Out of the Past: 07/16/2025

100 Years Ago—

The Colville Chamber of Commerce met in special session on Monday evening with representatives from the livestock association for the making of plans for the Fair and Yep Kanum this fall. A four-day program is being planned for September.

This is the time of year when Kettle Falls is a lure for many sightseers who go to the falls and watch the salmon jump.

The attention of farmers is called at this time to the fact that the government is still distributing Pyrotol (stumping powder) to the farmers, taking this means of distributing surplus war materials. Stevens County farmers this past spring, through the county agent operating with the Keller Hardware Company of Colville, pooled an order for a carload of this material and the car was unloaded early in March.

75 Years Ago—    

The draft, almost a thing of memory, became an austere reality again this week. Stevens County youths joined others in the nation, worrying about their classifications.

Stevens County will get a historical park at the site of old Kettle Falls and the St. Paul Mission overlooking the location of old Fort Colvile, according to a telephone call received from speaker of the house Charles Hodde.

Beech is back to Birch. The much named and confusing street –  between Astor and Columbia – was renamed “Birch” Tuesday night by the city council after citizens on the street protested the name Beech.

Seventeen Boy Scouts worked on the rifle range at the Scout Camp at Lake Sherry Sunday. Scoutmaster T.V. Baird said the youths erected targets and cleared the firing line and built gun racks.      

50 Years Ago—  

Colville’s Bicentennial committee hopes to kick off “Project Sparkle,” a clean up campaign in Colville, Aug. 4, according to Miss Marian Garvey, publicity chairman.

A second uranium mine and mill to start operation in 1979 was announced this week for the Spokane Indian Reservation in southern Stevens County. Western Nuclear, Inc., stated that they would build the mill at the mine site after signing a $121 million uranium sale contract with Washington Public Power Supply Systems.

25 Years Ago—

A multi-year Colville High School class reunion will be held this Friday and Saturday, according to John Acorn, one of the organizers of the event. Graduates from the classes of 1958 through 1963 are included in the event.

Colville’s wastewater facility plan, long in the works, has been approved. Colville City Council members voted to accept the plan which is still not the final design.

City of Council struck down a proposal last Tuesday to reduce the speed limit at the south entrance of town. Presently, when entering town, a 40 mph limit is imposed about 400 feet south of Mt. View Drive. The speed is reduced to 25 mph at the Pet Shoppe.

10 Years Ago—

TIGER—The historic Tiger Store, a monument to those halcyon days gone by, has been restored to its former grandeur. A dedication ceremony, the culmination of a monumental preservation project, will be held on July 29.