100 YEARS AGO

August. 28, 1902

Dr. E.S. Bugbee, a mining expert of Tracey, Minn., returned on Wednesday from an inspection of the copper ledges in the Imnaha mining district. He was very favorably impressed and states that the assays indicate the ledges will outrival the famous Cripple Creek mines.

E.H. Gould, the stockman and politician of Elk Mountain, was in the city from Saturday until Monday. He prepared himself for the small pox by being vaccinated.

Jas. Day has begun his annual delivery of wood to the citizens of Enterprise and is using two four horse teams. Jim always gives good wood and measure.

FRUITA – Thos. Morgan, one of the most active and prosperous stockman of the county, sold 600 head of wethers to outside parties for $2.75 per cwt.

70 YEARS AGO

Sept. 1, 1932

With a rifle pointed at him, Sheriff A.B. Miller drank a glass of beer Saturday at the home of D.H. Dirks in Wallowa. Dirks is now in the county jail charged with possession of liquor, with assault upon his wife and with assault with a deadly weapon upon an officer.

“Say it with whiskers.” That is the motto to advertise the coming Wallowa County fair, adopted by the men of the county. Every man has been asked to grow a crop of whiskers in honor of the fair.

County fair dates are Oct. 6, 7 and 8. … Buckaroo contests will be mixed in and it is believed the program will be as good as ever seen on the grounds.

JOSEPH – At this time of year the huckleberry season is usually over, but this year has proved an exception. People are coming in with gallons of fine huckleberries. One party who came in Monday reported that it snowed at Lick Creek that morning.

50 YEARS AGO

August 28, 1952

The Wallowa County Stockgrowers re-elected Joe McClaran to the presidency for another year at their annual meeting Saturday. Bob Tippett was elected vice president to replace Oscar Maxwell and Garnett Best was re-elected secretary-treasurer.

Interested members of the Wallowa County Health and Tuberculosis Association met in the office of Miss Gertrude M. Finnemore with state officials connected with a tuberculosis survey concerning the chest X-ray mobile unit that will be in Wallowa County from Oct. 1 to 10.

Three to four hundred boys and girls from all over the county will be competing for top honors at the Wallowa County fair today, Friday and Saturday.

Max Sprague, Joseph postmaster, has resigned his office effective upon the appointment of his successor. He plans to go to California.

25 YEARS AGO

Sept. 1, 1977

A cold front depositing more than an ounce of precipitation in the past week has prompted predictions about the local water supply and its impact on Wallowa County during the upcoming year. … The OSU Extension Service has predicted that a drought like the one experienced in the Northwest this year has a 100 to 0 chance of reoccurring again next year.

Leon Mawhin, who lives south of Enterprise, has reported the loss of a three year old bull, which was struck by lightning last week.

Members of the First Baptist Church of Enterprise held a ground breaking ceremony to celebrate the upcoming construction of a new church building atop a hill east of Enterprise.

Some of the very top echelon of the VFW leadership will be in Enterprise this weekend to participate in the dedication of the new VFW hall just completed.

10 YEARS AGO

Aug. 27, 1992

An August snow storm over the weekend helped to put a damper on several forest fires which broke out in Wallowa County following a dry lightning storm. Over 300 fire fighters were summoned Thursday to attack 17 fires, including one that blackened about 50 acres on Mt. Howard.

Jerry’s Main St. Market in Joseph will open for business at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, after being closed due to fire damage since March 21.

There were exactly 4,000 persons employed in Wallowa County during the month of July, bringing the employment rate down to 5.9 percent. The total labor force was 4,250.

Two of Wallowa County’s leading ranching families were honored by the county Stockgrowers during its annual dinner Saturday, Aug. 15. Mack and Marion Birkmaier were recipients of the Cattleman of the Year award and the Yost Ranch received the Grassman of the Year trophy.