Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Plans For 1st LDS Church in Mackay Idaho - Mackay Idaho March 21 1928

Mackay Miner March 21 1928

Blast from the Past - First LDS Church in Mackay Idaho Built in 1928

Former first LDS Church shown here in 2000 located on the corner of Main Street and College Avenue.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Partly Cloudy Skies in Mackay Idaho January 30 2012

Mine Hill on one side of the Big Lost River and Mt. McCaleb and the Lost River Range on the other side 10:30 AM January 30 2012. Kemmer, the best dog in the world!

Remembering - Fred Rowe Obituary Mackay Miner December 19 1928


Mt. McCaleb Cemetery, Mackay, Idaho

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Remembering - Isaiah Anderton Obituary Mackay Miner October 21 1924


Isaiah Anderton has an unmarked grave at Block 82, Lot 2, N 1/2 at the Mt. McCaleb Cemetery in Mackay, Idaho.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Big Lost River at the Smelter Bridge - January 25 2012

The Big Lost River upstream from the Smelter Bridge this afternoon, January 25 2012.


The Big Lost River downstream from the Smelter Bridge this afternoon, January 25 2012.

Dennie Eugene Donahue Funeral Services Set - January 26 2012



Dennie Eugene Donahue, 62, passed away at the Donahue family ranch on Barton Flat, north of Mackay, on Friday, Jan. 20, 2012.
Dennie was born Oct. 31, 1949, in Pocatello to Dennie "Buddy" Hunter Donahue and Donna Wessman Donahue of Mackay.
He attended schools in Mackay, graduating in 1968. During high school, he competed in basketball, track, football and rodeo.
After high school, he competed and traveled across the Idaho Rodeo Association and Eastern Idaho Rodeo Association, competing in both bareback and bull riding for the first three years, and then focused primarily on bull riding thereafter. During that time, he also worked as a full-time ranch hand throughout the Lost River Valley.
Later in life, he graduated from Treasure Valley Community College with an Associate of Science degree in survey technology and a grade point average of 4.0.
Dennie married Vicki Lee Anderson on July 3, 1979; they knew each other from high school and had two children. Dennie P. Donahue was born in 1980, followed by Daniel R. Donahue in 1982. They later divorced but remained friends.
Dennie worked for the Bureau of Land Management for 10 years and a couple of summers before returning back to Mackay to help with the family ranch work.
Preceding him in death were his brother, Bobby; mother, Donna; and his grandparents.
He is survived by his sons, Dennie and Dan; his father, Buddy; his five brothers, Tom, Kelly, Kevin, Kieran and Tim; and two sisters, Ellen Corgatelli and Peggy Hurless.
His love for animals was undeniable and he was proud of the fact his word was his bond. Some of his most cherished moments were riding in the copper basin and bull riding.
A rosary will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at Saint Barbara's Catholic Church in Mackay. A funeral Mass will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27, in the Mackay High School auditorium, with visiting one hour prior to the services. Services are under the care of Lost River Funeral Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Dennie Donahue Fund currently being established at US Bank.
Published in Post Register on January 25, 2012


Eugene Henry Gabert Funeral Services Set - January 28 2012


Arco Idaho Views Today - January 25 2012

Arco's Number Hill today, January 25 2012 at 10:30 AM.

Highway 93 from Mackay to Arco Idaho - January 25 2012 10 AM

Highway 93 between Mackay and Arco looking south is much improved in the south bound lane compared to yesterday - north bound lane, not so much.
By noon, both the south and north bound lanes of Highway 93 ware pretty much clear.


Mine Hill from Highway 93 looking north at noon January 25 2012.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Slick Roads on Highway 93 - January 24 2012

Highway 93 looking north from Artemesia in Mackay, Idaho 9:30 AM January 24 2012.
 Highway 93 looking north from Park Avenue in Mackay, Idaho 9:30 AM January 24 2012.
 Highway 93 looking south just before Leslie, Idaho 9:45 AM January 24 2012
 Snowplow on Highway 93 looking south at Leslie, Idaho 9:45 AM January 24 2012.
 King Mountain from Moore, Idaho at noon January 24 2012.
 Moore, Idaho Post Office at noon January 24 2012.

Blast from the Past - Former Emmanual Episcopal Church Mackay Idaho History


The Mackay Emmanuel Episcopal Church erected in 1902 was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The old Mackay church on the southwest corner of Park Avenue and College was named to the register in November by the Idaho State Historical Sites Review Board as part of a Department of Interior program – to record and preserve the cultural, archeological, architectural and historical heritage of Idaho and its counties.

The Mackay Episcopal Church was picked as part of a statewide thematic group of 139 selected buildings designed by Tourtellotte and Hummel and successor architectural firms in Boise between 1897 and 1941.  The firm holds the distinction of being the single most important in Idaho architectural history. According to the state architectural report on the building, a square tower rises at the center front of a simple white clapboard church and is topped by an open belfry with turned wooden posts supporting the steeple.  A truncated hip roof and tall, slender spire from the steeple. A simple gable roof tops the church and windows are 4 paned, double hung sash.  Shallow pointed arches top the windows. Coordinating Architectural Historian for the State Historical Preservation Office said the church is the only building registered in the Mackay vicinity and there are no nominations pending in this area of the state.

During the first decade of the century, the firm was responsible for a number of the state’s major architectural landmarks; the neo-classical Review style State Capitol, the Romanesque Revival St. John’s Cathedral in Boise, and the academic late Gothic Revival Administration Building at the University of Idaho in Moscow.

Later in the 1920s, the firm built the Renaissance Revival Alexander’s Store, the Egyptian Revival Style Egyptian Theatre and the art deco Hotel Boise, all in the capitol city.

The Mackay Episcopal Church received its funding in the early days mainly through the efforts of the Empire Copper Company and its manager Wayne Darlington. Bishop Stoy of Pocatello traveled to Mackay to hold worship services rather on an erratic basis while the devoted women of the church would hold regular Sunday school and helped organize a Guild.

When his wife passed away, Milton Leland, who took over as manager of the mine after Darlington left Mackay before 1910, gave a beautiful stained glass window to the church in her memory. 

In 1976, that window was removed from the church and divided – part of which is now in the Arco Episcopal Church and the remainder is located at the Fort Hall edifice.

The membership was forced to close the church doors after several decades when interest declined and financial assistance became a problem.


In 1978, the church building was sold to Mackay resident Wayne Ivan Smith. (Edited Arco Advertiser February 17 1983). Ownership has passed through my people since that time.

The former Emmanual Episcopal Church today on the corner of Park Avenue and College, January 24 2012.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Snowing in Mackay Idaho - January 23 2012

Taken at noon, January 23 2012 on Highway 93 aka Custer Street looking south from Main Street. Note the price of gas in Mackay, Idaho is $309.9.
Kid's Creek (Swauger Slough) where Smelter Ave joins Main Street is very HIGH and ICED UP.
Today, a backhoe dug out the ice on the other side of the bridge where the creek runs along the River Park Golf Course


Remembering - William M. Matthews Obituary Mackay Miner May 10 1973



William M. Matthews was the founder of  Mackay's White Knob Motel and RV Park in 1963 which is still in business now in 2012.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Beautiful Day in Mackay Idaho January 22 2012

Mt. McCaleb and Lower Cedar Creek from Smelter Avenue.
 Mackay and Mine Hill from Bar Road. 

Blast from the Past - Sledding and Skiing on the Mine Hill 1940s


Emma Tschanz Wood and her new husband, Victor Wood sledding and skiing on the Mine Hill above Mackay Idaho in the 1940s. The Tschanz family ran Hudd's Confectionery (Tschanz's Confectionery) on Mackay Main Street. From the Max Tschanz Collection.



Saturday, January 21, 2012

New Snow in Mackay Idaho - January 21 2012

This photo of Mackay Main Street taken from Pine Street was at 11:15 AM, Saturday January 21 2012. Lots of people were over at the school watching Parks and Recreation Basketball for the little kids. No wind today and temperature right at freezing.
Finally, some sledding Mackay style. Guest Photo by TJ Park.


Blast from the Past - Antelope Valley History


Friday, January 20, 2012

Dennie Eugene Donahue Passes Away January 20 2012

Condolences to the Donahue Family.
Dennie E. Donahue, 62, passed away Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, in Mackay, Idaho. Dennie was born October 31 1949.
Funeral services are pending under the direction of Lost River Funeral Chapel. The funeral will be Friday, January 27 2012 at 2 PM at the Mackay High School.
Published in Post Register on January 21, 2012

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Mackay Gets a Skiff of New Snow - January 19 2012


Blast from the Past - Union Pacific Oregon Short Line Railroad Structures on Salmon Street in Mackay, Idaho. Early 1900's.




Structures along the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line Railroad from Salmon Street. Date Unknown and Women Unknown, but probably early 1900's. From the Sharon Phillips Huff Collection.