the questions were asked and answered and all the points were tallied, Thompson and Stusser were declared the winners.

But everyone at the gala was a winner – and the larger community was, too, with this event boosting the funding on which SWSHS can draw during such a busy time in its own ever-evolving history.

P.S. Want to see what the SWSHS is all about? Go visit the Log House Museum, Thursdays-Sundays, noon-4 pm, at 61st/Stevens.

(Answers to the quiz questions mentioned above: Where the trolley tracks met; Harbor Island; KJR; Bill Clinton; 85 feet; Husky Deli; Lincoln Park)