The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1907-09-27
George P. HOWard's Place TAX
en- as a Sample of Others.
Evolution From Sheep Range to One
of the Rich and Productive
Spots in Whitman County.


Butte, soon coming together in one level,
beautiful stretch, is about 20 miles in
length, ending in the scab lands in the
vicinity of Rock Lake. 1t is one of the
most beautiful and prolific spots in
Whitman county, and here came many
Of the settlers who first penetrated this
region. The valley is now filled with a
highly prosperous population, fine
homes, wealth and plenty being the pre-
dominating feature. Whoever struck
the keynote that suggested the word
pleasant" for this highly favored spot
was happy in the choice of a name, one
that will forever find an abiding place in
the hearts OF the people.
The Howard Home.
A representative of The Gazette en-
tered the upper end of this valley for the
first time last Sunday, and made for the
home of George P. Howard, Is miles
north of Colfax. The Howard home is
noted for it's hospitality. Mr. and Mrs
Howard are pioneers OF the Palouse.
having come in 1879, and have lived on
the present homestead since 1882. MIR.
Howard has $40 acres, all first class
fruit and cereal land. The Howard farm
has something of a history. The first
man to pitch his tent on this particular
spot was Henry II. Halsey, who came in
the fall Of 1873. There were only few
settlers in this region then. Like all the
rest he came to go into the stock bust
ness. He brought small band of cattle
with him and two yoke of oxen to do his
teaming. The first thing was to put up
a log house. With his oxen he hauled
balm logs from the Palouse River, and
in a short time q structure was in place,
provided with loop holes for protection
against an attack of Indians, which,
fortunately, did not take place. What
is left of this rude structure of pioneer
days is pointed out, most OF the logs
having been pulled out and converted in
to firewood. Subsequently larger and
more pretentious log house was built,
which still stands and is the neat and
comfortable home of the Howard family,
albeit the logs are covered with rustic
and there is nothing to show the original
material in the structure. As showing
how little he valued the place he never
took the fret steps to lay claim to the
land, regarding it simply as a stock
range, fit for no other purpose, soon to
be abandoned. Halsey is said to have
built the first wagon road from the Pa
louise river to Pleasant Valley.
In 1873 he relinquished his squatter's
rights and sold his log house, corral, etc,
to William B. Bradley, state of Maine
man, for $50. Bradley was sheep man,
and continued to live there until July,
1882, when Mr.. Howard bought all the
right, title and interest to the land,
along with 260O head OF sheep. Subse-
quently he disposed of the sheep and
went into the cattle business, finally go
ing into the raising of wheat when the
possibilities OF the soil became known in
that direction. 1t has thus passed
through the evolution from a stock
range into farm where the cereal crops
and the fruits OF the orchard are excelled
by no spot in Uncle Sans broad do
main, and into one of the brightest,
most sunshiny and lovable homes that
can possibly be imagined. A large family
of children was born here.