100 years ago

Jan. 30, 1919 — The First National Bank of Redmond

The Redmond Bank of Commerce which has now a national charter and will soon reorganize as The First National Bank of Redmond, is preparing to start with a new bank building which is calculated to serve for many years to come.

The new building will occupy the site of the old one, will have a frontage of 50 feet and will be the finest one of its kind in Central Oregon. It will be many feet higher than the present structure, with columns and a recessed front, a large central floor space with waiting and rest rooms and offices on either side.

In fact, it will be all that a modern banking institution should be and shows that the officials and stockholders have confidence in the town and country and intend to be a permanent part of the future progress of it all.

The bank has had a steady growth and will continue to grow and have the confidence of the country, and will continue as heretofore, to be an important factor in the upbuilding of the country.

75 years ago

Feb. 3, 1944 — Women sell war bonds for plane

Approximately $45,000 worth of E war bonds have been bought in the north end of the county, it was announced this morning. Other types of bonds purchased totaled $40,500, but this sum does not count on the $110,000 quota for E bonds, even though it will figure in the Deschutes county total quota, committee members said.

Impetus is being given Redmond’s fourth war loan drive by the work of a group of volunteer women, headed by Mrs. Denton Brown, who sold war bonds Wednesday at the Co-op creamery luncheon and who are to work throughout the north end of the county.

“Right now Redmond’s quote of $110,000 in E, F and G bonds is less than 50 percent attained, and there is still a long way to go by February 15,” said J.R. Roberts, Redmond chairman. “Every person who has not yet bought that extra bond is urged to do so immediately in order to put Redmond over the top.”

The women are working to sell $65,000 worth of bonds, enough to equip an ambulance airplane, which will receive a name selected locally, Mrs. Brown said.

50 years ago

Feb. 5, 1969 — Fire district road crew assigning house numbers

If you are a rural resident and recently have observed a numbered stake along the road in front of your home — that is your new house number.

A crew is about to complete numbering all the residences in the fire district, which extends from Crooked River south to near Deschutes Junction and for a considerable distance both east and west from Highway 97. When the numbering is finished and checked the stakes will be replaced with steel posts and a sign bearing house numbers in reflective numerals.

New names, authorized by vote last year, will be shown in signs to be put up by a county crew on many roads, ways, drives, boulevards, streets and avenues. Many more will retain their old names.

When the road signs and house numbers are all up it will be a simple matter to locate any residence in the fire district — a boon to fire, police or ambulance crews who must make hurry-up runs, often in the dark of night. This will also be an aid to strangers looking for addresses, and so on.

25 years ago

Feb. 2, 1994 — Area’s jobless levels increase

Unemployment was up in Central Oregon in December, the state Employment Department reported last week.

Deschutes County’s rate increased from 7.7 percent in November to 7.9 percent in December, a figure below the 8.0 percent recorded the previous December.

Crook County’s rate increased from 6.8 to 7.1 percent over the November to December period. Jefferson County’s rate went from 7.4 percent to 8.3 percent, still well below the 9.4 percent of a year prior.

The national rate fell from 6.5 to 6.4 percent, while Oregon’s rate was unchanged at 6.6 percent.