Founded in 1953
The Push Rods Car Club was originally founded
in 1953 by a group of friends and Grays Harbor natives:
Dan, Arie and Norm Callaghan, Dickie Noll, Tom Eperson,
Bob Laughlin, and Gary Westigard. The group desired to have
a place to meet and talk about cars and drag racing.
In the beginning The Push Rods was a very
active car club and had many fund raising activities, the
purpose of which was to accumulate capital to purchase and
maintain a club drag racing car. They held numerous dances
at the Vasa Hall in Hoquiam, Custom Car and Hot Rod Shows
and various other functions, they were successful and bought
a car that belonged to all the members, they won many trophies
at drag races in Shelton, Puyallup, Bremerton and Seattle.
The parents of the Callaghan brothers Dan
and Emma offered the first club house for members use; a
hut on the banks of the Hoquiam River, the hut was used
until 1958.
As the years went by, interests faded and
the club was disbanded in the mid sixties.
However the memory lived on in John Curry
and Pete Spradlin and in 1988 the two started the Hoquiam
Push Rods again. Today the club still strives with over
40 members, always looking for car enthusiasts. Meetings
are held the first Wednesday of every month at 7:30 PM at
the Hoquiam Elks, annual activities include the annual Show
N Shine car show, a club picnic, Christmas party usually
held at the Grays Harbor Country Club and other events throughout
the year.
