Sanders County Ledger - Your Best Source For Sanders County News

40 YEARS AGO • JUNE 24, 1982

CHANGES BRING DECLINE

TO HERON

By Jan Fraser

Continued from last week…

Barbara Fillerup Smith and Georgia Dettwiler Montague both remembered crossing the river on the ferries or highline platform. Georgia recalled that her family had a piano brought across the river on that platform.

For some, the river proved to be a tragic place. Terry Duffy almost lost his life while crossing with a team of horses on the ferry. The horses became nervous and went off the end of the ferry, almost dragging Terry with them. At that time the river was extremely swift and rough.

Ferries ran across the river at Smead’s, or Clark Fork, with smaller ones operating at Cabinet and near Harkers. A foot bridge was also strung across the river.

Indians traveled through the area on their trips from Walla Walla to Plains but never settled because of the food supply. The Indian’s Camas roots couldn’t be found.

The one personality mentioned most was Emil Dettwiler. Adolph Ovnicek recalled the time he and his brothers purchased a sawmill, which the former owner completely disassembled. After the Ovnicek boys pieced together the contents of the boxes and buckets, the mill operated a short while before quitting. A call for help was answered by sawmill expert Emil Dettwiler. As he slowly checked the mill over, the Ovnicek boys tried to speed him up. His reply, “Boys, we must make haste slowly.” Sound advice for all of us!

In 1940, Heron began to grow again. The mills started up; equipment was brought in to move the timber to the mills. Men went to work in the woods and also began farming more.

In the 1950s, Cabinet Gorge Dam was built. Permission had to be acquired from the Montana government for water to be backed into the state from Idaho, recalled Glenn Larson.

Heron is no longer the big railroad town. The depot and round house are gone, one of the fanciest hotels between St. Paul and Seattle on the rail line has disappeared. The trains, which would stop anywhere along the tracks for a passenger, no longer carry passengers through Heron. Instead, Heron today has a saloon, general store, a four-room school and two churches.

105 YEARS AGO • JULY 19, 1917

PLAINS HOUSE PINCHED

Disorderly House Closed by Sheriff

Inmates Plead Not Guilty

Three of the “rooming houses” on the Plains back street were raided Sunday by Sheriff Hartman and the inmates given 24 hours in which to leave town. The next day three women were arrested and brought before Justice Nippert. They pleaded not guilty to a charge of running a house of ill fame and the date of their trial was fixed as July 26. They were released on bail.

FISH FRY SUNDAY

Odd Fellows and Rebekahs Plan Picnic at Wilkes Creek Sunday

The Odd Fellows and Rebekahs and their families are going to catch all the fish in Prospect Creek Sunday and eat them as fast as they are yanked out of the stream and fried.

All members of the two lodges will meet at the hall Sunday morning at 9 o’clock. Those who have cars are requested to bring them; for those who travel afoot, autos will be provided at a minimum charge. The men are to bring their fishing tackle and the ladies a few delicacies to supplement the fish. Wilkes Creek bridge is the site selected for the picnic.

90 YEARS AGO • JULY 13, 1932

This week marks the passing of the Thompson Falls Mercantile Store. During the past week the merchandise has been selling at half price to clean the shelves of as much merchandise as possible. What remains will be shipped to the ACM Store at Bonner. The store was founded in 1904 and continued until now. Founders were Theodore Bedard, Edward Donlan and J. Iseman. They relinquished control in 1923 when the ACM became the owners.

This store was located where the European Connection on Main Street is. It later became Larsons & Greens and burned down in 1968.Remember When?