photo/Darlene TuckerHollywood actor Chill Wills gets out of the Chief Joseph Days stage in the late 1940s in Joseph while his pal, fellow character actor Walter Brennan, stands below. Brennan, who owned a ranch near Joseph, was an early and important promoter of the Chief Joseph Days celebration. Some of his descendants continue to call Wallowa County home.

100 YEARS AGO

June 23, 1914

Seven cows were killed a few days ago while standing under a tree near the foot of Elk Mountain, where they had taken shelter from a storm. They were just below Sam Weavers place.

Grasshoppers have been multiplying all spring and are now doing great damage to grain in the hills. At first they ate only the blades on the stalks of grain, but are now in the heads.

As the Nibley-Mimbaugh lumber company is operating under the new workmens compensation law, Mrs. June Mason will receive $48 from the state. The claim was the first under the new law, which became effective June 1. Most of the progressive employers are now operating under it.

PRAIRIE CREEK Measles have appeared in our neighborhood. Many were exposed during the celebration, it is believed, and some are confined to their beds now. Among them are Chester Guyan, Glen Spague and Laura and Elma Hunt.

70 YEARS AGO

July 23, 1944

A decision to consolidate the gas and oil business of the County Grange with the Wallowa County Grain Growers was reached at a meeting of the members of the grange co-operative. The gasoline and oil tanks of the Grange Supply will be moved sometime this fall to the vicinity of the warehouse on the railroad tracks.

Last week while the street lines were being painted, two young men around town, Art Homan and Pat McGinnis were assisting in the work. They managed to get about as much paint on their clothes as on the streets, and passersby told them as much.

Haying is well underway with much hay down and stacking begun. The outlook is much brighter than was anticipated at the beginning of the season, due largely to the June rain. The greatest handicap is a shortage of labor. In many places the women are working alongside men in the fields. The 25 Mexicans who arrived last Tuesday have helped the labor situation materially.

ALDER SLOPE Several stacks of hay have been put up this week. The labor shortage is noticed, but most everyone seems to be getting along by trading work with his neighbors. Some of those having Mexican laborers are Mrs. Viola Lyman, Victor Searles, Floyd Fletcher and the Murrays.

50 YEARS AGO

July 23, 1964

A contingent of about 20 West Coast Telephone personnel and interested visitors were on hand at the Enterprise telephone office Saturday night to see the action as the dial system and Extended Area Service were begun in Enterprise and Wallowa County. Excitement ran high, even with old hands, as the deadline approached.

Photo caption Phone operator Leona Wagner is shown here making the last connection through the switchboard at the phone office in Enterprise. The call was placed from 258 to 188. About five minutes after this picture was taken, the switchboard was discontinued and the new dial system placed in operation. Pictured in the background is Edna Kiel, chief phone operator.

Mr. Marvin Maxwell, former resident of Enterprise, has been assigned the position of manager at the new First National Bank in Burns. Marvin, a 1946 graduate of Enterprise High School, is the son of Mrs. Carmen Maxwell and is brother of Bud Maxwell of Enterprise.

IMNAHA Hail and heavy rain and wind hit on Imnaha Tuesday afternoon. A.L. Ducketts garden and flowers and Mrs. Elzie Lewis garden got the full effect of the hail. Mr. and Mrs. Wilde were down at the Bridge Wednesday, from their ranch on Big Sheep, for supplies.

25 YEARS AGO

July 20, 1989

Only in Joseph could one enjoy rodeo events, parades, a dance contest and a reenactment of the Joseph Bank Robbery, all in one weekend. Add to this rarity Gov. Neil Goldschmidt rolling down Main Street in a wagon pulled by the Kooches Clydesdales, then flipping pancakes for the Chambers cowboy breakfast, and the flavor of Chief Joseph Days will be achieved.

Four Wallowa County sites were found to be suitable and feasible for possible addition to the Nez Perce National Historical Park in a draft study recently released by the National Parks Service. Support for the local addition was prevalent at a July 12 meeting chaired by Stanlynn Daugherty, who is a member of an informal local group promoting the inclusion of the Old Chief Joseph Monument at the foot of Wallowa Lake in the historical park.

A Friday evening thunderstorm touched off 40 area forest fires, with the largest a 38-acre blaze in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

A new business, Western Coach-n-Carriage, has recently been established out of a hobby that began 23 years ago. Alfred and Una Makin began restoring wagons in 1966 when they decided to salvage the F.D. McCully stagecoach.