Remember When?

40 YEARS AGO • NOVEMBER 1, 1984

PIONEERS’ FEUD SPARKED THOMPSON FALLS RIVALRY

The old jail which now houses the Sanders County Museum appears to be the top candidate for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Sites and Buildings, John Lazuk, who currently is conducting a historical survey of Thompson Falls, told the Lions club Wednesday night at the Rimrock Cafe.

Lazuk said he is identifying and studying approximately 120 buildings, bridges and other structures for possible inclusion on the national register. He said he expects to pare the list to about 20 before submitting it to the state. There it will be further evaluated before recommendations are made to federal officials.

Any structure included on the national register becomes eligible for certain tax benefits and federal grants of up to 25 per cent of the cost of restoration or remodeling work.

Lazuk, a graduate of the University of Montana, said his survey is financed by a federal grant as part of a growing realization of society that some of the nation’s culture should be preserved.

Alluding to the history of Thompson Falls, Lazuk said the town was created by two events – the coming of the railroad in 1883 and gold discovery in the Coeur d’Alenes.

At one time, the Thompson Falls area was home to a large population of persons. He noted that the tent village of Shannonville, located where the Thompson Falls Golf Course is today, probably had about 1,000 people living in tents and small dug-out shelters. Belknap boasted up to 2,000 people in addition to the town of Thompson Falls itself. Another settlement was Woodlin east of town.

With the completion of the railroad and the demise of the gold fields, the population dwindled. A fire destroyed Belknap.

Lazuk labeled the period from 1900 to 1920 as a time of major development for Thompson Falls. Some of the town’s oldest buildings on Main St. were erected during the period – the IOOF Hall in 1901 was followed by the Weber store building, which now houses the laundromat. Later in the teens of this century, the Thompson Falls dam was constructed and also the jail.

Lazuk credited Edward Donlan as being a major driving force behind the town of Thompson Falls. Although Donlan never resided permanently in Thompson Falls he was a driving force in formation of the Thompson Falls Power Co. and construction of the local hydroelectric project in 1916. Later the utility and dam were acquired by the Montana Power Co.

Donlan also started a sawmill here and endeavored to make Thompson Falls the logging capital of America. He encouraged Swedish immigrants to settle east of Thompson Falls on the flat. However, the settlement failed because the gravel based soil was too porous to hold water from a Thompson River irrigation system. Much of this land now comprises Murray Ranch owned by Calvin Wilson. (This is the area east of Salish Shore Drive to the Grocery Surplus Store.)

Donlan built the Ward Hotel (named for his son Edward), now the Black Bear. Donlan also donated land for the first church in Thompson Falls.

Donlan in effect, observed Lazuk, served Thompson Falls as a booster and promoter much like Col. J.A. McGowan did for Plains. In fact the two had a personal feud that culminated with the fight over which was to be designated as the county seat when Sanders County was formed from a portion of Missoula County in 1906. The hotly contested issue resulted in Thompson Falls winning.

Other prominent early citizens who played a major role in the development of Thompson Falls over the years included attorney A.S. Ainsworth, former mayor and school trustee for whom Ainsworth Field was named; D.V. Herriott, first school master in the town; Dr. Edward Peek, who established a hospital in the large home near the Lions Lodge and operated a drug store here; Charlie Weber, who operated a grocery store, and W.A. Barto, founder of the First State Bank of Montana.

Lazuk says he thinks it is good that more people are becoming concerned about the history and heritage and working to preserve it. “That is one goal of the federal government historic preservation act, to try to develop an increasing interest in local history.”

Lazuk has interviewed several long-time citizens of Thompson Falls and expects to be in the area a couple more weeks before completing his survey.