September 12, 2023 By George!

The Liberty Gazette

September 12, 2023

Ely Air Lines

By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Linda: We’ve flown the Elyminator up to the Pacific Northwest a few times, and I’ll be darned if I didn’t just find out about something we’ve been missing, and it’s been literally right under our noses. We’ve flown over the area, but we didn’t know! Surrounded by Moses Lake, Wenatchee, and Ephrata – all of which are towns we’ve visited – in between Seattle and Spokane, sits George, Washington. It’s one square mile with a population of 516, and they clearly have a sense of humor. 

On the Fourth of July each year, the community of George, Washington hosts a celebration like no other. They start the morning with breakfast in the community park – biscuits and gravy or French toast. Then they take those full bellies for the two-mile “Cherry Bomb Run” to burn off some calories and make room for something special. But first, the Grand Parade. Anyone can join in the parade. They just have to be ready to line up at the Martha Inn staging area an hour before and sign a participation waiver. After the parade comes the signature event.

For sixty-six years, the community of George, Washington has been serving up the World’s Largest Cherry Pie. The pie is made by members of “the Georgettes,” a non-profit group that supports the town’s events and activities. They mix up 75 gallons of pie filling and bake it in an 8-foot by 8-foot pan in a specially-built brick Dutch oven for three hours, cool it for four, then serve it up fresh in the Pie Pavilion. Ice cream optional (but who wouldn’t want it?) It’s free, but a $1 donation per serving is suggested to help pay for the ingredients, which cost a bit over $800 this year. The whole pie weighs in at half a ton. Better be there by noon when they start serving or you’ll be out of luck! I really love the motto they’ve adopted: “If you believe that something is impossible, please do not interfere with those who are doing it.”

Of course, live entertainment by a few bands fills the afternoon, and then like all towns across America, a stunning fireworks show tops off the day. But it’s that whole big pie idea that gets the attention. I think if you’re going to name your town after America’s first president, you almost have to incorporate all the trimmings, and go big or go home – and that’s no lie! 

The city streets are named after varieties of cherry trees, and everyone knows the story of young George Washington supposedly having admitted that he chopped down a cherry tree, saying, “I cannot tell a lie.” History can be fun when it’s brought to life like this. And you can bet that there in George, Washington, they aren’t dealing with any of those kinds that think we should erase history. If our country survives the present and planned turmoil, George, Washington will be one place we can take our grandchildren to savor some history lessons.

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