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64 YEARS AGO • AUGUST 11, 1960

SANDERS COUNTY FARM STATISTICS

Sanders County now has 493 farms compared to 591 five years ago according to the 1959 census of agriculture statistics released yesterday by the Bureau of the Census. The average size farm in the county is 830.1 acres and the average value of farms, including land and buildings, is $32,133.

The number of acres of farmland dropped from 495,740 in 1954 to 409,219. Of the county’s farm operators, 262 own their farms, 187 own part of the land and rented additional acreage, and 40 are tenant farmers.

The average age of farm operators in the county is 50.6 years and there are 95 operators 65 years or older.

Of the 493 farms in the county, 267 are classed as commercial farms.

The number of cattle being raised on Sanders County farms last fall was virtually the same as in 1954 - 25,786 compared to 25,779 five years ago.

According to the 2022 Census of agriculture, these are the statistics for Sanders County:

Cattle sales, $8,391,000; hogs and pigs $34,000; poultry and eggs, $126,000.

Livestock inventory as of December 31, 2022: meat chickens 607, layers 6,028, cattle and calves 12,048, goats 503, sheep 227, hogs/pigs 33.

Farm owners ages: less than 35 years of age: 41, 35-64 years old: 297, 65 and older: 420. New and beginning farmers 127.

Crops in acres: Forage (hay) 20,050, grains 230, Christmas trees 98.

Farm sizes: 1-9 acres 29, 10-49 acres 112, 50-179 acres 112, 180-499 acres 100, 500 to 999 acres 25, 1,000 + acres 43.

POLSON COUPLE TO ERECT CAFE

Plans to construct a modern restaurant with banquet room facilities near the north approach to the new Thompson Falls Highway 10A (now Highway 200) bridge were announced yesterday by Mr. and Mrs. Howard Gamett of Polson The establishment will be known as “The Rim Rocks.”

The eating establishment will be constructed on land purchased from M.C. Sutherland, and formerly owned by Wally Britton, just upstream from the north end of the new bridge. (The highway bridge by The Rimrock was built in the mid 1950s. Previous to that bridge being built, Highway 10A went west by way of Birdland Bay and the Clark Fork River was crossed on the single lane bridge by Birdland Bay.)

John N. Williams will be the general contractor and construction is to start Monday morning. Plumbing and heating will be handled by William Elmquist of Noxon and Ollie Stover of Noxon has the electrical work. The Turk Cabinet Shop has been awarded the project of developing a spring downstream from the bridge, installing a jet pump, pressure tank and well house. The water will be piped approximately 1200 feet along the edge of the Clark Fork River. The spring to be developed flows under the N.P. railroad tracks and Highway 10A at the dip just west of the new bridge.

40 YEARS AGO • SEPTEMBER 13, 1984

HISTORIAN HIRED TO RESEARCH STRUCTURES

Beginning Monday and running for two months, buildings in and around Thompson Falls will be under the watchful, scrutinizing eye of John Lazuk, a University of Montana history graduate and lecturer. Lazuk is under contract to the State of Montana Historical Society and the Town of Thompson Falls to conduct an historical and archeological survey of buildings in and around the area for possible inclusion on the National Register of Historical Places and for general historical significance.

Lazuk’s survey is part of the state’s effort to document buildings of significance around the state. His goal is to survey at least 120 structures in the area of historical significance. He will be seeking out buildings of peculiar design, buildings with occupancy histories involving local leaders, and buildings with significant ownership histories. He will be seeking input from residents in the area to help on his project.

Lazuk’s research can be found at the Old Jail Museum.