In this historic photograph, a family group poses at the house on Bernard Botts’ homestead at Arko, out of Flora. Left to right are: on balcony, Bernard, Otha, Fred and George Botts; center, Uncle George Botts (Bernard’s brother), Jim Fleet, Eva Botts Fleet, Jessie Botts, and Eliza and Bernard Botts; on right, schoolteacher Ora (Smallhurst) Shuman; Viona Wright Botts (Ann’s daughter) and Evelyn Wright (Jim Fleet’s sister). This photo is published of Ervin and Charlie Botts.

100 YEARS AGO

Jan. 15, 1914

One road master for all of Wallowa County, and W.P. holding the position that is the program practically agreed on by the county court early this week. Mr. Newby consented to act as road master at the modest salary of $4 a day for days actually worked, which will be the greater part of the time from April to November.

EDITORIAL Copperfield, the mining camp which Gov. West reduced to order with the assistance of his private secretary and the state militia, is just across the mountains south and east of Wallowa County. The governor seems to be right in his insistence that the place be made habitable for quiet and respectable people.

To encourage the destruction of predatory animals, the state fish and game commission now pays extra bounties as follows: each gray or timber wolf, $20; cougar or mountain lion, $15; bobcat or lynx, $1.00.

Wallowa County promises to afford the first extensive test of the new parcel post rates as applied on long star routes. Two carloads of timothy seed are now ready for shipment from Paradise or Flora. The seed will be sent out (by W.H. Baker of Flora) by parcel post if prices can be adjusted to warrant.

70 YEARS AGO

Jan. 20, 1944

Porter Clemens, who two weeks ago was reported in the Chieftain as having received the Distinguished Flying Cross for air activities over Europe, is missing in action, according to word received by relatives in Wallowa.

J.H. Dobbin was honored at the meeting of the Oregon Wool Growers Association last week in The Dalles by being elected honorary president of the organization.

WALLOWA M.C. Oveson, FFA instructor of Wallowa, announces the opening of a farm machinery repair class, beginning Jan. 19 and continuing nightly at the McDaniel garage.

ALDER SLOPE The Alder Slope school yard has been flooded and the children have skated right up to the school house door.

50 YEARS AGO

Jan. 16, 1964

If the reaction of a representative group of local citizens is an accurate barometer of what the general public will do about the report of the surgeon generals Advisory Committee on Smoking and Health linking smoking to lung cancer and other diseases, the cigarette manufacturers have very little to worry about. Here and there smokers have indicated they intend to quit, cut down or switch to pipes and cigars, but most admit they will probably go right on with the habit.

Petitions with more than sufficient valid signatures from all parts of the county were filed Wednesday of last week asking the Wallowa County Court to hold an election for the establishment and financing of county library services.

The caseload at the Wallowa County Public Welfare office, which operated the past year on a $140,058 budget, is dropping according to administrator Mrs. Lawton McDaniel. In 1955 the office had 110 old age assistance cases. Currently only 57 cases are in this category. The decline is attributed to more older citizens become eligible for Social Security payments.

25 YEARS AGO

Jan. 19, 1989

More than 150 people, most of them longtime associates of Wallowa Countys best-known public servant turned out to honor retired county clerk Marjorie Martin Saturday night at the Enterprise Elks Lodge. Martin, 75, ended a 47-year career in public office when she chose not to run for another four-year term in 1988.

Fifteen local birders sighted 77 species and 5,483 individual birds during the 12th annual Wallowa County Christmas Bird County Dec. 18. Bird enthusiasts drove and walked 427 miles in an area with a diameter of 15 miles, centered at Eggleson Corner to come up with the count total. Two new species were counted, the barred owl and the white-fronted goose, with one of each spotted.

As a lead into the annual Wallowa Valley Festival of Arts and in honor of Oregon Arts Week, the Wallowa Valley Arts Council is sponsoring its first Youth Arts Festival March 31 and April 1 at the Joseph Community Center.

Photo caption It took nearly half a month but at 7:50 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, Riley James Wortman became the first baby born in Wallowa County in 1989. He is the son of Randy and Robin Wortman of Wallowa.

PHOTO ID Thanks to research by Myrla (Zollman) Clark, in collaboration with others, we have identified almost all the children in the Dec. 25 Out of the Past photograph with Santa Claus, who was portrayed by Ralph Jewell and holding little Craig Zollman. The photo was taken in Joseph at Colemans Sundries, which was owned by Bill and Knoxie Coleman; the storefront is now occupied by Antons Home and Hearth. Other children IDed, left to right, are: back, Christine Hatch, Steve Zollman, Ben Freudenberg and Lee Zollman; front, Rosemary Mead, Margaret Kellerman (tentative), an unidentified little girl, Garry Zollman and Jack Freudenberg. A similar though not identical photo appeared in the Dec. 27, 1962, issue of the Chieftain.

CORRECTION The 1923 basketball team in the Jan. 8 Out of the Past column was from Joseph High School (not Enterprise).