Remember When?

105 YEARS AGO • MAY 8, 1919

IMPROVING LARGE RANCH

The Clarks Fork Land and Cattle Co., of which H.A. White is manager, is preparing to do considerable development work on their large tract of land east of town on Woodlin flat.

Mr. White has opened up a camp and has two tractor plowing outfits in operation at this time, a number of teams, and expects to have another tractor working by the end of the week, and seed at least 100 acres to alfalfa during the summer.

It is the intention of the company to stock their ranch, which comprises some 5,000 acres, with cattle.

They are also making extensive repairs on their ditches and flumes and are improving the ranch in many other respects.

There are twenty-five men now employed in this work and the ranch certainly has the appearance of a busy place. Of the five thousand acres in this ranch, between three and four thousand are on the flat and the soil is as good as can be found in any place. It will certainly be a fine sight when the company has it in alfalfa.

Note: This acreage is located where the Elks Lodge and other businesses along with homesites are located east of Woodlin Lane. It was formerly known as the Murray Ranch and the Calvin Wilson Ranch.

80 YEARS AGO • MAY 3, 1944

MOISTURE SCARCE

Moisture is very deficient this year. All the high country moisture readings show a deficiency this year, including Lolo Pass, Elk Summit, Hoodoo Meadows and Freezeout. Some of the readings are 50% deficient over normal years. High water in the big river is unlikely. If we have a dry hot summer this indicates that we will face a very precarious fire season considering the manpower drain to the armed forces.

30 YEARS AGO • MAY 12, 1994

FALLS RESIDENT REACHES 100TH BIRTHDAY

Frances Crabtree of Thompson Falls celebrated a century of living with a host of family members and friends.

After 100 years of living, including years of hard work on the family homestead as the oldest of 17 children, working as a telephone operator, raising a family and being a widow for 22 years, Frances is still active. Her church, Our Savior’s Lutheran, of which she is a charter member, remains a big part of her life. She attends Sunday services often. Over the years, this Montana pioneer has made many quilts for Lutheran World Relief, on her own and with other women of the church.

Frances was born May 6, 1894, at Lisbon N.D. She moved with her family at age 12 to Montana, where her parents homesteaded north of Shelby.

Frances and Art Crabtree were married at Shelby in 1914. Later, along with their two children, two teams of horses and two saddle horses, they moved by covered wagon to Sandpoint, Idaho. They moved to the Blue Slide area northwest of Thompson Falls in 1941. Art became well known throughout the state as a cattle buyer and was involved in real estate in this area. He died in 1972 after a lengthy struggle with heart problems.

Frances continues to live in her own home in east Thompson Falls with assistance. She attributes her longevity to a wholesome, active lifestyle and a strong, caring family.

Prospect Creek area names:

Foster Gulch was named after George Foster who lived in a house at the mouth of the gulch. Charlie Frint lived in the same vicinity. Shorty Gulch was named after Shorty “the Jigger,” a name given him as he was such a good jigger. His home was across the present road from the gulch. Evans Gulch was for Major Evans and Therriault after “Meatball” Therriault. His cabins were also across the present road. His nickname came from old timers who said “If we can’t get meat anywhere else we’ll go to Therriault Gulch; there’s always deer there.” This saying still holds. It is so rugged to hunt and difficult to pack meat out, we only go there when time is running out. Monroe Gulch came by its name from the Monroe brothers who had a mine in Evans Gulch, and Gilbert from Fred Gilbert. Other people from the area were the Morkerts, Charlie Fox, and Charlie Nelson, who worked for the Forest Service. Dolph Hoyt owned a large sawmill across the bridge that goes into the Miller residence. When they blasted the big rock at Coyote Gulch to put the road through, they set up a toll gate.