Mail boats still deliver

The spirit of the Pony Express lives on. In these modern times, with the Internet, e-mail, bill pay online, some old traditions endure. Bayview, the southernmost town on Lake Pend Oreille, features a mail boat, one of only three such methods of delivering the mail left in Idaho.

We hitched a ride recently with the current mailman, John Thaxter. Leaving Bayview at 9 a.m., we set out for Lakeview, the once-thriving boom town, now a ghost of its former self, but still home to a few hardy souls. There are usually folks on the dock meeting the boat, but the first, always to stick their nose into the mail boat, are one or more of the dogs accompanying their owners. For the entire 13 years Thaxter has run the mail route, dog treats are always presented.

We met Rich McKinny, Rob Kilborn, Vicki Growe and of course, a big friendly dog. We met another resident, a part-timer, Steve DeHart, who lives in Kodiak, Alaska, most of the time. He tells of his son Craig’s birth in Lakeview. It seems that when his wifewas ready to deliver in 1984, former carrier George Johnson toted two midwives over to assist with the birth.

Onward up the lake we went, bypassing Cedar Creek — because our mailman knew the only current resident wasn’t home. At one time, Cedar Creek was known as Clara. Pioneer Jack Needham ran a 60-mile long trap line up into the Cabinet Mountains, in the valley he had claimed. More recently, Bayview residents and entrepreneurs, Dick and Shirley Hansen now own what was once the Needham place.

We next stopped at Whiskey Rock, where we were greeted by Argyle Mydland, a seven-year resident, and Shirley Williams, who’s lived there year-round for 17 years. A dog, nosing up to us for the traditional treat, was the first to greet us.

From 1931 to about 1947, Ed and Lillian Hall operated a resort and bar. Ed would cruise over to Bayview in his 28-foot boat which was powered by a Liberty aircraft engine, to pick up a dozen or so sailors for fun and frolic at Whiskey Rock. Jim MacDonald, mail boat operator between 1953 and 1965, tells us that Hall would wait until the sailors were broke, then cart them back to Bayview, where he picked up another load. Attractions were slot machines and seemingly unlimited supplies of whiskey.

We stopped next at Granite Creek. There we were met by Earl Tacke, the only year-round resident. Granite was originally settled by the Charles Schroeder family in 1893. After filing a homestead claim, they bought 15 head of cattle, delivered to Granite by barge. He operated a ranch there for many years. Old mine sites and glory holes dot the area. Granite is now home to several families.

On to the final stop of the mail route, Kilroy. There we met Ken Gonzer, Jack Garland and Velda McTighe and of course, another dog, sniffing for a treat. On the way back, we were treated to several stories about the lake and Thaxter’s experiences. “I’ve had about six boat sinking rescues,” he said, “Usually alerted to by Bonner County Rescue, and four medical evacuations.”

Some of the history of mail service on the lake date back to the 1860s. Individuals who were heading up the lake from Pend Oreille City, (Buttonhook Bay) would carry mail and goods on the way to their destinations. From 1866 to about 1872, the steamer Mary Moody was the official mail carrier, serving the water portion of the mail route from Fort Walla Walla to Helena, and Fort Benton, Mont.

Source: Historical data obtained, courtesy of Linda Hackbarth