Tons of timber towed to Albeni Falls operation
(Photo courtesy PRIEST RIVER MUSEUM) The huge Diamond Match sawmill in Oldtown is pictured in 1958. Today, it is Tri-Pro Forest Products.
100 Years Ago — 1918
Landmark to go
At last the old Woodsman hall, one of the landmarks but of late rather an eyesore because of its state of demolition and conspicuous position on the hill, is being torn down.
90 Years Ago — 1928
Algeria interests Cultus Club
The Cultus Club met at the home of Mrs. Dalva, the topic being “Algeria, The Land of Enchantment.
80 Years ago — 1938
Remodeling nearly complete
Burgan’s store is nearing completion of their remodeling program, underway for two weeks. A Grand Opening will be held this week.
70 Years Ago — 1948
Business news
Jack and Betty Whelan of Coolin have sold the Hillcrest lodge on Priest Lake to Jim and Jean Staples of Manson, Wash.
Robert E. Dow has purchased Ricka McLean’s insurance and real estate business.
Seventy lots in Fairport, a new addition to the village, will soon be offered for sale. The addition, which is the former southeast triangular corner of the airport, will have lots facing on an extension of Fourth Street and the old cemetery road, and six new west and east streets are designated.
The sale is being made to raise money for the purchase of a 20-acre tract on the southwest corner of the airport.
60 Years Ago — 1958
Mighty tow moved
Nearly a million feet of timber was towed to the Albeni Falls operation of the Diamond Gardner Corporation. Kennedy Marina of Sandpoint had charge of moving the three-quarter-mile log tow down the Pend Oreille River from Lightning Creek on Lake Pend Oreille.
50 Years Ago — 1968
Priest River Business People
Byrd and Les Krizenesky are owners and operators of the Priest River IGA on Albeni Highway just west of the high school. When they purchased the business approximately eight years ago, it was in downtown Priest River on the corner of High and Main streets. Before that, Les was a building contractor and Byrd owned and operated Byrd’s Variety Store, now Simpson’s, on Main Street.
40 Years Ago — 1978
Homecoming candidates named
Candidates for Homecoming Court include: sophomores, Angela Altmaier, Jeanine Balison, Robin Bellah, Sheila Naccarato; juniors, Cindy Delay, Teri Brumley, Connie Balison, Connie Johnston; seniors, Brenda Wylie, Annette Turner. (Lori Naccarato, Tracee Anderson, and Jackie Phillips’ names were listed, but their classes were not noted.)
30 Years Ago — 1988
Nothing comparable exists
Barry Rosenberg, chairman of the Selkirk Priest Basin Association, said one of the most important issues in the Priest Lake Ranger District is whether the U.S. Forest Service should allow the proposed harvest of old growth timber in what is possibly the largest contiguous stand in the district. “We feel that it should be left alone as a legacy for the future,” Rosenberg said. “Nothing comparable exists in that part of the forest.”
20 Years Ago — 1998
Inn up and running
The Inn at Priest Lake is up officially opened for business Sept. 1. Owner Gary Saunders, along with his parents, Tobe and Sue, purchased the Inn at a Sheriff’s Auction on July 22. He and his family have been vacationing in the area since 1945.
10 Years Ago — 2008
Back on top
District 1 legislative trio Sen. Shawn Keough, Sandpoint, and Rep. Eric Anderson, Priest Lake, and Rep. George Eskridge, Dover, recorded 1,686,575 steps on Regence BlueShield Of Idaho pedometers over six weeks to win the crown of the insurance company’s “Move It” Legislative Walking Challenge, for the second time. They received $3,000 and split the funds among seven District 1 schools.