Montour
Mills writes that when the mail route was established in 1864, from Falk's Store (Payette County) to Placerville in the Boise Basin (Boise County), the stages passed the ranch door of the Mitchell-Marsh Ranch. . .The name Squaw Creek caused considerable confusion for years. The real Squaw Creek was two or three miles away on the other side of the sometimes belligerent Payette River and there was no bridge.
Mills also writes that the stone cellar built in the hillside of the Mitchel, Marsh and Ireton Ranch was still in use in 1963. Remnants of it are still visible today.
Conley writes that the town of Montour was established by William Dewey, Jr in 1912. "Dewey was building the Idaho Northern railroad up the Payette River from Emmett to McCall. The railroad company platted the town and Dewey's secretary is said to have suggested the name, which in French (monture) means setting or frame, because of its pleasant enviornment."
After repeated flooding due to the sediment build-up from the Black Canyon Dam, in the 1970's the Bureau of Reclamation bought out the property owners. Today a major portion of the area is a wildlife area maintained by the state Fish and Game department. The Bureau of Reclamation maintains a park on the old school site.
Post Office and Postmaster History
SQUAW CREEK: established July 5, 1871, by William S. Mitchell; June 14, 1877, Edison Marsh renamed MARSH June 1889 S. Lena Schenck, October 15, 1902 Burton C. Platt, April 30, 1903 discontinued Nov. 15, 1906, mail to PEARL. (later known as Montour)
MONTOUR established May 16, 1912, Alva D. Stanton Walter W. Volkmer, June 30, 1913 Miss Ester Joines, Dec. 21, 1920 (wed, Mrs. Dean Fay Palmer, November 15, 1921) Lois Amyx, 1958 Joe Amyx Mrs. Delores Jones (nee Gifford) on S. Bank of R., Sec. 16, 1973, Star Route - Montour & Sweet & Ola, 21 miles Many carriers, 1st with buckboard until WPA build better road, then by pickup from Ola to Montour. Railroad quit so Rt. carrier went to Emmett to pick up mail which stages had brought from Boise. Later starting point changed to Ola (to Emmett) as it was in 1973. First mail by fgt. wagon from Boise: 1913 by Ry with messenger from depot using handcart.
Methodist Church Cornerstone, left portion
Related Links
Photographs of the old downtown buildings may be seen at Library of Congress, American Memory, Built in America collection.
Sources:
"History of Post Offices in Idaho." U.S. Post Office; Gem County Historical Society collection
Cort Conley. "Idaho for the Curious/A Guide." Backeddy Books, Cambridge, Idaho. 1982.
Nellie Ireton Mills. "All Along the River/Territorial and Pioneer Days on the Payette." Privately printed for Payette Radio Limited, 1963.
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