Remember When?

40 YEARS AGO • JANUARY 12, 1994

HERON POST OFFICE MARKS 100th ANNIVERSARY

January 7 marked the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Post Office in Heron.

Eight postmasters and postmistresses have served behind the counter in the Heron post office. The first was William J. Quirk, appointed January 7, 1884. He distributed the mail until the post office was discontinued November 6, 1888. Mail was then picked up at Clark Fork. On July 30, 1891, Ed Clark became Heron’s second postmaster.

May 22, 1895, well-known businessman Henry Schwindt became the postmaster. This job was to remain in the pioneer’s family until 1958. His son, Adolph F. Schwindt was appointed to the job August 11, 1914, his son-in-law, Martin H. Larson, February 13, 1920, his daughter, Carolyn Larson, became the first postmistress July 19, 1942, and finally, Henry’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Weber, was appointed to the position July 31, 1957. She held the position until September 1958, when Elmer Runkle assumed control. Elmer retired in the fall of 1981 and Marna Brooking was appointed to fill the job

Not much is known of the post office’s early days in Heron, but thanks to notes left by Carolyn Schwindt, some details were available after her family began operating the post office. When Henry Schwindt became postmaster, the office was located in his store, the Heron Mercantile Co. Mail was delivered by Northern Pacific train. A mail crane hung alongside the railroad tracks. Bags of outgoing mail were hung here, to be caught on a hook extended from the train. Many times the hook failed to grab the bag, and scattered mail along the right-of-way. Incoming mail sacks were dropped off the train onto the ground, to be picked up by anyone in the vicinity.

The Heron Merc and Post Office survived the devastating fire of 1921 which wiped out most of Heron. Sparks from a sawdust pile at a mill near town burned everything in its path, up to the Heron Merc. A barrel of gas next to the building became too hot to move, but didn’t burn. One fellow stated the store, with its two rooms of Lombardy poplars, was built in the “dark of the moon,” a sign ensuring good fortune. The store was later destroyed in 1953. The first store was located just east of the present day store, approximately where Mrs. Minnie Sellmer now lives

The post office was then moved into another building, located just west of today’s office. Mrs. Carolyn Schwindt was the postmistress at this time, and eventually began another store along with the post office.

The present building was erected in 1958, when Elmer Runkle was appointed postmaster.

Although Heron has drastically changed in the 100 years since that first post office (the population then was greater than that of Spokane), the same friendly service is still available. The post office remains a place where one can meet and visit with neighbors or meet with some of the newcomers to town.

30 YEARS AGO • JANUARY 27, 1994

HERON UNITES TO SAVE SCHOOL FOR COMMUNITY

After being informed that the Heron School would no longer be operated as a school, the five-member school board has been divided about the dispersal of this property since selling abandoned school property became legally possible. Three of the board members would vote for selling at a fair market price. A compromise, proposed by Noxon resident Mary Olson during the December 14 school board meeting, would give Heron the parcel on which the gym and library are located. School district #10 would sell the 4.1 acre parcel, on which the elementary school sits, at market value.

Thirty-six residents of Heron, who filled the chairs and crowded the aisles of the Noxon School library shook their heads. Pat Rocco, chairperson of the Heron Community Center, responded. “We have a plan to use the school building and playing fields that will benefit Noxon as well as Heron. These people who are here tonight, those who have written to you, believe that this land, legally deeded to Heron, and these buildings, paid for by Heron taxpayers, rightly belong to Heron.”

David Dettwiler and Nick Marich, Heron elementary trustees, voted to adopt the resolution selling the property to the Heron Community Center for a nominal fee.

After the proposal was passed, it was announced that accepting the contract would be voted upon during the February school board meeting. The school lawyer was directed to draw up the necessary legal sale contract, including the covenant that property would return to School District #10 if not maintained and used for the stated purposes.