This Week In Bonners Ferry History

100 Years Ago

Forest fires are still raging in all parts of the Idaho Panhandle although perhaps 2,000 men are engaged in fighting them. The most serious fire is in the Tormey Timber Company property near the Canadian line. Other serious ones are near Copeland and in the locality of the Idaho-Continental Mine.

The D.T. Ham ranch of 214 acres was sold to Emera Kinnear for $6000. The land is near Deep Creek and is practically all cultivable. Mr. Kinnear hopes to have 100 acres ready for the plow this fall.

Many arrests were made this month when the constabulary opened their campaign to make every auto owner conform to the law requiring 2 licenses to be carried on each car. Some 400 cases of whiskey and several automobiles were confiscated according to a report by Robert O. Jones, commissioner of law enforcement.

50 Years Ago

Boundary Co. Agent, Ben Studer estimates a 50 to 60 per cent loss in the first cutting of alfalfa due to the heavy rains. Some 35,000 tons of hay are produced annually with about 15,000 tons marketed out of the county.

Larry Watts was proclaimed the “expert” for estimating the highest level of the Kootenai River. His guess was 29.96 feet. The actual reading was 29.98 feet.

Don Kerby has been named chairman of the Idaho Real Estate Commission.

An estimated 300-400 people attended the dedication of the new Eckhart Airport at Porthill. Gov. Don Samuelson was in attendance. A light luncheon was served by Mrs. Vic Rae, Sr., Mrs. Betty Myers, and the wives of the other local pilots.

15 Years Ago

A local art teacher, Rod Barcklay, has created a new logo that will represent the history and culture of Bonners Ferry. The image of men and horses on a ferry established by Edward L. Bonner in 1864 evokes the spirit of the frontier expansion that helped open up the area to mining and settlement.

JoJo Baker and Kay Burdick of the Greater Bonners Ferry Chamber of Commerce present a $1,000 check to Les Howard representing the Friends of the Restorium.

The Bonners Ferry Badger squad received a Superior Award at U.S. Camp at Gonzaga University. This qualifies them for cheer-related trips to Hollywood or Hawaii.

— Submitted by the Boundary County Museum