MOVING HISTORY FORWARD: Fighting the 1939 Mt. Spokane-Spirit Lake fire
In August 1939, menacing forest fires swept down Mt. Spokane and Brickle Creek valley, burning 10 miles along the north shore of Spirit Lake and destroying 75,000 acres in its path. As it approached the town of Spirit Lake, and the Panhandle Lumber Mill, which was the town's chief employer, all available hands were encouraged to help fight the fire.
One of those who volunteered was 15-year-old Harold Skinner, whose family had migrated from Nebraska to Spirit Lake just the year before. Harold jumped in the back of a pickup with a small crew and rode up the mountain to relieve the current fire-line workers.
When they parked near the top of the ridge overlooking the town, they set off on foot toward the fire line. They met workers hurrying toward them, telling them a burning snag had fallen across the fire line, and the fire was rapidly spreading.
"Get the h* out of here," Harold remembered them saying.
They piled in the overcrowded pickup truck and headed back to town.
As the fire moved toward the town, it was apparent that the last defense was at the edge of the Panhandle Lumber Mill, which had a yard full of logs and $1 million worth of finished lumber.
Harold's job then was to help hold a powerful fire hose to wet down the brush adjacent to the mill yard. But sparks from the nearby forest fire descended on the lumber, igniting fire and devouring the entire mile-long lumber yard.
With the fire only a quarter-mile from town, the residents of Spirit Lake had been preparing to evacuate, moving personal belongings outside their homes to load into vehicles.
However, the wind shifted just in time, and the fire began burning toward the northeast before finally dying down short of Blanchard.
Today Harold Skinner is 98 years old, still living in his own home in Spokane, where he taught history at Lewis and Clark High School for many years. One skill he retains from his youth is playing old-time fiddle, which he learned from his father. Although he was isolated from other musicians during the COVID-19 outbreak, he kept his skills up by playing along with Lawrence Welk reruns. He revived his public performances at the Spirit Lake Historical Museum ice cream social on Labor Day this year. He also recently joined a group of about 25 mostly retired fiddlers in Spokane Valley who call themselves Adult Group Therapy, and played the tunes as he remembered them to a rapt audience. One of the members even had Harold as a teacher many years ago.
Harold is one of a small group who remember the fire of 1939 in Spirit Lake, and an even smaller group alive today who helped fight that dangerous fire.
The Spirit Lake Historical Museum has been open for only two years, and is available for viewing by appointment or on Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. from May to the end of September. The website is www.spiritlakehistory.org.
Need a gift for someone special? The Museum of North Idaho in downtown Coeur d’Alene sells the beautiful and extremely well-researched book Historical Spirit Lake Idaho and Vicinity, by Keith and Jan Spencer, which includes over 200 old photographs. Order online at www.museumni.org.
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Brad Sondahl is with the Spirit Lake Historical Society.
