Remember When?

80 YEARS AGO • JANUARY 17, 1995

WINTER SPORTS

Outdoor sports are being enthusiastically enjoyed this year by the grownups as well as the children.The coasting street on the hill designated for that special purpose by the town council is most ideal for coasting and even ‘pa and ma’ take to the sled at times. The street is blocked off to prevent its use by cars and giving the sliders a clear track. Note: Park Street on the west end of town was the designated coasting hill.

Downtown the community skating rink is a huge success. Every night and every weekend large crowds take to the ice. The rink is just across from Weber’s General Store (now the laundromat).

Local businessmen have sponsored this community rink and worked in the freezing weather to prepare a smooth rink. Orie and Perry Heater, Earl Davis, Ben Saint and Henry Larson are the ones who, so far, have put in time and money flooding the pond when freezing weather came, aided by town equipment, hoses and the services of town marshall Irvin Luke.

The power company has put up big floodlights to supply light for anyone who wishes to skate after dark. This was a donation on the part of the Power Company.

30 YEARS AGO JANUARY 5, 1995

NEW RESIDENTS HAVE POSITIVE BUSINESS IMPACT

Hundreds of new residents have moved to Sanders County in the past few years and their presence is being felt by the businesses and agencies serving local communities. How much of an impact and what short-term and long-term effects are beginning to be seen.

In Thompson Falls, Mayor Larry Ward says the city has noticed a dramatic change in the last two years. “New houses are being built by newcomers,” he says. “There is an increased amount of traffic and businesses are enlarging, building new quarters, and moving from one location to another. There is rarely an empty office space in town for long.”

Ward points to the Town Pump where they tore down the existing structure and constructed new facilities for their gas station and fast-food business. Now they are expanding again. That juggled two other businesses, Krazy Ernie’s and Burger Express looking for new locations. The Burger Express moved to a vacant lot beside the Job Service (now Little Bitterroot Thrift Store) and expanded their seating space. These moves to the east end of town may stimulate business in adjacent areas.

Note: The vacant lot referred to once housed the Thompson Falls Mercantile Company which then became Larsons and Greens, a combination grocery store, dry goods and hardware store. The store burned to the ground in February of 1968. The brick wall beside Little Bitterroot is all that remains of that building that filled half a city block. In the alley one can see the remains of barred basement windows. While fighting the fire the firemen were exposed to a potential hazard when paint cans and ammunition shells started exploding due to the intense heat.

Ward speaks about the upgrading of facilities within the community, pointing to the new bank building and its expansion to upper floors as well as the use of the old bank building, first by Dave Bennett Realty and then after he constructed a new facility and moved out, that space was quickly filled. Note: The old First State Bank Building now houses Big Bull Sports.

“We’re a vital, living, growing community even though the area may be depressed economically in some ways,” Ward says. “Lifestyles have changed since the 1970s and our area reflects those changes. Where one member of the family used to be the breadwinner, now both partners in a marriage are working. In some cases, it is because children are grown and the wife wants to do something different, but in most cases, it’s because the wages are lower, the cost of living is higher, and it is a necessity.”

Increased population does increase the need for services and with that, money to provide those services. Although many of the newcomers are retired, those who come in search of employment or who are self-employed have children, driving up the size of classes in the schools. “We need additional classroom space,” he says. “With growth, there are demands and adjustments to make.”