Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

October 27, 2010

Two months into the $2 million renovation project, the interior of the county courthouse has been pared down to studs and brick walls.

“Pictures of Garfield County Homesteads,” volumes I and II, published by Quest and Neil Keatts, are on display at Garfield County Museum. The photos, taken by the late Neil Keatts, are great for viewing and reference material, according to museum volunteer Muriel Bott.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

November 1, 1995

The Pomeroy boys’ cross country team, competing against nine Class A teams in the district, won the district championship in Royal and a berth in this week’s state meet in Pasco.

Pomeroy City Council has initiated the process to change the city’s classification from third class city to a Noncharter Code City, maintaining the current mayor-council form of government. This move would make the city’s “legal life simpler” with the biggest impact being the number of city council positions dropping from seven to five.

Fifty Years Ago

October 29, 1970

A car carrying six Pomeroy teen-agers went off the steep grade this side of Columbia Center last Wednesday evening. One passenger, Julie Ann McKeirnan, 14, was killed instantly when the driver lost control of the vehicle on a right-hand curve, went off the left side of the roadway and rolled three or four times before coming to rest on its wheels approximately 125 feet down the bank.

A large barn containing 60 tons of chopped hay was destroyed by fire last Friday at the Dick Tetrick farm on Marengo grade west of Pomeroy.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

November 1, 1945

Hundreds of hunters are expected to make their way into the Blue Mountains from various sections of the state to be on hand early Sunday morning when the official season on elk opens.

McMonigle Chevrolet Company of Lewiston stated the showing in Pomeroy of the new 1946 Chevrolet set for November 3rd had to be postponed to some future date due to labor strikes in the east that made delivery of enough cars to be shown at all places impossible. Residents of this area are invited to view the new car on display in Lewiston.

Leonard and Ferdinand Herres will stock a complete line of Firestone merchandise within the next 60 days. At present they will conduct business in the old laundry building on Second Street, later moving to a new location on Main Street upon completion of a modern store building now under construction. They will continue to operate the feed store as well and the new firm is to be known as Home and Farm Supply.

One Hundred Years Ago

October 30, 1920

Besides the beauty contest and several new novelties, the annual Stunt Show at the high school will contain such old favorites as the hot dog stand, cake raffle, kangaroo court, etc., and feature entertainment in the assembly hall.

The Pomeroy High School football team was defeated at the hands of the fast Waitsburg aggregation by the one-sided score of 63 to 0. It was the first game for the local boys, and, in the opinion of students who saw the game, they made a fairly creditable showing.

T.A. Turner, manager of the Grand theatre, announces a big free feed for his patrons on election night and a dance for all who wish to engage in the amusement. Election returns will be read as they are delivered from the Western Union wire. A comedy movie will follow each of the two featured shows.

Hallowe’en dances, basket socials, refreshments, games and stunts will be performed at the Marengo and Oliphant schoolhouses. Come and mask to join in the ghost dances.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

October 26, 1895

The dry weather all over the Pacific coast is something phenomenal. Nothing equal to it has been observed for many years. The weather prophets have no way of accounting for it. Possibly a dry fall may be followed by a heavy precipitation of moisture during the winter and spring. One thing is certain, there has got to be more moisture or less vegetation. The grass that started up finely after our last rains, has stopped growing and is beginning to burn brown. It is going to be shaky times for poor old cows and cayuses this winter. We can spare a few thousand cayuses, but we want all our cattle.

It is with feeling of deep regret that the Baptist church, and community at large, part with Rev. F.A. Houston, who has endeared himself to all. Rev. Houston recently spent three nights at the Mayview schoolhouse giving stereopticon views. At the close, Mr. H. stated that he would likely never again appear before a Mayview audience and with a few kindly remarks bid us all goodbye.

The origin of the fire that destroyed Dr. Denison’s dwelling house, drugstore and barn in Pataha City is unknown. It started in the barn and in less than one hour the three buildings were in ashes. There was no insurance and the loss falls heavily upon the doctor, as only a small amount of his stock of drugs was saved. Pataha has no fire protection at present and it was only by dint of hard work that further damage was prevented. Some of the fire men of the city assisted in checking the spread of the flames.