At the May Rockford Historical Society no host monthly lunch meeting in The Harvest Moon Banquet Room , President Betty Myer said the book signing hosted at the Rockford Pioneer Museum was a huge success.
More than sixty people jammed the aisles of the museum for the April 22nd book signing, including one woman who came from Seattle for the occasion, and her friend who came from Oregon.
The featured authors, Linda Lawrence Hunt, author of Bold Spirit, Jane Kirkpatrick, author of The Daughter's Walk, and Carole Estby Dagg, author of The Year We Were Famous each wrote about the adventures of Helga and Clara Estby.
Helga Estby and her 19-year-old daughter, Clara, of Mica Creek (about 5 miles NE of Rockford) trudged 3,500 miles across country from Spokane, Washington to New York City in 1896, in hope of winning $10,000 to save the family farm.
The authors wrote from different perspectives. Each explained her conclusions and answered questions from the audience.
Carole Estby Dagg is the great-granddaughter of Helga Estby, and winner, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators' Sue Alexander Award for most promising new manuscript. Kirkpatrick is the author of 20 books including 17 historical novels. Her first novel, A Sweetness to the Soul won the Western Heritage Center's coveted Wrangler Award. Linda Lawrence Hunt is 2004 winner of Willa Cather Award.
Historical society member Linda Jones was in charge of refreshments at the event, Peggy Fricks, assisted by Mary Kay Irwin, took charge of the refreshment table. Donna Davey and Paul Gillespie managed the financial transactions.
"All members did an excellent job. I even overheard a couple comments about how good the coffee was," Evelyn Fricke said. "So that left me with nothing to do but meet and mingle, and enjoy the day. We ran out of books!"
Many of the Estby descendants, including Dorothy Bahr, Mary Kay Irwin & Carole Estby Dagg attended the signing. Mary Kay brought Julekake, Norwegian Christmas bread, which she made from her grandmother, Helga's, recipe. The descendants gathered afterward for a private family reunion.
The historical society presented Dorothy, Mary Kay & Carole each with a jar of mincemeat made from Helga's recipe. The Rockford United Methodist Women still use this recipe to make mincemeat for the Christmas Bazaar.
Dorothy & Daryll Bahr of Wilbur presented the historical society with numerous pictures of the Estby family and descendants to add to the society's Estby Exhibit, donated to the museum by the Estby family in 2003.
Betty congratulated all the members for their fine performance at the book signing, and grinned as she said Linda Lawrence Hunt announced while speaking to the audience that every town shoud have an Evelyn Fricke, a wonderful accolade for this long-standing member.
The historical society will restock the books for sale from Rockford Historical Society, PO Box 107 Rockford, WA.
The Daughter's Walk, http://www.youtube.com/embed/Pt4ZMRfao_c.
The Year We Were Famous, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32EWPJt8i_A.
Bold Spirit, http://www.boldspiritacrossamerica.com/.
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