100 Years Ago — 1919

As bad as mustard gas

Fred Jones, who has been getting timber out at Bonners Ferry returned home last week, the mosquitoes becoming so bad the camp was forced to close down. He says they were so thick he would just as soon have faced mustard gas.

90 Years Ago — 1929

Hunting a butterfly

C. W. Herr expects to leave the last of this week for Martini, Mont., where he will work as an entomologist. Mr. Herr will be in the employ of a California collector, and will visit an old deserted mining town in search of a rare species of butterfly, known to have been there in 1908.

80 Years Ago — 1939

Mysterious mail delivery

Mrs. Hawkins, East River, received a letter that was 100 years old on March 12. It was written from Madisonville, Ohio, by her great-grandmother to her great-great0grandmother in Brighton, Mass. It had no envelope but was folded and sealed with wax, no stamp, but was marked paid 25 cents, by postmaster.

70 Years Ago — 1949

Wear logger duds

It is hereby proclaimed that the observance of the Log Drive celebration by wearing some articles of clothing pertaining to the costume worn by the River Pigs, such as plain shirt, stag or rolled up trousers, or red hats, will start at 7 a.m. Saturday, May 28, and will close Saturday, June 4, at 6 p.m. Anyone not complying with this rule will be fined in the Kangaroo Court.

60 Years Ago — 1959

Stukel lands Mack before reporting for Army

Before reporting for induction into the Army last Tuesday, Tom Stukel took a little time out to try for one of the big ones at Priest Lake. He landed a 19 3/4-pound Mack Tuesday and his guide, Ralph Veltri, helped Tom carry a 10-pound Dolly Varden. Tom was employed for several years as linotype operator for the Times.

50 Years Ago — 1969

Float wins trophy

Priest River’s lovely Flaming Arrow float won third place trophy in the community C division of the torchlight parade last Thursday evening in Spokane. Miss Priest River, Carol Shirk, and her princesses Shelley Naccarato and Naomi Skudler, rode the float in both the torchlight parade and the Armed Forces-Lilac Parade Saturday morning. They received a blue ribbon Saturday.

40 Years Ago — 1979

Presenting Lake history

Harriet Allen will give a talk Sunday at about 7 p.m., on early Priest Lake history, during the Priest Lake Memorial Weekend event May 26-27. Learn about the lore from someone who was there! Donations will go to start a Priest Lake museum.

30 Years Ago — 1989

Deputy wounded

A Bonner County sheriff’s deputy was involved in a shooting incident just before noon Tuesday in Priest River. Sheriff Chip Roos said the wound was not life threatening, but the bullet from a handgun had struck Fred Charland’s thigh bone. “It was strictly an accidental shooting,” Roos said. “Fred was working on a weapon when it fired.” Charland was treated at Newport Community Hospital and was being prepared for transport to a Spokane hospital at press time.

20 Years Ago — 1999

Good week for

preservation

The Idaho Historic Preservation Council came to Priest River Saturday from Boise for its annual Orchids and Onions banquet, held at the River Pigs Inn.

Diane Mercer received an Orchid as a friend of Preservation for her efforts in saving the Keyser House, now the Priest River Museum, and Marylyn Cork got a similar award for her efforts on behalf of downtown Priest River preservation and the placement of buildings on the National Register.

10 Years Ago — 2009

Spirit Lake man missing

A Spirit Lake man is missing and presumed drowned after slipping and falling in the Priest River Friday night. Donald Robert Maskell, 43, was standing in the water, apparently lost his footing and was swept downstream by swift currents. “He hasn’t been seen since,” said Bonner County Sheriff’s Lt. Ror Lakewold.