Any good stories about the Brooklyn Tavern?

I'm quite sure some of y'awl have been there, down below Cosmopolis, right across the road from where Saginaw Timber's shops used to be. Finley Hays told me that it was originally owned by a Chinaman. During his days at Saginaw Timber, he said they just called it 'The Chink's'. Originally built in 1927, I believe, it burned in 1995, and Ray Damitio, the owner at the time, rebuilt it with a different outside look, but pretty much the same inner atmosphere. I stopped by once in 2002, when I was out that way, knowing full well that anyone who was not a logger by trade, and from those parts, was pretty much guaranteed to leave feet first. I told 'em I was born in Aberdeen, used to fish in Fall River, right there in that area, and that I had immense respect for all the loggers who live there. Well, the bartender, Mr. Damitio, decided to give me the secret test, to see whether I would leave feet first, or under my own steam. When I successfully identified the young lad in an ancient photo who was sitting on a wooden tub, on a skid road, behind some oxen, as the "Pig Fornicator", for the sake of mixed company, I got the nod of approval. Had a good time talking about the old days, and all the kids' TV shows back then, but when a difference of opinion arose about whether Crazy Donkey was on J. P. Patches or Brakeman Bill, one of the local fallers started winding up for a fight. So.... I bought a round of beer. Then I was told that when someone buys a round of beer there, they have to "ring the bell". The "bell" came off an old steam lokie. Had a trough in front of the bar stools with stream water running through it. They called it "Snoose Creek". I'll let the reader figure out why. Anyway, we were all sipping on a fresh beer, and they all started thinking I was a pretty good guy. I thought that was a good time to leave.

Anyone else been there?

http://historicbrooklyntavern.com/

Well, I do not know about leaving there feet first, I have had quite a few beers there, starting in the early 60’s when I was about 13. The Brooklyn tavern, the Mineral tavern and the Lester tavern all had the same high quality ID technique: If you could reach the bar with a dollar bill or some such currency, you must be old enough to drink there. The same goes for the bar in Amanda Park around the same era, and I bet there were many other backroad establishments that used the same ID system.

Yes, Like the Aloha Tavern. If the hour was late, especially during the week, getting served wasn't much of a problem. Loved hanging out there with the old timers, listening to Patsy Cline. Playing shuffle board and pool. Eating bar food cooked in those toaster ovens. Poor Boys and Submarines. Pickled eggs. Chili and crackers. Red beer. Whatever was on tap (Blitz???) by the schooner for 15 cents. No wonder my farts stunk in those days. Never forget my oldest brother coming out of there after buying beer for the trip in the crummy to Aberdeen. He was eating a Snickers bar, and washing it down with beer. I started going there, (not getting served) when I was 6 years old. Turned in bottles for the deposit at the side door. Usually bought a pop with my new funds. When we moved 1 mile west of Aloha, I was 10. Could hear the shingle saws at night if I stepped outside. When I got a little older, I walked the mile to the tavern to partake of one of those sandwiches and a pop. The pop turned to beer occasionally when I was 15, and usually when I was 17, and always when I was 19. I was in there on my 21st and getting free beer, when the bartender commented that he though I had turned 21 a couple of years ago. Told him I had thought so too, but found out recently that was wrong. I do remember the bar at Amanda Park. Played ball against Quinault. Worked there 2 summers in high school as a forest fire fighter for the DNR. 1968/9. Drank in the Oxbow at Humptulips in those days.

I never had the chance to go inside the old Brooklyn Tavern before it burned. That was my one and only time there, and I cherish the memory. They say the Liberty Saloon in Cosi was pretty rough back in the day as well. And then there was Billy Gohl's place...... I'll say no more.

Hey Smoke, I'll bet you got to see Railroad Camp a few times before they leveled it, right? I have a photo of their "Farewell to Steam Festival" in 1968. My Dad being a Weyco man, he didn't have much time for that Rayonier stuff. I found what was left of Railroad Camp when I was out there in 2002. Such a shame to see it all gone. But life goes on.

The man who operated our 108 Link Belt, owned the Surf House Tavern in Pacific Beach for several years. Another good watering trough in that town was the Spot Tavern. My aunt Jane Starks, whose husband John was killed by a widow maker falling timber for Aloha Lumber, owned the Ocean City Tavern for years. Got served at 19 in Sid's Legend in Ocean Shores. Best BBQ ribs around. When we moved to St. Helens area, I found the Vader Tavern and the little tavern in Ryderwood to have a similar feel to the old taverns at the beach, although smaller and quieter most of the time. There are some good ones in Castle Rock, but didn't frequent them all that much. Often checked out Taverns in Napavine, PeEll, Toledo, and many other logging towns. NEVER had a problem in any of them. Guess the locals probably had no trouble recognizing one of their own.

I think you hit it right there: They recognize their own. I have a lot of respect for that. I had actually thought of coming to the Brooklyn area to retire for that reason, provided the locals would accept me. Seemed like a good way to minimize the chances of "civilization" creeping in. Now, I have to wonder what's the use in even trying to escape it. I'll probably stay put where I'm at now, since I have my path cut. I think I miss the trout fishing the most, and visiting is just not the same.

Oh, they would accept you, no problem. I have a great memory of getting a 'helicopter ride' in the Goble Tavern east of Rainier Oregon. I was working a turnaround in the amonia/fertilizer plant in St. Helens, Oregon, 1997. I was given the ride by a fellow oilfield worker named Getchen. I hdd heard of her doing this, but was quite surprised when she hoisted all 210 pounds of me up, spun me around, and dumped me uncerimoniusly on the pool table. She later informed me that she would have thrown me onto the pool table, except that she kind of liked me. Been in some cool bars working the coast doing turnarounds, but still prefer an out of the way tavern

Perhaps Miss Gretchen could help you out with cranking those saws..... or was that her in the pic?

Well, that aint her in the pic, but not far off. She could easily just twist your crank right off. Kind of like when the SHTF in a bar 'somewhere' and you know she's got your back. Could be quite a surprise to the "unsuspecting". Might be kind of nice to have the 'lady' stick up for you from time to time. Just the reverse of them getting you in a fight over their petty BS. Perhaps the owner could still weigh in on the helicopter rides at the Goble. He got one too.

Better a helicopter ride than a wedgie, I suppose.

Of course, we called 'em brownies when I was a kid....

Hey Smoke, did you ever fish Fall River there at Brooklyn? We used to go in the the next road to the right past the tavern, heading toward Vesta. I think you could also get there by going up Smith Crick Road.

I loved that place. Great trout fishing back then, and lots of agates and petrified wood. There used to be a huge chunk of petrified wood out in the river, like about 8 feet long and 3 feet diameter or so. I want to go back there some day and fish. Been back twice, but out of season.

No, but I did help Earl Ralston fish the Chehalis with a gill net when they told the Indians they had the 'rights'. He fished the Quinault from his childhood. Was a fisheries officer for the tribe for a time. I spent many hours on the Quinault with him. He saw me shoot Merganzers with my .270 on the fly from my spot in the bow of his boat as we cruised up river. He got shot at on the Chehalis, and had me go out with him and help deal with the situation. He never got shot at again. His boat did get sunk once at anchor in the mouth of the Wishkah. We took 2 deer out of the river one day that were attempting to swim across under the bridge to Cosi. Guess they didn't know he had Indian rights. We gutted them on a log raft. A bum hanging out under the bridge could not quit laughing at the whole scenario. We killed them (the deer, not the bum) with an ax.

I still remember when they built that hi-rise bridge to Cosi in about 1964 or so. They left the old bridge there for a long time, before they finally dismantled it. Remember Atwood's Body Shop in Cosi? Bill Atwood repainted my folks' 1964 Chevelle SS a few years after they bought it from Walker Watson at Bigelow Chevy. Our dog had a habit of jumping up on the car when we pulled in the driveway, and it started looking poor. Bill's son, Tom, has the shop now. I stopped by and said hello back in 2002. Needless to say, he was surprised. His sister Randi was in my class. The Atwoods were a good family, and Tom and Randi were good childhood friends. Jon, the youngest, was pretty small back then.

I just bought my dad a book by Margaret Felt, the same one who wrote "Gyppo Logger", about Russ Ellison, the guy who owned Ellison Pontiac in Hoquiam. He was a champion log burler.

I guess you used to go the REAL Loggers' playdays back then, eh? We went to the one in Aberdeen every year. More often than not, at Hallowe'en, little bro and I dressed up as loggers.

akroadrunner said:

The man who operated our 108 Link Belt, owned the Surf House Tavern in Pacific Beach for several years. Another good watering trough in that town was the Spot Tavern. My aunt Jane Starks, whose husband John was killed by a widow maker falling timber for Aloha Lumber, owned the Ocean City Tavern for years. Got served at 19 in Sid's Legend in Ocean Shores. Best BBQ ribs around. When we moved to St. Helens area, I found the Vader Tavern and the little tavern in Ryderwood to have a similar feel to the old taverns at the beach, although smaller and quieter most of the time. There are some good ones in Castle Rock, but didn't frequent them all that much. Often checked out Taverns in Napavine, PeEll, Toledo, and many other logging towns. NEVER had a problem in any of them. Guess the locals probably had no trouble recognizing one of their own.

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is jane related to Arnie & Mike ??
isx

But of course. My Aunt Jane is Mike and Arnie's mother. Her husband, my Uncle John, was my Dad's mother's brother. Now if you know Mike and Arnie, perhaps you know Arnie's grandson Trey, who is quite a sprint car driver. I keep track of him on his website, treystarksracing.com. When I was a young impressionable boy, Mike and Arnie had the "coolest" cars and pickups.

don't know Trey. hauled a little for them a dozen or so years ago, while my steady logger was between jobs at the time.

You don't know Trey, because he would have only been 3 years old then. The boy is 15 now. Took 'Rookie of the Year' in 360 sprints last year. Raced in the World of Outlaws. He is running 410's this season. His Dad, John, has quite a speed shop. looks like something you would expect to see featured in a segment on Speed Channel.

I have Hauled for arnie before,some out at pacific beach. then in the summer over at cle ellum when Mike drove there truck trip for trip with everyone else, but did it with only use of his left arm! (try that sometime) I remember vaguely back in the day they had a long hood kw with a
v12 jimmy and I think Dean tipped it over somewhere? good people! good friends, was hopeing to see them last week but the races here at Elma rained out.

I thought Arnie was the one with the bad arm. Haven't seen my cousins for too many years. Knew one of them mangled his arm when the tower went over. Had it removed a couple years ago. Like I said, thought it was Arnie, but could have been Mike. Better ask I guess. Good people.

Any good Brooklyn story doesn't involve "Memory"........