Bill and Bob, Where Did You Come From (LaFond, Gehring, Imes ...

Bridgeport
Eugene Cecil LaFond
I first saw the light of day on 4 December 1909 in a
small farmhouse about 5 miles east of a tiny town of
Bridgeport, in the remote wheat land of eastern Washington
State. It was more I ike a shed, perched on bench
land about 500 feet above and overlooking the Columbia
River. The house had originally been built by a Civil
War veteran who homesteaded the land. It was built on
sloping terrain and the eves at the back of the house
were only about 30 inches from the ground. Inside,
across the front, was a livingroom-kitchen. It was necessary
to step down one step to enter the kitchen since
the 2 rooms were on different levels; apparently the
house had been built at different times.
Sketch of house where Eugene _was born in 1909
Off each room was a bedroom, in one of which
was born. Also off the kitchen was a shed where firewood,
cut from logs dragged from the river, was kept to
be easily available for the . kitchen stove. Water was
available from a continuously running spring. It was
piped to the end of the porch which extended across the
open front of the house, and to a horse watering trough.
An outside toilet was nearby. The sweeping view from
the porch was spectacular, with the great Columbia
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