From WWI to Black Tuesday

The East Side Journal started publication while the world was in turmoil. A brutal war and a global influenza epidemic were killing millions worldwide. These tragic events had repercussions in the local community:

Throughout history, humankind has weathered these kinds of tragedies, and Kirkland was no exception. As doleful as these events were, there were other stories to report:

As the Great War ended and as the Influenza vanished worldwide, life in Kirkland continued on its course of slow, but steady, growth:

Of course, every growing community has its share of problems:

Along with its share of good-natured fun:

For the next few years, more homes were built and sold. More businesses started or expanded. Ferry traffic increased. A new high school was built, and class sizes in Houghton, Juanita and Rose Hill were growing. On October 12, 1922, the East Side Journal published a special Historical and Industrial Edition, which proudly heralded Kirkland as "Seattle's Greatest Suburban Section". Articles and advertisements showcased Kirkland's recent achievements:

The intended audience of this special edition was not just Kirkland residents. The American Legion had just purchased a large, wooden military vessel (decommissioned) for use as a clubhouse and had planned a celebration and open house. Fireworks and a parade were a surefire way of bringing Seattle residents to visit Kirkland, and these special edition newspapers were on the ferry dock to greet them, and to convince them that Kirkland was THE place to be.

Kirkland's successes in the early 1920's had much to do with local industry. Just to the south, in Houghton, The Lake Washington Shipyard provided many jobs:

Many jobs were also filled at the woolen mill in town:

Meanwhile, local farming was still very prevalent and was also doing quite well. Larger farms peppered the outlying areas, and many small farms remained in or near town.

Daily life within this growing community was, as one would expect, filled with variety:

The early part of the 1920's was good to Kirkland, but by the end of the decade things started to slow down. The woolen mill closed due to financial difficulties in 1926. Real estate sales started to level off. Fewer headlines dealt with homebuyers and business expansions, and instead read like these:

Kirkland was in an economic downturn, which preceded the rest of the nation. When the stock market crashed on Oct 29, 1929, nary a mention was made in the East Side Journal. Black Tuesday in Kirkland was just another gray and rainy day.

Weathering the Great Depression

 

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