From the archives - Sept. 16, 2021
Photo courtesy of the Boundary County Museum
It is always exciting when the museum receives items for the collection. This postcard image was emailed to us last week, so what else can we do but share it.
Postmarked Jan. 10, 1910, the postcard is a photograph of the Frank Martin cabin in the Katka district.
John Franklin and Angelia Rebecca (Luke) Martin had a homestead in the Katka district from 1905-1919. They built a cabin, which doubled as the first school. Angelia was the teacher. On Dec. 17, 1906, Frank and Angelia had twins (standing in the doorway).
Angelia mailed this postcard to her mother, Mrs. Orville Luke in South Dakota, writing, "This house is on our place and our first little cabin. We have had school in it two years. Angelia."
On Thanksgiving Day 1919, Frank Martin sold the property on Katka Mountain to Fred and Lenna Ellis from Nebraska. Lenna taught her boys in the cabin until a school was built one-half mile away.
A fire raged through the Ellis property in 1926. The cabin and chicken house/barn were destroyed.
Fred and Lenna bought a place in the Cow Creek district (Ken Irons property) and lived there until 1947. Moving back to Katka, they bought the old school house and 160 acres for $500. Over the years, Fred and Lenna Ellis purchased more land, acquiring a total of 1,300 acres on Katka Mountain.
It is great to add this postcard with a bit of "new" information to the museum collection.
Reminder: Friday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m., join us in Portrait Hall at the Museum where Gary Eller will present his latest Idaho Songs Project: Stock Handler Songs, Poems, and Stories of Early Idaho. Following the performance, please stay for a “jam session” with Gary. This is a good way to share music and make some new friends.
• • •
Your Boundary County Historical Society and Museum, 7229 Main, Bonners Ferry, Idaho, sponsors this column.
Visit the museum Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., visit the website at www.boundarycountymuseum.org or the museum’s Facebook page for historical photos and stories, and to see upcoming events. We can be reached at doyouremember@meadowcrk.com or 208-267-7720. Thank you for your continued support.