This Week In Boundary County History

100 Years Ago

G.N. Station agent Ashby announces Christmas excursion rates for traveling on Dec. 22, 23 and 24 and returning up to Jan. 4. This is the first time the Great Northern and other lines have offered Christmas excursion rates since before the war.

Messrs. Kent, Heathershaw, and Guiles were members of a bear hunting party in the Paradise Valley district and killed a large brown bear.

A small house owned by Mrs. Si Hatchett near the Myrtle Creek power plant was destroyed by fire. The origin of the fire is unknown. Parties who had been living in the house moved out the afternoon of the fire.

50 Years Ago

Misfortune, which has dogged Amtrak since its inception, caught up with it again last night in North Idaho’s Cabinet Mountains when six cars of its 10-car passenger train derailed in the Kootenai River’s Katka gorge about 7 miles east of Bonners Ferry.

County Commissioners decided Monday they would put the last Boundary County ferry at Porthill up for sale.

A reward has been offered this week by a local man who is attempting to recover five head of cattle he believes were stolen from near his home about Thanksgiving time.

15 Years Ago

With Christmas lights twinkling throughout the uniquely and beautifully decorated trees, wreaths and baskets last Saturday night, several hundred people gathered to celebrate the holiday season at the Fry Healthcare Foundation’s eleventh annual Festival of Trees.

Bernie Thompson, a former Bonners Ferry resident, turned 103 years old on Nov. 16, 2006. Bernie and her husband, John, lived in Boundary County for many years. Bernie operated “Bernie’s Dress Shop” in downtown Bonners Ferry.

The Boundary County Soil Conservation District is proud to announce its choice for 2006 Farmer of the Year. This year’s recipient is Houck Farms, Bradley and Tim Dillin.

— Submitted by the Boundary County Museum