HUCKLEBERRIES: Mission accomplished

Tears fell when the Freedom Tree was toppled almost 13 years ago.

For decades, the towering Norway spruce stood at the southern end of Fourth Street, a symbol of freedom and a memorial to veterans, like POW Fred McMurray.

The Freedom Tree, however, began its public life in the late 1950s as a community Christmas tree, a yuletide presence with two competing back stories.

The late Scott Reed told the prevailing one in his booklet, “The Treasure Called Tubbs Hill.”

Scott, a longtime environmental attorney, said the tree was planted after a bitter clash over a proposed shopping mall on what is now McEuen Park. Downtown merchants had asked a Spokane developer to build the center. And the City Council was on board.

But the plan required voter approval because the public space, then a field of grass and weeds, was purchased with bond-approved money.

Scott and allies — Art Manley, Mae McEuen and Red Halpern, among others — formed the Lakeshore Development Corporation and successfully campaigned against the mall.

Then, Scott and his friends planted the tree and declared, “This far and no farther.”

“Approval (of the mall) would have meant full downtown development to the north base of this hill and, probably, inevitable road building into the heart of Tubbs Hill,” Scott wrote.

But there is another version of the Freedom Tree genesis.

On Dec. 23, 1975, the Coeur d’Alene Press reported that the Freedom Tree had tripled in size during its 18 years downtown, from 14 feet to 42 feet, 4 inches.

The transplanted spruce had solved a problem, according to businessman Carl Gridley. Earlier, he said, the city put a "cut tree that had outgrown (someone’s) yard” on Fourth Street, between Front and Sherman avenues.

“The tree in the middle of the street was a source of irritation,” Gridley said. “In strong winds, the decorated tree would blow over and it completely disrupted traffic.”

In late 1972, the spruce, then 65 feet tall, was renamed “Freedom Tree” after local Air Force captain Fred McMurray and his co-pilot were shot down in Vietnam. After being declared missing in action, Fred was freed from the “Hanoi Hilton” and returned home to a hero’s welcome.

On March 21, 2013, Coeur d’Alene residents lined up for hours to take photos with the tree before it was cut down. The tree blocked the $20 million overhaul of McEuen Park.

It had accomplished its mission to inspire residents and to protect the waterfront.

Artful U-turn

At age 45, Betty Gardner enrolled in a welding class at North Idaho College 20 years ago to improve her art skills.

And, in doing so, she created an artwork that remains with us today.

In 2005, the Priest River woman faced a crossroads. 9/11 had tanked her telecommunications business, according to The Press. So, she turned to art.

That’s why she drove 120 miles each weekday to attend college. And that’s how she found herself in a welding class, a lone, middle-aged woman among wary young men.

She quickly won over the budding welders and became a den mother of sorts by telling them to relax. They didn’t need to watch their language or jokes around her.

Later, Betty’s new friends helped when she was recruited to create a sculpture for the new Human Rights Education Institute. In five days, Betty welded a metal arch that connected two new brick columns at the HREI entrance.

The design featured a globe and cutouts of people holding hands. It signified the connectedness among people.

Betty told The Press, “It felt good to work for an organization that sends a message that I believe in.”

Still mopping up

You know that owners John and Wally Adams of Coeur d’Alene Tractor are pillars of this community.

But do you know that they started work as janitors at the old Boat Drive-In on East Sherman Avenue (current site of Michael D’s restaurant)?

At age 13, John landed a job at Hap Murphy’s drive-in, according to a business story in The Press Jan. 3, 2006. He mopped floors, took out trash, and cleaned the parking lot.

He was too young to drive in the dark, but his father, Jack, allowed him to do so to get to work at 5 a.m. Then, John recruited his younger brother, Wally, to help. At the time, the two also worked with their parents and four others at the family tractor store, then at 2103 N. Fourth St.

John and Wally toiled together for four years at the drive-in.

John told The Press: “We went from janitors to custodians to maintenance engineers, all for 75 cents an hour.”

Huckleberries

• Poet’s Corner: Raise higher your glass/and be of good cheer/a New Year has come/and we are still here — The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“New Year’s Toast”).

• Giddy Up — ‘Giddy” was the defining word in January 2001. Coeur d’Alene was giddy because an Olive Garden was opening. Olive Garden manager Tim Shay was giddy because future customers were giddy. And the chamber of commerce was giddy because the scheduled Jan. 29 opening meant 150 more jobs for the local economy.

• So Long: Two decades of Coeur d’Alene history ended Jan. 1, 1986, when Bob Templin’s North Shore Resort Hotel shut for the last time. But a new — and better —era dawned four months later. That’s when partners Duane Hagadone and Jerry Jaeger opened the $60 million Coeur d’Alene Resort.

• Magic Number: On Jan. 1, 2001— 01-01-01, if you will — expectant mother Linda Jones of Spirit Lake arrived at Kootenai Medical Center with a question: “Who had the New Year’s Baby?” And she was told: “Maybe you.” Baby Declan Thomas Jones arrived at 10:31 a.m. with a numeric birth date that was easy to remember.

Parting shot

After the fire Jan. 6, 1981, Lake Tower resident Yvonne Kirkpatrick said, “Everything was done very nicely.”

Some residents in the 10-story high-rise suffered smoke inhalation. But there were no serious injuries.

Concrete reinforcement and other safety measures prevented a catastrophe. Just six weeks before, the MGM Grand fire had killed 85 and injured hundreds in Las Vegas.

The downtown Coeur d’Alene fire destroyed Apartment 430, where Fire Chief Don Kaye believed it started. The concrete surrounding each room “held up the fire just long enough.”

Firefighters went from room to room to evacuate residents, kicking in doors when necessary. Afterward, armed with lists, the firefighters returned to the rooms to pick up pills, medicine and, in one instance, an old-timer’s false teeth.

• • •

D.F. (Dave) Oliveria can be contacted at [email protected].

    Former POW Fred McMurray, right, and his wife, Judy, watch a parade in the airman’s honor in front of the Freedom Tree in April 1973.
  

    A patriotic statue, carved by artist Jeff May from the original Freedom Tree, graces the Veterans Memorial Plaza at McEuen Park. The new Freedom Tree grows in the background.
  

    Betty Gardner stands in front of her metal artwork for the Human Rights Education Institute in December 2005.
  

    Wally Adams, left, and his brother, John, pose at Coeur d'Alene Tractor in 2006 with a restored 1954 Ford 8N tractor.
  

    Manager Tim Shay prepares to open the Olive Garden in 2001.
  

    An era ends Jan. 1, 1986, when Bob Templin’s old North Shore Resort Hotel closes for the last time.
  

    Linda and Chris Jones of Spirit Lake hold baby Declan, whose numeric birthday is easy to remember: 1/1/01, or Jan 1, 2001.
  

    Quality safety features at Lake Tower Apartments in January 1981 enable firefighters to save buildings and residents.
  

    Firefighters treat Lake Tower resident Wes Hamlet during a 1981 fire.