This Week In History - July 13, 2023

100 Years Ago

A fire which started shortly after five o’clock yesterday morning completely destroyed the International Hotel building in this city and for a time threatened the entire business section. Heroic work by members of the local fire department and volunteer workers kept the flames from spreading beyond the cluster of buildings in the rear of the hotel, although many of the nearby buildings were scorched and window panes broken out by the intense heat.

Fourteen head of horses were burned to death Thursday June 28, in the barn of the White Lumber Company Camp No. 4 north of Bonners Ferry, entailing a loss of approximately $5,000. The fire started while the camp crew was at supper and secured such a headway that rescue work was almost impossible.

The Peterson brothers of Moravia are taking over Stenberg Ranch, farming nearly 700 acres this year.

50 Years Ago

The 62nd annual Fourth of July Border Days celebration wound up in Grangeville last week with the selection of Dan MacDonald, Bonners Ferry, as the all-around rodeo champion. Last week Allan MacDonald won first place in the Smelterville Old Time Fiddler contest.

Approximately 100 friends, neighbors, and family members were at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Schnuerle on July 1, to help the couple observe their 40th wedding anniversary.

At the meeting of the Idaho Park Board in McCall, July 2, George Miller, Bonners Ferry, was elected Chairman of Board. George has lived in Idaho since 1921, coming to Bonners Ferry after the war in 1947 as manager of Sigman’s Food Store.

15 Years Ago

Two Idaho Forest products companies, Bennett Forest Industries and Riley Creek Lumber, are merging to strengthen ties to large customers including Home Depot and Lowe’s.

Adrian Bryan placed first with 37 points for the low gross division of the Mirror Lake Men’s Golf Association on Thursday, July 3. Bryan was followed by Chad Deitz who placed second with 37 points and Rhy Sandaker, third with 37 points.

Bonners Ferry High School students Jacob Kaesinger and Molly McClintock made last minute repairs to the team’s robot at the first anniversary celebration of the Bird Aviation Museum and Invention Center on Saturday. The robotics team was at the anniversary celebration to showcase the robot and program. The robotics team ran their basketball playing robot through its paces.

— Submitted by the Boundary County Museum