A Look Back at Canby 1981

In 1981, Canby ushered in a new mayor, Robert Swayze. A graduate of Silverton High School (1975) and Oregon State, Swayze served three years in the Army before earning his degree and securing employment as a pharmacist at Meridian Park Hospital. Looking for a small rural area to raise his family, he lived for a short period in Tualatin before moving and subsequently calling Canby his home. In his first year as a Canby resident, the biggest challenges he faced were street improvements and the sewer system.

“On The Street,” by Canby Herald reporter Gary Newman, asked the community what they felt the City Council should emphasize for the year. Terry Ricksgers stated, “Ivy Street is horrible, and I wish they repaved the whole thing to Goods Bridge.” Liz Emery said, “Quit tearing up the streets!” Harold Conkling, who lived on the outskirts of town, said, “We have better roads in the country than the streets in Canby.” Ironically, in 2024, the roads remain a constant battle.

Cable television was a hot topic. At the time, it was considered mysteriously space-aged. The City Council was presented with numerous proposals, and approved a one-time hookup charge of $25 for the converter and up to 35-channel capability, all for $7.50 a month. Movie channels were an additional fee. The whole package was estimated to be $15 to $20 per month, depending on the subscribers’ preferences. Technology was growing. Canby Telephone Association received city approval in August 1981.

A dime in a shoe was turned into a quarter, as the cost of phone booth calls was increased to 25 cents.

Canby Union High School elected its first female student body president. The groundbreaking student was Kathy Zieg. A junior, Kathy couldn’t explain why she was the pathbreaker to become the first ASB (associate student body) president. Females had long been members, but didn’t run for office. Her bid came with the encouragement of her family, including older brother John Zieg, who was the ASB president in 1974. Her missions included extended breaks and the reinstating of powderpuff football. She was also active in drama, and the president of the Thespians Drama Club, simultaneously participating in swing choir. She was the first president of Canby’s LEO group, the youth organization of the Lions Club.

Another milestone for women was the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Department’s hiring of its first woman detective, Lynda Estes; she served and was promoted after three years as deputy sheriff. Estes noted that it was an uncommon career for women and it had its advantages and disadvantages, but she felt no discrimination within the department as long as she did her share of the work. The Canby Police jurisdiction was within the City of Canby; anything outside city limits was the purview of either the Clackamas County Police or State Police.

Beauford Knight

On January 30, 1981, Beauford Knight died at the age of 69. He was the last of the 1867 Canby Knight family. His father was Adam H. Knight (1870–1956). Born on Oct. 13, 1911, in the same house as his parents (at 486 NW 2nd Avenue), he attended Canby grade and high schools, graduating in 1928 from the then-new Canby Union High School. In Beaufort’s youth, he was a volunteer for the fire department and served as secretary of the firemen’s organization. Prior to 1937, he worked at the Canby Bakery, the Flax Plant at Lone Elder and the Vineyard store. He was also a member of the Canby Methodist Church and served on the City Council in his retirement years.

The Smyrna Church, located off 170, south of Canby, celebrated its 90th year in 1981. Today it has been established for 133 years. Reverend Fred Parker delivered the first sermon at the incomplete church on April 5, 1891. The first wedding occurred in 1940, when Fay Huiras and Delilah Tayler walked down the aisle. According to Ada Sinclair, a historical Canby resident, it was more common at the time for weddings to be held at home or by traveling to the parsonage.

Students of Ackerman Middle School were introduced to computers with the Apple II Plus. This course was noncredited; only about 30 students, including those at the high school level, were exposed to the network. Mr. Steve Schneider was the teacher of the “Computer Problem Solving” course. We’ve come a long way!

The Willamette Valley had a record-breaking storm in 1981, and Canby was not spared. According to the National Climatic Data Center’s Storm Data publication for November 1981, two storms were responsible for at least 12 deaths in Oregon and Washington combined (none in Canby), tens of millions of dollars in damage to the two states, and the termination of power for hundreds of thousands of customers. Estimated damages topped at $500,000. Among the hardest hit was the Clackamas Fairgrounds, with wind gusts up to 67 mph.

Roth’s, Sprouse Reitz, Gary Rexel Drugs and Mangus were still around in 1981. At the time, you could get Levi 501 button-up jeans on sale for $15, a 16-ounce eight-pack of bottled pop for less than $2, and Gunne Sax dresses were all the rage!

Special thanks to the Pamplin Media Group for access to the Canby Herald archive for research and photos of clippings. If you have any story ideas or are interested in sharing your family’s history, please reach out to Dawn Coleman at canbyhistory@gmail.com.