Out of the Past: 04/08/2026

100 Years Ago—

Next week has been designated as Clean Up Week in the city of Colville. Between Monday and Saturday, it is hoped that every resident will take pleasure in helping to clean up streets, alleys, and yards.

The chassis for the new bus of the Colville-Spokane stage line has been received in Colville, and today it will probably be on exhibition on Main Street.

LITTLE PEND OREILLE LAKES – E.E. Heritage has his freshly painted boats in the water, ready for fishing season.

HUNTERS MESSENGER – P.G. Watkins lost one of his valuable fox pups last week in a peculiar manner. It seems this pup in some manner got his paw through the wire into another fox’s den and thus the fox, not liking the looks of it there, proceeded to gnaw it off.

75 Years Ago—

The problem of how to keep county schools operating next year was the center of school district activity throughout the week. A new state law would cut off state support to schools unless the districts demand by Tuesday that county commissioners levy a special sales tax on real estate.

By driving on the proper side of the road, county car and truck drivers can just about double the life of county roads. County Commissioner Claud Naff this week explained that the practice of driving down the middle of a developed road shortens its life by half.       

50 Years Ago—

Could it be the revival of the chain gang in Colville? At Tuesday evening’s city council meeting, the body discussed the possibility of reinforcing a slightly outdated 1890 ordinance which could put city jail prisoners back to work for the city. Councilman Ken Weber pointed out that it was costing the city upwards of $8 per day to house prisoners and that, “It’s time the city saw some return on the prisoners, even though the ordinance is somewhat outdated.”

Otto Rainer, well-known Colville contractor, has begun construction of a $110,590 office building totaling nearly 5,000 square feet. The building is in the Southtown area at 285 E. Hawthrone.

Archaeologists, under the direction of David Chance, have completed this year’s work at the Fort Colvile site on the Columbia River.

25 Years Ago—

In response to a growing need for advanced telecommunications service in small rural communities, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) will host the Northeast Washington Regional Tele-communications Conference in Colville on April 18. This event will focus on the telecommunications needs of Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, and Stevens Counties.

Colville Valley Concrete has quietly spent the first few months of 2001 celebrating its 50^th birthday. Opened in 1951 by Jim Dietz, current owners Steve Connelly and Geoff McNiven came by their ownership the old-fashioned way: they earned it.

10 Years Ago—

Joe Bardwell of Vaagen Brothers Lumber, Colville, was presented with the 2016 Master Lumberman Award in a ceremony in Palm Springs, CA., last month. He received the award from Vaagen Brothers CEO Duane Vaagen.

IONE – The North Pend Oreille Valley Lions Club said last week that this year’s excursion trains that ride the Pend Oreille County rails from Ione to Metaline Falls and back, will be its final run.