Good old days

125 years ago

April 20, 1888

There are 24 post offices scattered throughout the county, providing ample mail facilities for the present population.

Six flouring mills are located in the county, at Colfax, Elberton, Farmington, Pine City, Colton and Palouse City.

There are six large saw mills in Whitman County, located on the banks of the North Palouse River, two at Colfax, three at Palouse City and one near Elberton.

Whitman County has 107 school districts and 100 school houses, 12 of which were built and furnished last year at a cost of $28,000. Number of pupils, 4,729.

For a new county this has made rapid advancement in the way of schools and churches. Of the latter, outside of the towns, many are to be found among the more thickly settled farm communities.

There were never better openings in any country than in this country for creameries, cheese factories, pork packing establishments, beet sugar factories, woolen mills, lin seed oil mills and many other industries for which a large agricultural section of the productiveness and fertility as the Palouse country are peculiarly adapted.

Colfax, the county seat of Whitman County and metropolis of the Palouse country, contains 2,000 inhabitants and the value of city property is $1,750,000. It has two public schools, one college and five churches. There are three banks in town, two national and one private, four large general merchandise stores carrying each a stock of $25,000 to $50,000, and 25 to 30 stores of special character. It has an agricultural implement factory, saw mills, roller four mill, sash and door factory and a few small industries.

100 years ago

April 18, 1913

When Chairman Plummer announced last Friday night at the debate between Colfax and Spokane that “Colfax wins by a unanimous vote,” every spectator in the auditorium which was crowded to capacity rose to their feet with a deafening yell, swarmed over the platform and overwhelmed the victorious team and coach with congratulations.

At a special meeting of the board of directors of the Colfax Milling Co., J.L. Neil was elected a member of the board and was selected as manager of the company to succeed H.L. Plummer.

The Colfax band will give the first street concert of the season tonight.

George Munson, living three miles east of town, suffered quite an accident Sunday when riding along the rough roads of the Palouse. The buggy seat worked loose and slid off the bed, throwing him headlong from the buggy. His mother was with him but fortunately escaped serious injury. Mr. Munson immediately ordered a guaranteed rig from Harvey and Regan and now feels safe.

First baseball of the season was played last Sunday between the LaCrosse team and a local team picked up for this occasion, several of whom will be in the regular team. Chas. R. Larue was umpire and the score was 14 to 12 in favor of Colfax. The attendance was fair.

75 years ago

April 15, 1938

Dorothy Elliott, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Elliott, Colfax High School senior, was elected apple blossom princess to represent Colfax at the Wenatchee apple blossom festival April 30.

Revival of the Kamiak State Park project was undertaken at the chamber of commerce luncheon when Carl Izett announced that Pullman and Palouse had suggested that Colfax contribute $100 toward the purchase of 40 acres of land at the top of the butte from the Driscoll estate which is on the market for $325. Pullman and Palouse would give the remaining $225.

For the purpose of sponsoring the annual fall rodeo, the Colfax Round Up Association was organized at a meeting, with L.L. Burgunder at the helm.

Five teams of Colfax softball enthusiasts have been turning out the past three weeks to get in shape before the season opening scheduled for May 2, according to Edward Jones, league secretary. The season will probably continue for 10 weeks.

50 years ago

April 18, 1963

Over 500 new books for elementary grade school pupils are on display at the Colfax elementary school library as the second part of an annual display put on in schools throughout the country by the book publishers, librarian Sophia Delegans said this week.

Approximately $37,000 has been earmarked for improvement of the road to the top of Steptoe Butte early next fall, “before the snow flies,” state Rep. Robert Goldsworthy said.

Stanley Dunbar of the Colfax street department inhales the delicate aroma of spring from a basket of flowers just before he hangs it on the bracket extending from a street light standard.

Elmon S. Ousley, Bellevue High School teacher and son of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Ousley of Colfax, has been named national “Teacher of the Year.” The Colfax High School graduate was selected last fall as “Washington State Teacher of the Year” by the United States Department of Education and entered in the national contest. Mr. and Mrs. Ousley left their Bellevue home for Washington, D.C., where they will meet President Kennedy at 9 a.m. Monday and be photographed with him.

25 years ago

April 21, 1988

Lewis Gaiser found a couple of willing junior teamsters when students from Endicott, St. John and Benge traveled a section of the historic Mullan Trail north of Benge. Jared Wolfe and Joshua Larsen, Endicott kindergarten pupils, took turns handling the team as the wagon rolled down a segment of the 129-year-old trail.

Florence Fox retired March 31 after running a small grocery store in the Endicott Truck and Implement building the past 14 years.

Mike Longmire of Colfax placed third in single axle truck driving competition at the second annual Truck and Loader competition for county road employees April 12 at Yakima. The rodeo was at the Yakima fairgrounds. Others participating on the Whitman County team were Terry Leinweber and Bill Stevik.

10 years ago

April 17, 2003

Central Ferry, Chief Timothy and Lions Ferry parks on the Snake River, dropped last fall by the state’s park department, will be open for recreation this year under a new lease to a private company. The parks were returned to the Corps due to budget cutbacks last year.

A Colfax fire crew was called to Washington Mutual Bank Friday morning to free two employees who had locked themselves in an outer vault area. The fire crew was summoned after a city water meter reader noted the employees were waving a sign from behind the locked gated area.