Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

March, 2011

Pomeroy’s Little Guy Wrestling tournament packed the high school gym with 319 wrestlers competing from 11 different cities in the area.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

March 27, 1996

A complaint for damages has been filed in Garfield County Superior Court against the City of Pomeroy, alleging the city’s refusal to hire an applicant for the public works director position in January 1995 was because of “handicap discrimination” and in violation of the State of Washington Human Rights Statute.

Debbie and Kenny Ledgerwood, owners of the Pioneer Motel in Pomeroy, said their decision to open the Pioneer Eatery & Restaurant at the corner of Main and 18th streets was based on their guests’ needs.

Fifty Years Ago

March 25, 1971

The Pomeroy Pickers–Gilbert Dickson, Jack Hand, Craig Moore and Edgar Fanning–were named Garfield County “Citizens of the Year”, expressing their surprise when last year’s winner, Verle Johnson, made the announcement only minutes after they had presented a short entertainment program at the Kiwanis Club Citizen of the Year Banquet.

Thirty-five racers and over 300 spectators turned out for the Jaycees’ first attempt at running a snowmobile race at Rose Springs in Umatilla National Forest. Entries included modified snowmobiles from Pierce, Weippe, Grangeville, Genesee, Lewiston, Dayton, Walla Walla, Lacrosse, Prescott, and LaGrande.

Work force at Lower Granite Dam construction site is now slightly over 500, though the crew varies from day to day and about 520 men are working presently on three shifts.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

March 21, 1946

Everett Knettle, while rounding up cattle on his farm, rescued his cattle dog from a wounded coyote that had previously been shot by someone, after the two animals became engaged in a fierce fight, by lassoing the coyote from the horse he was riding and dragging him off of his dog. Knettle was then in a “hot spot”—what to do with the coyote. The captured animal viciously attacked the horse, biting him on the leg. Knettle proceeded to drag the coyote to his home where, with the assistance of his wife they destroyed him. Now the question is who is entitled to the bounty, Mr. or Mrs. Knettle?

The junior class play, “Our Town,” will be presented Friday in the high school auditorium.

Eight basketball teams have been organized in the junior and senior high schools, to be known as the Toads, Worms, Snails, Frogs, Slugs, Skunks, Eels and Snakes, who will play a series of 14 double-header games under the banner of the Nasty Basketball league.

One Hundred Years Ago

March 26, 1921

Pomeroy citizens, under the direction of the Commercial Club, are planning to duplicate their road-building performance of two weeks ago. This time the field of operation is to be the Blind Grade. Work to be done will consist of filling washouts on the grade, and widening the road at different points. People living on the Tucannon have agreed to gravel the grade near the foot at another time if they secure the help of Pomeroy people for the other work. Experienced powder men will be provided by Tucannon residents. There is also an interesting promise of a “dinner brigade” which will have ample provision made for all hungry workers at mealtime or “in-between.”

Storm damage on the Tucannon is considerable, with soil washed from fields, wide channels cut and one bridge taken out by the highest water ever known. Fortunately for Garfield County, the storm had spent its fury before it reached the Pataha watershed.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

March 21, 1896

The cry of “clean up the alleys” is now abroad in the land, and no citizen should neglect to give prompt heed to it. All precautionary means should be used for the protection of the health of our people.

Jos. Clary has been at work the past week putting a new roof on the Pomeroy Flour Mill.

Bloomers, bicycles, balloon sleeves, and the new woman will be epidemic this summer. The old man can stay home and tend baby, while the new woman is out airing her pants.

Our farmers think that enough moisture has fallen to insure good crops if the season is favorable. No amount of rain or snow will prevent the effects of the hot winds that occasionally visit this country.

Marshal Sherrill has made a very successful raid on swine during the week, having impounded some ten or twelve head up to last report. People who want to feed hogs at a profit in this burg, better keep them on their own premises.

Sneak thieves continue to get in their work about the city and county.

P.C. Nicholson sold 10 head of fat hogs last week, averaging 210 lbs. each, at 3 c. per lbs.

Mr. W.W. Rigsby sold 50 boxes of apples last week at 2 cents per lb.

From two fawns which came into the possession of C.M. Ish some years ago, he now has seven grown deer, besides having occasionally some venison on his table. Mr. Ish expects several fawns from his little herd this spring.