Next Reunion
2023 Reunion
The J.E. Cochran Clan will return to Ocean Park, Washington June 16 - 18th 2023 the scene of its first official Reunion in 1953 for the twenty-fifth family reunion in seventy years. Family members can register for the Reunion on the Family Only page of this web site.
2020 Reunion
The next Cochran Family Reunion will be held in 2020, probably at a state or city park in central Washington. The two year interval between reunions is a departure from the family tradition of a reunion every three years. The change in timing and a new reunion format was passed unanimously at the Family Meeting during the 2018 meeting. Watch Cochran Chronicles for details on the next reunion.
2018 Reunion
The 2018 J.E. Cochran Family Reunion was held at a family member's farm July 13-July 15 in the shadow of Mount Baker, outside Bellingham, Washington. As older members of the family talked in the shade of a huge tent, younger family members took part in a variety of games and activities including badminton, croquet, bean bag toss, walking on stilts, lawn skis, playing pool, kite flying, and a hay ride. In addition to all the regular reunion activities the group picked raspberries and churned ice cream. Dessert Saturday night consisted of raspberry pie and ice cream after a dinner of barbecued steak and salmon. Fifty-one attended, representing 5 of the 9 Cochran families.
2015 Reunion
The 2015 J. E. Cochran Clan Reunion was held at Camp Wooten in Washington's Blue Mountains on the Tucannon River near Dayton, Washington Friday, August 21, 2015 through Sunday, August 23, 2015. Camp Wooten is a Washington State Parks Environmental Learning Center with facilities similar to other locations the family has used for past reunions. In addition to the usual family activities of eating, and talking Cochrans held canoe races, bean bag toss, horse shoes, baseball, trail hikes. One hike headed straight up the hill and there was a bear sighing on the outing. The auction involved some heated bidding, especially for the family heirloom items. The evening program featured music, magic, sports and slide shows of the reunion and of pictures of many of our ancestors. Forty-three family members representing 5 of the 9 Cochran families were in attendance.
2012 Reunion
The 2012 J.E. Cochran Clan Reunion was held on the shores of Lake Wenatchee at Camp Zanika Lache in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness Area. Friday, August 24, 2012 through Sunday, August 26, 2012. Camp Zanika is 25 miles west of Leavenworth, WA. Fifty-nine family members were in attendance.
2009 Reunion Report
A more detailed report is in the Family Only section: detailed 2009 report.
Sixty-seven members of the 2009 J. E. Cochran Clan gathered over the Forth of July weekend 2009 at Washington's Fort Flagler State Park on Puget Sound for the 21st triennial Family Reunion. The President and Treasurer greeted family members at the registration table as they arrived Friday afternoon. It wasn't long before a volunteer crew began preparing the evening meal. As with previous reunions eating, visiting, and picture taking continued until clean up and good byes Sunday noon July 5th.
Fort Flagler's was established in 1899 to protect the entrance to Puget Sound with heavy artillery. Defending soldiers were housed in a number of camps. Camp Hoskins, the reunion site, consists of three dormitories and a combination kitchen and dining hall. The kitchen was the best equipped and laid out one that we have seen in the Environmental Learning Centers. Everyone could be seated at once in the dining hall with plenty of room left over for the sale table, family meeting, and auction. About half of the family stayed in the dorms at the camp and a few families drove in for Saturday. The balance commuted 20 minutes to Port Hadlock. The manager of the Hadlock Motel was well acquainted with the family before everyone had arrived as it was virtually sold out to Cochrans.
The weather for the weekend was sunny and temperatures were ideal. Some family members hiked and bicycled the pathways through fields and trees past old gun emplacements high above the Straits of Juan De Fuca. A number of the young men participated in a croquet match while some of the 4th generation ladies sun bathed. Saturday night a group walked to the cliffs to watch fireworks all along the beaches and in Port Townsend. Some attendees visited the historical museum.
Mini-Reunions
At its 2005 meeting Board members agreed to hold "Mini-Reunions" to coincide with the annual Board meetings to bring at least a few clan members together more frequently than once every three years. Ramblewood Environmental Learning Center near Sequim Bay State Park the Strait of Juan de Fuca was the location July 6-8, 2007. Moran State Park ELC on Orcus Island was the location for the Mini Reunion and board meeting June 6-8, 2008.
