Perkins social, Palouse tours on tap

The 40th annual Perkins House Ice Cream Social at the historic Perkins House in Colfax moves to the top of the county’s summer celebrations this week. The Whitman County Historical Society will host the social Sunday, June 24, at the Perkins House from 1 to 4 p.m.

Purpose of the event is to raise funds for society projects, including upkeep of the Perkins House.

The historic house and cabin will both be open for tours during the social. Docents will share information about the house and cabin, in addition to facts about the Perkins family.

Menu for the party includes Almota Inn hamburgers and hot dogs, straight-from-the-grill, with a large assortment of pies and cakes.

Ice cream from Ferdinand’s at WSU will be the feature treat.

Back for another performance of Dixieland Jazz will be the Snake River Six from Pullman.

The society plans to present their revue of the Perkins Fashion collection. Dresses from as early as the civil war era will be modeled.

One of the special features of the social this year will be a 100th birthday observance for Bernadine Pyburn Whitmore of Colfax.

Mrs. Whitmore will officially mark her 100th three days after the event.

The Perkins House social Sunday this year is the second part of a big weekend for the Historical Society. Saturday, Palouse will host the Home & Garden tour with seven homes or gardens on the tour list.

Proceeds from that event will benefit the Holy Trinity Chapel which was built in 1895. The chapel features one of seven lich gates in the United States.

It was purchased by a local group in 2003 and subsequently donated to the Historical Society, which also operates the Roy Chatters Print Museum in Palouse.

Sale of tour tickets will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Chapel, located on the corner of Bridge and Alder in Palouse.

Stops on the tour include the 1960’s rancher of Mike and Darcie Baggott, the restored 1893 farmhouse of John and Diane Cooper, the 1940’s clinker brick home of Tracy and Lamar Stewart, the half-acre Victorian garden of Judy and Ben Finch, the business home/apartment of Jeff and Vicki McLeod, the country home of Holly and Shannon Neibergs, and the refurbished upstairs store area of Open Eye Consignment owned by Heidi and Sam Kite.