Out of the Past: 11/12/2025

100 Years Ago—

Teachers Institute will be held in Colville Nov. 23-25. Owing to the fact that the hotels will not be able to accommodate all teachers, it will be necessary that some private homes be opened for the comfort of teachers. All those who have rooms that can be let during this period for the teachers should notify the Hotel Lee.

The Colville Monument Works is erecting a factory and workshop on North Main Street, just north of the Colville Service Station.

The Colville High School football team defeated Chewelah on the Colville grounds, Armistice Day, by a score of 22-0.

Coming events: Nov. 19, anniversary of Lincoln’s Gettysburg’s Address.

75 Years Ago—    

Earle B. Gibbs, co-partner of the Bonanza Lead Mine, confirmed rumors Wednesday that he and his partner, Ira M. Hunley, had received an offer from the Anaconda Copper Mine (ACM). The amount will be over $2,000,000 and, along with the mine, the mill at Palmer’s Siding and the recently purchased, 400-acre Bronson ranch three miles north of Colville, is being considered by ACM.

Mrs. Pearl Wanamaker, state superintendent of schools, will officially dedicate the new Kettle Falls grade school at ceremonies at Kettle Falls, Dec. 15.

50 Years Ago—  

The David Thompson School was sold Tuesday night during the regular meeting of the Colville School board by a unanimous vote. A bid of $63,000 was accepted from the First Baptist Church in Colville, with $2,000 earnest money given to the district upon their acceptance, with another $7,000 paid at the time of closing.

“I can’t believe it,” said Mel Tonasket after tribal members of the National Congress of American Indians chose him by acclamation to serve his second term as their president.  Tonasket, a Colville Indian from eastern Washington, said the only thing he plans to do differently this two-year term is work to get a strong lobby for Indians in Washington, D.C.

25 Years Ago—

Colville mayor Bob Anderson and two city council members met on Nov. 2, with representatives of both the Colville Public Library and the Stevens County Rural Library District to discuss the possibility of a joint venture between the libraries.

The Northport Community Health Center hosted its grand opening in the new building last Friday, the culmination of years of effort.

The Colville Benchwarmers are hosting their annual Turkey Bingo again on Nov. 17, in the Colville High School cafeteria. The evening is comprised of “fun, food and turkeys, turkeys, turkeys,” said a spokesperson.

10 Years Ago—

The damage from the recent wildfires in northeast Washington has been dramatic and vast. This photo above, taken by Colville freelance photographer Joanie Christian, shows fire damage on Boulder Mountain. The Kettle Complex of fires burned more than 76,000 acres in the Kettle Crest region. The largest of that complex of fires was the Stickpin fire at more than 50,000 acres. Photo courtesy Stevens County Historical Society.