90 YEARS AGO

Dec. 15, 1921

The mildness of the weather for the past week, with one day like June (Dec. 12 with a high of 62), brought to mind the contrast with two years ago (Dec. 13 with a high of -5 and a low of -40).

The decline in population of the county, as indicated for several years in the school census seems to have been halted. The 1921 census recently completed, shows a total of 3,038 children of school age, against 3,061 the year before or a loss of 23. However, this is more than offset by the decline in the Enterprise count, due to temporary conditions. … The school census has been declining since 1916, when it was 3,596.

Articles of the incorporation of the Wallowa Valley Loan Co. were filed at Salem last week, signaling the launching of a project to get government war finance corporation money for use in Wallowa County. The authorized capital stock of the county is $50,000 and the incorporators are Ernest F. Johnson, Wade Siler and Daniel Boyd.

FLORA – The weather continues to be surprisingly different from what people expect. After a week of sunshine, warm rains and chinook winds continue in Paradise and Lost Prairie until the snow is almost gone and only in places where it was drifted was there any snow left in the Flora country by the first of the week.

70 YEARS AGO

Dec. 18, 1941

Enterprise has all the atmosphere of Christmas now with two rows of decorated and lighted Christmas trees lining Main Street, and all the story windows exhibiting varied stocks of Yuletide gifts. … The Wallowa Mountains, completely blanketed now under heavy snow, seem to stand guard over this peaceful valley. It is hard for us to realize that over much of the world tens of millions of men are gripped in a death struggle from which hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions will never return home for another Christmas.

War and defense regulations have hit the automobile business many times, and the latest is the restriction on the sale of tires for all passenger cars. Beginning Dec. 11, and continuing through Dec. 22 no dealer in the nation may sell a tire to anyone. After that … sales can be made only out of stock on hand.

Washington state engineers arrived recently at Clarkston to make the final survey and straighten curves for the 3 1/2-mile section remaining between the Grand Ronde River and the Oregon State line on the Lewiston highway.

WALLOWA – Four Wallowa boys have enlisted in the Navy. They are Jack Lively, Ronald Baker, Joe Sarrett and Sport McBath. … The Wallowa committee on foods under the county defense council are Florence McDaniel, Mrs. Reece Sutphin, Anne Oveson, Marian Inman and Guy Hubbard.

50 YEARS AGO

Dec. 14, 1961

Bill Bowerman, head track coach at the University of Oregon, will be the featured speaker at a Joseph Chamber of Commerce potluck dinner and Christmas party in the Joseph Civic Center Dec. 18. … Bowerman is a brother of Mrs. Richard Rathbun (of Enterprise).

At the special election Friday the voters of Wallowa County turned down in decisive fashion (427 yes, 1,020 no) the proposal for the formation of a county unit school system.

Approximately 350 dinners were served at the annual meeting of Wallowa County Grain Growers Saturday, and co-op members and their families jammed every available foot of space in the implement building at the plant. … The auditor’s report showed gross sales for the fiscal year of $2,183,000, a jump of $565,000 over the previous year.

Robert W. Duncan, director of the Oregon State Board of Aeronautics, will meet with city and county officials Friday to discuss plans for extensive improvements at the Joseph airport. … Local officials have requested aid in getting the runways lengthened and paved, and the field lighted for night use.

25 YEARS AGO

Dec. 18, 1986

Howard Johnson, 73-year-old retired Wallowa rancher, was recognized last month as state tree farmer of the year. … He became the third Wallowa County tree farmer to win the award since 1980.

1000 Friends of Oregon last week withdrew the organization’s objection to funding of the Wallowa Lake Basin sewer-water project, removing the major obstacle by the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

“There’s no lack of Christmas spirit here,” said assistant chairman Bill Barnett about the progress of contributions for the annual Elks Christmas Basket Program. … Over 100 local needy families will receive boxes containing food and children’s gifts on Dec. 23.

Santa Claus will have a tight schedule in Wallowa County Saturday as he plans stops in three cities to hand out bags of goodies to local children.