This week, twenty-five years ago, two CBCC inmates escaped and were captured near the prison a short time later. A rainfall record for the year fell short by 1.26 inches. Bob and Pat Stark (photo) opened True Value Hardware in their new 12,000-square-foot building. The community mourned the loss of longtime resident Gerald Miles. In classified ads, a three-bedroom, 2 bath house was offered for rent for $650 a month. Four-year-old Braden Decker was featured in a photo enjoying playground equipment at Tillicum Park (photo).

Fifty years ago the community sought input and funding for upgrades at Tillicum Park. Alder Grove Mobile Home Park was expanding and adding 61 new spaces. Eight-year-old Brian Larkin won a Forks State Bank coloring contest and received a $25 Savings Bond (photo).

This week in 1953 the Forum reported that 1952 had not been the driest year on record; 2.74 more inches of rain had fallen than the driest year in 1943. In 1943, just 88.21 inches of rain were recorded. The local phone company, Peninsula Telephone and Telegraph, had converted all local lines to dial, signaling the end of local operators in the Forks and Port Angeles areas and long-distance calls henceforth going through Seattle operators. Owner Maurice Hull claimed that “one day subscribers would not even need an operator.” The State Game Department shared plans to poison “scrap fish” in Lake Pleasant and then replant with preferred species in the spring. The PUD was seeking bids for the clearing of 45 miles of right-of-way for the transmission line project from Port Angeles to Tyee. In a fast and furious basketball game between Forks and Montesano Norm Bagby set a new school scoring record with 35 points. Forks won 49 to 46.