Out of the Past: 01/07/2026

100 Years Ago—

December weather in the Colville valley was the warmest since 1910, the average temperature for the month being 33 degrees.

Marriage licenses showed a slump in 1925, compared with previous years. Miss Dorothy Dexter, county auditor, had plenty of blanks for issuing the customary number of marriage permits during 1925, but the applicants did not appear. As a result, Stevens County loses revenue which is sorely needed.

“Keep those hens laying all winter!” by putting cracked corn in the rations: Colville Flour Mill.   

75 Years Ago—    

Jack and Kenneth Clark announced this week the opening of the Commercial Electrics Company at 444 South Main.  

Rural mail carriers can go back to licking stamps now. To clear up a misunderstanding during the Christmas rush, post office officials pointed out this week that carriers are required to mail letters if money is placed in the box with letters, for stamps. They’d still appreciate it if patrons would buy stamps in advance. It speeds up service, especially during the rush seasons, but the rule says they must mail letters if money is put in the rural box. The rule holds only for rural carriers. City carriers don’t carry stamps.

50 Years Ago—  

A new $7.3 million sawmill in the Arden area was announced by Burlington Northern, Inc., this week. Burlington Northern already operates the Arden Lumber Co. mill at Arden now under its timber resource subsidiary Plum Creek Lumber Co.

The Colville Employment Office received a telephone call indicating a bomb threat last week on New Year’s Eve at approximately 2 p.m. Normal precautionary measures were taken and a timely and controlled evacuation of the office took place.

A 1958 ordinance prohibiting the display of merchandise, produce and other sale products on city sidewalks will now be enforced within a week. It was determined during Tuesday evening’s meeting of the Colville City Council.

25 Years Ago—

The Colville Driftriders Snowmobile Club will hold their annual “Gold Rush Fun Run” this Saturday. Sign-up will be at Beaver Lodge on the little Pend Oreille Lakes chain.

Judge Pamela Payne swore in new Stevens County Commissioners Tony Delgado and Malcolm Friedman at an informal ceremony last Thursday.  

10 Years Ago—

REPUBLIC—After initiating an assessment of addresses in Ferry County, the Ferry County Sheriff’s Office has determined that at least 15% of those addresses are incorrect.