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Mystery of Oregon family who vanished in 1958 while going to get a Christmas tree is finally solved [The Martins]
Daily Mail ^
| 17 April 2026
| By JENSEN BIRD
Posted on 04/17/2026 2:52:38 PM PDT by Ezekiel
Detectives finally discovered the fate of the family who vanished in their car almost 70 years ago on their way to find Christmas decorations in Oregon.
The group of five went missing in December 1958 in a case that gripped America.
Two of the children were found dead months after the disappearance, but the other members had not turned up.
But now, parents Kenneth and Barbara, and daughter, Barbie Martin, have been identified from human remains found in the Columbia River, officials said.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
TOPICS: History; Travel
KEYWORDS: barbaramartin; barbiemartin; coldcase; columbiariver; kennethmartin; martinfamily; mystery; oregon
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To: BenLurkin
The Martians? No, pine martens.
They're like spork weasels...

41
posted on
04/17/2026 4:27:46 PM PDT
by
null and void
(Limited information leads to unlimited speculation.)
To: AbolishCSEU
In the event of something happening to me
There is something that I'd like you all to see...
42
posted on
04/17/2026 4:34:02 PM PDT
by
Steely Tom
([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
To: Steely Tom
Little House On The Prairie regularly tossed kids down random holes for ratings boosts.
43
posted on
04/17/2026 4:47:22 PM PDT
by
Salamander
( Please visit my profile page to help me go home again. https://www.givesendgo.com/GCRRDa)
To: Salamander
Right after the kid’s mom asked the producers for a raise.
44
posted on
04/17/2026 4:49:30 PM PDT
by
Steely Tom
([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
To: Ezekiel
So what you're saying is that they weren't abducted by aliens? So...

Because it wasn't aliens.
45
posted on
04/17/2026 4:51:23 PM PDT
by
jerod
(Nazis were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
To: telescope115
If they had lived, some of those dead river kids would also be in their ‘80s....
To: Fledermaus
To: PghBaldy
I am certain there are literally still hundreds if not thousands of missing people who went into water with their vehicles.
Slick road ,sharp curves, darkness, excess speed and it is hopeless within seconds.
Thousands of water traps await quietly alongside as many miles of road. Once submerged not easily seen from nearby ground.
48
posted on
04/17/2026 4:54:38 PM PDT
by
hoosierham
(Freedom isnt free)
To: hoosierham
When we moved to AK in 1971 we drove the Alcan Hwy. Truly terrifying my back then. 1400 miles of gravel then, except for 7 paved miles at Whitehorse.
There are lakes literally hugging the road. According to the Milepost magazine, they’re so deep they don’t even know how deep they are. No guardrails. Switchbacks. Mountains. Trucks going the opposite direction on the very narrow road.
I’d hate to think how many people have gone missing, especially in the winter with the road covered with ice.
49
posted on
04/17/2026 5:07:13 PM PDT
by
MayflowerMadam
( "Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away". - B. Franklin)
To: Steely Tom
Construction sites: the crew was wrapping up for the day and needed a sheet of plywood to block up an opening, just for the night. One worker remembered seeing a sheet laying flat, out behind the work site. He hustled his way toward where he’d seen it and it was still there. He bent down, slipped his fingers under the edge and jerked it up to hold it up so he could lift it. As he did this he stepped forward. Welp, he dropped straight down into the big hole that the sheet of plywood was covering, and then the sheet lay back down over the hole and covered it. The end.
50
posted on
04/17/2026 5:15:51 PM PDT
by
HandyDandy
(“Borders, language and culture.” Michael Savage)
To: Ezekiel
Columbia River in December can be wicked, as well as weather in the Columbia Gorge.
51
posted on
04/17/2026 5:54:22 PM PDT
by
goodnesswins
(Make educ institutions return to the Mission...reading, writing, math...not Opinions & propaganda)
To: Diana in Wisconsin
Wow. First, I do remember Baby Jessica and the effort to save her. And now she’s arrested for domestic violence? Amazing.
Second, I was only 4 when the earlier incident happened. I wasn’t aware of it.
52
posted on
04/17/2026 6:18:37 PM PDT
by
telescope115
(Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
To: Ezekiel
I was wondering if their son Donald was still alive. Did a search and found him on "Find-a-Grave." He died in 2004:
Donald Kenneth Martin
53
posted on
04/17/2026 6:23:13 PM PDT
by
mass55th
(“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
To: Steely Tom
Thanks, I didn’t know about the earlier one.
54
posted on
04/17/2026 6:29:28 PM PDT
by
telescope115
(Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
To: Steely Tom
55
posted on
04/17/2026 7:18:23 PM PDT
by
Salamander
( Please visit my profile page to help me go home again. https://www.givesendgo.com/GCRRDa)
To: null and void
/dies not post link to Tull’s “ The Pine Marten’s Jig”
56
posted on
04/17/2026 7:22:27 PM PDT
by
Salamander
( Please visit my profile page to help me go home again. https://www.givesendgo.com/GCRRDa)
To: Salamander
I thought about it several times while I was searching for one in a pose roughly the same as a spork weasel.
Figured you’d handle that part!
🥰
57
posted on
04/17/2026 7:50:50 PM PDT
by
null and void
(Limited information leads to unlimited speculation.)
To: pa_dweller
Maybe the tree was tied to the roof of the on the way home. Wind catches the tree as the car hits an ice patch on the road…?
58
posted on
04/17/2026 7:53:26 PM PDT
by
BradyLS
(DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
To: BradyLS
59
posted on
04/17/2026 9:14:49 PM PDT
by
pa_dweller
(Projection, prosecution, prevarication and party over country: That's the Democrat brand)
To: null and void
We have Fishers here.
It’s a giant weasel like 3-4’ long.
Caught one on the gate camera
Freaked me out.
Apparently they’re everywhere but rarely seen.
That does explain some of the stranger things I’ve see running cross the road at night….none of which seemed to be doing a jig.
60
posted on
04/17/2026 9:21:34 PM PDT
by
Salamander
( Please visit my profile page to help me go home again. https://www.givesendgo.com/GCRRDa)
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