Bonner County History - Dec. 26, 2021
From the archives of the
Bonner County History Museum
611 S. Ella Ave., Sandpoint, Idaho, 83864
208-263-2344
50 Years Ago
Sandpoint News-Bulletin
Dec. 26, 1971 — The phone number of the FFA’s Santa Claus hotline had to be changed after a man with a similar number began receiving 30 to 40 calls a day asking for Santa.
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TELEPHONE EMPLOYEE RETIRES
General Telephone staff gathered at the Elks Club dining room Dec. 17 to honor Mrs. Les (Edith) Gissel who ended her career as a service advisor. Mrs. Gissel has been with the Sandpoint GTE office over 23 years, but had an even longer telephone career, which began when she started working for Montana State Telephone and Telegraph at Payette, Idaho in 1928, working there until 1934. She also worked a few months in 1942 at Weiser. With her on Friday were her husband, and their two sons, Con and Norman Gissel.
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STEVE REMMERS ON GUAM
Steve Remmers, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Remmers, spent Christmas on Guam where he is assigned to the U.S.S. Hunley, a submarine tender.
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CHRISTMAS AT HOME; VIETNAM NEXT
Capt. Leslie Gropp is returning to duty in Vietnam following Christmas, so this holiday is a special time for his family. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Gropp of Kootenai. Mrs. (Sherry) Gropp’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. Bill Remmers of Sandpoint. Capt. and Mrs. Gropp have three small sons who are eagerly awaiting Christmas Day. They live at 501 Euclid Ave.
100 Years Ago
Pend d’Oreille Review
Dec. 26, 1921 – WATERS RECEDE
Compton White, in the city Tuesday from his home at Clarksfork, said the cold wave had frozen up the flood at Clarksfork and the waters had receded. Mr. White’s seven acres at the east end of town was covered over with rock and sand by the breaking away of Lightning creek. The freshet was the worst experienced at Clarksfork since 1896 when the rampaging Lightning creek took out all the Northern Pacific roadbed from the depot to the section house.”
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GIRLS’ CLUB HAS PARTY
The Presbyterian church Business Girls’ club held a Christmas party Monday. The event was in the nature of a “kids’ frolic” and juvenile costumes and Christmas games were the order of the evening. A Christmas tree and decorations added to the sprightliness of the occasion. One feature was a “fish pond” from which each girl drew a Christmas remembrance, while Dr. Ethel Page-Westwood, who proposed the club and aided in its organization, was presented with a fern. A delightful lunch of nut sandwiches, cake, jello salad with whipped cream, and hot chocolate was served.
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CITY BREVITIES
Court was adjourned last Tuesday until Wednesday morning by District Judge McNaughton. The wind and intense cold, aided by the failing of the smokestack at the courthouse boiler room and the attendant loss of warmth in the building, brought about the adjournment, though the case was expected to conclude this week.
For more information, visit the museum online at bonnercountyhistory.org.