On Saturday evening, August 29th, 1925, Edwin Dewey Nichols, a former lumberman who had retired to a farm near Glen Cove, invited about 400+ Tacoma and Peninsula residents to a corn roast, with the ulterior motive of "buttering them up" to support increased spending for roads and ferries to connect the Peninsula to Tacoma. About 50 cars of Tacomans, led by Frank Poole of Poole's Plant Nursery, crowded two ferry runs to attend. They were greeted by several hundred Peninsula folk. Nichols had built a fire between two strings of logs 100 feet long to make a bed of hot coals for roasting. Then bushel after bushel of sweet corn, vats of butter, mountains of hot dog buns, trays of weenies and sharpened sticks were provided for the two hour roast. While the group ate, speakers discussed the needed roads and ferries. The very full Tacomans trudged home about midnight, fans of their neighbors across the water. (TNT 8/31/1925, pg. 1 +) G72.1-141

Nichols, Edwin Dewey--Homes & haunts; Corn; Outdoor cookery; Campfires;

In late May of 1925, a caravan of interested Tacomans spent a day at Rocky Bay on the Peninsula going over the routes of proposed roads to connect Tacoma with the Hood Canal, shortening the current distance by 30 miles. The photograph shows the first stop, the home farm of Edwin Dewey (E.D.) Nichols at the junction of the Vaughn-Longbranch-Gig Harbor Road, near Glen Cove. The Tacoma caravan is shown after its arrival. It was made up of representatives of Tacoma's various business and social clubs, headed by County Commissioner Frederick Shaw. The group was met by Mason County Commissioners who assured the group that the 17 miles of graveled roads and 3 miles of paved roads between Gig Harbor and the Hood Canal would be under construction within the month. The roads would connect some areas such as Victor, formerly completely shut off, with other Peninsula towns and eventually Tacoma. (TDL 6/7/1925, pg. G-1) TPL-2543; G72.1-164

Nichols, Edwin Dewey--Homes & haunts; Caravans;