Tales of the Magic Skagit

Rosemary Walkup had attended the Skagit Valley Fair for so many years as a 4-H parent that she had to learn how to buy a ticket to the event after her kids no longer participated. She tells a hilarious story of her daughter's resourceful approach to a 4-H presentation, and for a grand finale she gobbles like a turkey. Now that's entertainment!

Judy Washbon and her husband have spent the last 15 years living in the place where Sacajawea -- arguably the third best known member of the Corps of Discovery -- first opened her eyes. Since first encountering Sacajawea's story in Steven Ambrose's history of Meriwether Lewis and the expedition that changed America, Undaunted Courage , Judy's passion has been studying and portraying the life of th...

In 2021, Tales of the Magic Skagit posted a number of videos on its Facebook page (@MeyerSignAdvertising) featuring people and events at the Skagit County Fair. This year we're raising the bar by sponsoring a booth (located at the west end of the ballpark in the Food Court area) dedicated to sharing memories of Fairs past. One of the folks we'll be interviewing for our Tales of the Magic Skagit po...

In addition to being one of the most beautiful places on God's green earth, Salmon, Idaho (pop. 3,169) has the distinction of being the birthplace of arguably the third most celebrated member of the Corps of Discovery after the captains themselves: Sacajawea. It's therefore no surprise that Salmon is also the site of the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural, and Educational Center -- a jewel in the cr...

Meyer Sign is proud to announce that we have partnered with the Skagit County Fairgrounds to host a booth at this year's Fair that is devoted to telling its history. The theme of our booth is "All in Love is Fair," and its purpose is to share our recollections of favorite Fair experiences, while honoring the many people who have given of their time, treasure, and talent to make the Skagit County F...

Not long ago we published a Tales of the Magic Skagit episode about the life of Sean O'Leary, the co-owner (along with wife Colleen) of Mount Vernon's beloved downtown gathering place, Ristretto Coffee Bar and Wine Lounge. The story was a popular one, filled with enough amazing recollections of world travel and far flung experiences to fill a Hollywood screen play. As much as folks enjoyed this st...

When Skye Richendrfer first heard the sound of bagpipes, he knew that he wanted to play them. That urge has always been a part of him, and it has led to friendships and collaborations with members of the Celtic arts community throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond...which led to the creation of the Skagit Valley Highland Games in Mount Vernon, WA...which led to the creation of the Celtic Arts...

An interview with Mary McGoffin, author of “Under the Red Roof: One Hundred Years at Northern State Hospital”. Mary talks about the history of one of the most progressive treatment centers for mental illness in the nation and how its practices reflected changing attitudes and approaches to mental health. Joining in the discussion is Craig Cole, whose mother had at one time been a patient at NSH. W...

My my original intention in this episode of Tales of the Magic Skagit was to interview Jay Bowen, Tony Cladoosby, and Dr. Wilbert James (aka, "Doc') about a Facebook video project they host called "Rez Talks." The three friends and collaborators are now preparing to take their weekly discussions on stories, histories, and perspectives from the First People of the Skagit Valley into the podcast spa...

Stefano Catalani may be the new executive director of the Museum of Northwest Art (MoNA) in La Conner, but he is hardly new to the museum, and certainly not to the Pacific Northwest. After leaving behind an art career in Italy to pursue a relationship, he quickly found a home in Seattle and within the Pacific Northwest art community. Stefano joined MoNA in January of this year, taking the reins fr...

This is the first in a Tales of the Magic Skagit series dedicated to the question, "What puts the magic in the Magic Skagit?" We'll be asking this question to artists, historians, community leaders, friends and neighbors whose relationships to the Skagit Valley have transformed not only their lives but our community as well. It seems only appropriate then that we start this series off with a discu...

I think it was my love of the movie "Legends of the Fall" that resonated with me when I first beheld the statue of a diminutive matron in Victorian dress in downtown Lynden, Washington. A nearby sign identified her as Phoebe Goodell Judson (Oct. 25, 1831 - Jan. 16, 1926), "First woman settler who gave Lynden its name, and considered to be the 'Mother of Lynden' for the care and love she showed for...

The Skagit County Historical Museum's current exhibit, "1968: The Year that Rocked Washington," looks at how one of the most volatile years in American history reverberated in Washington State. The exhibit's localized focus, however, is not on events so much as it is the people who shaped those events. In this inaugural "Tales From the Magic Skagit" podcast, I interview the executive director of t...