Town History
History Of Post Falls
By
Jan 1, 2007, 10:00

From an issue of the "Spokane Times" dated December 25, 1879, we quote the following:  "Mr. Frederick Post, owner of the grist mill at this place, left on last Tuesday to go to his old place at what is known as the Upper Falls.  Mr. Post located there some eight years ago (1871), and began the construction of a sawmill at that point. He had the necessary machinery for a grist mill and sawmill.

He finally gave up for the time the completion of his project there, and moved the machinery for the grist mill to this point.  He now returns to complete the sawmill partially finished then.  He informs us that there is almost a natural mill race formed in the solid rock at the side of the fall, where, by the use of blasting powder, he will complete the work of nature."

Although there were but few settlements made at Post Falls for a number of years later, its history may be said to date from the completion of this sawmill, early in 1880.  At this time the northern boundary of the Coeur d'Alene Indian reservation was, at this point, the Spokane river, and Mr. Post purchased of the Indians the mill site and adjacent lands.  

The mill and townsight proved by later survey to be located on the northeast quarter of section 3, township No. 50, range 5, west of Boise meridian.  As this mill has been the life of the town, it is appropriate that we give its history in brief outline.  At the time of its completion Mr. Post had business interests in Spokane that required his attention, and the mill was leased to other parties for a number of years.  It was first leased and operated by a Mr. Lewis and later by Fred Bish.  These two in turn ran the mill until 1886, when Mr. Post himself took charge of it.  He conducted it for about three years, when it was again leased to Fred Bish. <!--page-->

In the summer of 1892 Mr. Bish and a companion were working at a boom of logs just above the falls, in a row boat, which was tied to the logs.  The fastenings broke and the boat and its occupants went over the falls.  Both lives were lost.  After the accident the mill was leased to S. D. Bader, who operated it until 1894, when Mr. Post sold out to the Spokane & Idaho Lumber Company, of which H. M. Strathern was president.

The other members of the company were J. M. and C. Patterson.  In November, 1901, the Patterson interests were purchased by Daniel McGillis and Chester D. Gibbs, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  In December of the same year the name of the company was changed to the Idaho Lumber & Manufacturing Company, Mr. Strathern continuing as president of the company.

The mill plant was destroyed by fire December 30, 1902.  As an evidence of the importance of the mill as a factor in the prosperity of the town it may be stated that at the time of the fire Post Falls had a population of six hundred.  Two months later the population was but little more than half that number.  The mill had a capacity of seventy thousand feet of lumber in twenty-four hours and was valued at eighty thousand dollars.  The company carried fifty-seven thousand dollars insurance.  Although definite arrangements have not been completed for rebuilding the probabilities are that another mill will be erected.

The site is an exceptionally good one on account of the immense water power available and the excellent boom facilities.  Just above the falls the river is wide and deep, with a slow current.  Logs are floated down the river from Lake Coeur d'Alene, and the boom will accommodate at one time fifteen million feet.  It is considered the finest mill site in Kootenai county.  In connection with the plant was a planing and lath mill and a sash and door factory.

When Mr. Post sold the mill in 1894 he reserved the perpetual right to power sufficient to pump water for town use, having put in a system of water works in 1885.  In 1892 mains of distribution pipes were renewed.  The water works plant now belongs to Mrs. Alice Martin, a daughter of Mr. Post.  Frederick Post, the pioneer of Post Falls and also a pioneer of Rathdrum and one of the pioneers of Spokane, where he build the first flouring mill and where there is a street (Post) named for him, is still living at Post Falls with his daughter, Mrs. Martin. <!--page-->

Post Falls has the distinction of having the only flouring mill in Kootenai county.  This mill was erected in 1889 by Dart Brothers.  It was owned and operated by Dart Brothers and J. H. Sullivan, the latter a resident of Seattle, until December, 1902, when it was sold to the Cable Milling Company, of which E. J. Dyer is president, E. G. Russell, vice president, B. O. Graham, secretary and treasurer, and Leon H. Graham, manager.  The mill has a capacity of one hundred and fifty barrels of flour per day and operates an electric light plant for lighting the building.  During the year 1900 it ground one hundred and forty thousand bushels of wheat and shipped one hundred and fifty cars of mill products.

A woolen mill was built here in 1895 by Cane Brothers from Massachusetts.  It was well equipped with machinery, but never did any weaving.  It manufactured hosiery principally while running, but has been closed for sometime and nothing is known of the future intentions of the owners.  It is now the property of Mrs. Smith, of Spokane.

Among the early settlers at Post Falls was James H. Kennedy, who took up a soldier's homestead October 17, 1884.  The legal description of this land, which joins the town site, is Lots 1,2,3 and 7, section 4, township 50, north, range 5, west of Boise meridian.  Mr. Kennedy opened a blacksmith shop in 1886 and is still conducting it.  M. S. McCrea had a general store here before the railroad was built, in 1881.  Maj. George A. Manning and son, C. F., and W. J. Butterfield established a general store in 1889.

Mrs. George Stafford, the wife of the Northern Pacific section foreman, handled United States mail in 1888, through an arrangement with the railroad company, but she was not a regularly appointed postmistress.  The post-office was regularly established in 1889, with W. S. McCrea as postmaster.  Among the other early postmasters were C. F. Manning, A. M. Martin and Charles McCrea, all of whom conducted general merchandise stores.  C. H. Walizer opened a real estate agency in 1890 and H. L. Tauton a hardware store in the same year.

School matters early engaged the attention of the settlers at Post Falls, and they succeeded in securing the formation of a district (No. 7) in the summer of 1886.  The first board of trustees were James H. Kennedy, John Green and J. R. Compton.

The first term of school commenced November 22, 1886.  It continued three months and was taught by Oliver L. Kenedy.  This term was taught in a building that had been erected by James H. Kennedy and J. R. Compton, as a residence for William Dillard, with the understanding that it could be used two years for a school house. <!--page-->

The second term in the same house was taught by Laura Agnew.  The first school house, which is now used as a wood shed for the present school, was built in March, 1888, and Blanche Parsons was its first occupant in the capacity of teacher.  She was followed by F. D. Cook, Mary Baslington, Mr. Sprague, Frank Reeves and Mrs. Frank Reeves.  This school house was built by subscription and by donation work.  For furnishings money was raised by giving dances.  They were well patronized and funds were soon collected and the house properly equipped.

An election, at which bonds were voted for the erection of the building now in use, was held June 15, 1890.  In the present building Warren Lucas and Miss A. E. Nichols were the first instructors.  The cost of this building was four thousand dollars in 1890.  The school property, including grounds, building and furniture, is now valued at about three thousand five hundred dollars.  The members of the present school board are S. Young, chairman, A. M. Martin, clerk, H. M. Strathern, treasurer, and A. J. Shanks.  During the past school year the schools were under the charge of W. O. Cummings, principal, salary eighty-five dollars; Pearl Boleman, intermediate department, salary fifty dollars; Bertha Ross, primary department, salary forty dollars.  Miss Ross has an assistant in Cora Kennedy.  All these instructors are efficient workers and the schools are a credit to the town.

By an act of the county commissioners May 28, 1891, the town was incorporated and the following board of trustees appointed.  Thomas Ford, W. J. Butterfield, C. M. Brown, C. H. Walizer and H. L. Tauton.  On the fourth of June in the same year an organization was effected by the election of C. H. Walizer chairman of the board and H. L. Tauton clerk.  The first town election was held April 4, 1892, at which time the same board was elected, with the exception of W. J. Butterfield.  C. H. Clayton was elected in his place.

Until 1901 the corporation was never able to enforce any of its ordinances, owing to the fact that legality of the incorporating act was questioned.  In 1901 the legislature passed a special act legalizing the corporation and the acts of its several boards of trustees.  The present town board consists of S. H. Smith, chairman; S. E. Bennet, clerk; H. M. Strathern, treasurer; A. J. Manor and Captain James Fisher.  The city marshal is S. A. Irwin.  A. J. Manor has been postmaster since 1901, and James H. Kennedy is serving his third term as justice of the peace.

Beside the destruction of the sawmill, Post Falls has had one other fire.  This occurred in December, 1895.  McCrea Brothers' livery barn was destroyed; loss, eight hundred dollars.  The second story of the barn was owned and occupied by the Knights of Pythias.  This story, with furnishings, cost about six thousand dollars, and was insured for one thousand dollars.  A blacksmith shop was also burned. <!--page-->

A review of the business houses of the present day includes the following:  A. J. Manor, general merchandise, established 1898.  General stores are conducted by George A. Manning, G. L. Scott, W. S. Butterfield, M. D. Wright and C. W. Brown.

The Post Falls Mercantile Company was established in December, 1902, by G. O. Dart and John Young.  A meat market is conducted by N. C. Ballard; a general store by J. F. Enders; blacksmith shops by James H. Kennedy and J. W. Jamison; a general store by A. N. Tucker, established 1890; a real estate agency by C. H. Walizer; a hardware store by H. L. Tauton; hotels by Samuel Young and J. H. Daner; a livery by H. W. Enders; a barber shop by A. L. Hawthorne; C. H. Warren and John Mitchell are painters and paper hangers.  Lodging houses are kept by M. S. Warren and L. A. Dillard.

Post Falls is located on the Spokane river and on the Coeur d'Alene branch of the Northern Pacific railroad, eight miles south of Rathdrum and twenty-five miles east of Spokane.  It is in the center of quite an extensive agricultural, stock and fruit region, that is every year becoming more productive.  An irrigating ditch from Hayden Lake to the Spokane river at Trent, a small town eight miles from the state line in Washington, will pass near Post Falls in traversing the valley and will add very materially to the productiveness of the section.  The falls in the river were formerly known as Little Falls, and Upper Falls; but the name was changed to Post Falls in honor of Frederick Post, the builder of the mill and founder of the town.  

The power generated by the falls is next to incalculable, and this force will doubtless be utilized in the future.  There is no better site anywhere for mills and factories, and when there is added to this advantage of location, the unfailing support that it must always receive from the surrounding farming community, one cannot but realize that the citizens of Post Falls have good grounds for faith in the future prosperity of their town.

An Illustrated History Of North Idaho - Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903

All photographs provided by the Post Falls Historical Society