"Seens" along the Road to Boulder City

 

Back in the 1970s, Bill and I made our first visit to the ghost town of Boulder City east of Bonners Ferry. 

At the time, daisies were growing, and an old house stood at the entrance to the mining town where supposed riches were to be taken from the surrounding mountains. 

Also, segments of other houses along the "main drag" of Boulder City were easily found. 

That structure of the old house at was somewhat intact at the time, and I believe we even walked through some rooms. 

I carried an instamatic camera at the time, and while we were there, set up a neat photo of a single daisy in some kind of container found in the rubble. 

The daisy scene really came alive when I set the "vase" in a window and shot the photo from outside. 

I had that photo for years but it may have perished in our house fire, or some day when someone goes through my stuff, it will turn up. 

When we walked through the meadows of Boulder City in the 1970s, there were many remnants of the town's history to be seen.

We also visited the cemetery a couple of miles up the road. 

Over the years, we've returned numerous times and have watched the gradual deterioration of the ghost town's tangible elements from the past. 

Still, it has always been a fun destination for our drives to the back country. 

We were particularly excited when we read the book "The Boys in the Boat," and learned that the main character Joe Rantz had lived in the town with his father and stepmother for a time. 

We were even more excited to go back a few years ago and see that the Forest Service and the Boundary Museum had collaborated with some signage telling of the history of Boulder City and tying in the Joe Rantz story. 

The old house with the daisy in the window frame had just about collapsed to the ground, and I believe a fence had been erected around it, along with a sign reminding visitors to leave the historical remnants alone. 

Though the city was hardly recognizable, the historical signage had added a new and important dimension to the spot, which can be accessed by taking Katka Road just before the Kootenai Casino in Bonners Ferry. 

The drive to Boulder City is filled with visual delights.  Onlookers may differ on what's a delight and what's not along the roadside, as there is an amazing display of what looks like carefully crafted yard art, complete with a message, a few miles up the road. 

Scenes of trains meeting on the track, the beautiful Kootenai River, bucolic, vast and rich farmland and wildflowers aplenty provide a healthy array of esthetics for travelers on the road. 

Yesterday we decided we needed a change of pace from several days of yard and woods work, so we took the dogs, hopped in the pickup and headed north toward Bonners. 

Twas beautiful when we left but we could see dark storm clouds after we traveled east toward Boulder Creek. 

Fortunately, the rain held off, but what seemed unfortunate to us was the scene when came to turn-off to Boulder City.  Since our last visit there, the place has been aggressively logged, leaving little or no clue that a town once existed there. 

The fences are there.  The daisy-window house has completely collapsed and there's a small viewing structure off across the logging plot. 

The logging job extends across the road and up a hillside on the right. 

Talk about a shock.  We couldn't believe our eyes.  

Bill was going to turn around because of the storm clouds looking more ominous, but we did drive to the cemetery, which is obviously maintained and groomed---in fact, a lot better than the ghost town.

When we came back down Katka Road toward Bonners Ferry we saw a Forest Service pickup in the road.  The occupant was picking up small limbs extending to the road and throwing them off to the side. 

Turned out, there was familiarity. 

"Hi, Bill," the man in sunglasses said.  He obviously knew Bill because one of the first words he uttered was "fish."  Brandon works as the hydrologist for the Forest Service.  

Shortly after we stopped to talk, the rain began and it was pouring by the time we left Brandon.  He told us that he thinks the historical display at Boulder City may return now that the logging job is complete. 

We sure hope so. 

It was a great afternoon outing, filled with memories of past times and hopes for the future when Boulder City's story is once again visually displayed. 

We'll keep checking because it's a lovely drive up that Katka Road.  Plus, the carefully crafted yard art will take your breath away! 

Enjoy the photos. 

Brandon, the hydrologist.