Some Questions of History in Payette, Idaho,
By Ron Marlow
1. In what year were the first bricks fired up for construction in Payette?
Answer: It was May 9, 1895. Bricks were made by Mr. Haynes for the Moss Mercantile Store
2. A flour mill was built in 1905. Where was that located?
Answer: Near the Payette River Bridge southwest of town
3. Hugh Gilmore built the Gilmore Hotel on the east side of Main Street in what year?
Answer: February 1893
4. Payette's newspaper "The Payette Independent" was started in May 1891 by whom?
Answer: Bert Venable
5. What building was opened for cultural events in February 1902, by J. W. Lauer?
Answer: The Elite Opera House
6. What industry, organized in January 1903, use the trade name of " Seven Devils" and "Tom Thumb?"
Answer: The Idaho Canning Company, which had seven directors. It later became American Fine Foods
7. The became Idaho's first female dentist and had a practice of more than 60 years, 21 of them in Payette?
Answer: Dora Janet Gerber
8. When did the first real shipment of fruit leave Payette?
Answer: 1891
9. How long has Payette had a Post Office?
Answer: Since 1871
10. Where and when was Payette Valley's first store built?
Answer: it was built by James Toombs in 1864 near Big Willow and was a stage stop, post office and store.
11. When did Payette's status change from being a village to being a second-class city?
Answer: March 5, 1903, with 1000 residents
12. Who was elected the City of Payette's first mayor April 8, 1903?
Answer: F. H. Satoris
13. Charles Hinze built the first bridge across the Payette River at Washoe in what year?
Answer: 1885
14. What mode of transportation was considered to bring fruit from Emmett to Payette in the 1890s?
Answer: Barges on the Payette River
15. When did Doctors J. R. Woodward and J. C. Woodward decide to open Dr. J. R. Woodward's home for a Payette hospital?
Answer: 1908
16. The Payette community was first called what?
Answer: Boomerang
17. When was Payette County created?
Answer: In 1917. For 27 years it was Ada County, then for 26 years it was part of Canyon County
18. Who was the first sheriff of Payette County?
Answer: Jack Hanigan
19. Where was the Post Office of French?
Answer: Up Little Willow Creek. It opened in 1907 with John Symes as postmaster and its served Little Willow and Big Willow residents. It closed in 1935
20. Payette had electric lights in 1902. Where did the power come from?
Answer: From John Prestal's sawmill generators
21. W. A. Coughanour donated a 9-foot tall elk statue to Payette in what year?
Answer: In 1908
22. Payette's first movie house was built by W. A. Coughanour in 1909. It was named for his daughter. What was her name?
Answer: "Emma"
23. How long has Payette had a Rebekah Lodge?
Answer: Organized April 20, 1910 with 19 charter members
24. Who purchased Bill Hill mining claim on Big Willow Creek for $1400 in gold bars?
Answer: Peter Pence
25. When did the Oregon Short Line lay rail to Payette?
Answer: 1884
26. Idaho was admitted to the Union in what year?
Answer: July 4, 1890
27. The Whitney Brothers planted their 100 acre farm to nursery shrubs and trees in what year?
Answer: 1893
28. Bell Telephone provided service to Payette in what year?
Answer: 1898
29. Payette High School had its first graduation when?
Answer: 1895
30. In Payette's High School graduation class of 1898 was Amy Currin (Walker). What was her claim to fame?
Answer: She became the first woman physician west of the Rocky Mountains. She graduated from Medical School in 1904
31. A step-ladder, useful in orchards, was invented in 1911 by whom?
Answer: A. S. Soule, of this area
32. Carroll Meteer Shanks, a 1915 Payette High School graduate, was featured on the cover of Time Magazine, March 18, 1958, and was the president of what large corporation?
Answer: Prudential Insurance Company
33. In 1935, who invented and marketed the first safe electric fence?
Answer: Fred Richardson. The large volume of mail orders caused the Payette Post Office to be upgraded from third class to first class
34. What local businessman started his career as a jockey?
Answer: Lynn Josephson, of Josephson Produce
35. What former resident became a famous baseball star?
Answer: Harmon Killebrew. At age 17 he signed on with the Washington Senators in 1954. He retired in 1976
36. The formal opening of the Bancroft Hotel was in what year?
Answer: It opened October 12, 1916
37. When was the first Apple Blossom Festival?
Answer: it was sponsored by the Portia Club in 1923
38. Hanigan Chevrolet was founded when?
Answer: 1925 by Jack Hanigan and Al Pruden. The first car was sold to J. B. Treney, who worked at the Idaho Canning Company.
39. Natural gas was discovered in Payette in 1907. Twenty-five years later it was found where?
Answer: twelve miles east of Payette on high land near Big Willow. The test well was drilled April 19, 1907 and had 40 pounds of pressure
40. When was the devastating forest fire in North Idaho?
Answer: August 1910. It destroyed one-sixth of Idaho forests and some communities
41. In the early 1900s, a baseball player from Weiser became one of baseball's greats when he pitched for the Washington Senators. What was his name?
Answer: Walter Johnson
42. How long has the State of Idaho had it’s great seal?
Answer: In 1890 it was adopted. The designer was Emma Edwards Green
43. When were Idaho's normal schools at Lewiston and Albion established?
Answer: They were established in 1893 to train teachers
44. The University of Idaho was opened when?
Answer: In 1892 at Moscow. This act appeased the public, who wanted North Idaho to secede from the rest of the State
45. When did the Academy of Idaho open it's doors in Pocatello?
Answer: 1901. It was later named Idaho State University
46. What Idaho city was furnished the first electric power from nuclear energy?
Answer: In 1955 Arco had power from nuclear energy
47. Idaho had television viewing when?
Answer: 1953
48. The Payette Municipal swimming pool was built and Payette High School mini-dome was erected when?
Answer: 1973
49. When was Idaho's last big earthquake?
It happened October 28, 1983, measuring 7.3 on the Richter Scale. It killed two children and did $4 million in damage. It was centered near Mount Borah and the Lost River Valley and was the largest in the U.S. in 24 years
50. Who built the Whitney House that was on Seventh Avenue North?
Answer: The large home was built in 1887 by Grant Whitney for his wife, Mamie. She wouldn't live out West, so they divorced. It burned April 7, 1985
