Pitching La Conner's benefits in the 1950s

Strange as it may sound today, there was a time when having a parking problem in La Conner meant more cars were wanted on First Street to spur retail shopping – and when retail meant purchases for home use.

It was also a period when home builders were being actively recruited to develop vacant lots to grow a town census that barely rose above 625 residents.

The year was 1957.

Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House. The space race was launched with Sputnik 1 orbiting the earth. The Fortran computer programming language was created. And the birth control pill was introduced.

Locally, Rainbow B...