McCleary & Prisons

The Department of Corrections did not choose McCleary as one of their top three selected sites for a new DOC reception center. Turns out the City of McCleary has gone through a version of this before, back in 1959.

Info (my use of bolding to draw attention to a humorous quote) from McCleary Time Capsule, 1943 - 1963 by Steve Willis:

Sept. 17, 1959
Norman Porter editorializes that the northwest corner of Mohney's Prairie would be a perfect spot for a new prison as the State searches for an adequate site.

Oct. 19, 1959
State officials inform the Grays Harbor County Commission that Mohney's Prairie is on the list of sites under consideration for a new prison.

Jan. 19, 1960
A delegation comprised of Mayor Beerbower, Councilmen Davidson and Curran, and businessman Cal Clark meet with Dr. Garrett Heyns to lobby for Mohney's Prairie as a new prison site.

Feb. 1960
State officials, working from a list of 30 sites, announce they have narrowed the choice of a new prison location to two cities -- McCleary and Shelton.

Mar. 29, 1960
State officials announce that Shelton has been selected as the site for a new prison.

Comments Porter, "The editor of The Stimulator, a gullible country boy, believes that no politics were involved and that the final decision was in the best interests of all the tax payers of the State of Washington."

Apr. 14, 1960
Dr. James Arima, President of the Chamber of Commerce, announces that the Mohney's Prairie site will be given to the State for free should they change their minds about the Shelton prison.