Riverton Classical Academy secures land donation in Heyburn
Heyburn
Heyburn kids read the summer away
May Melycher, 8, enjoys the food at a special picnic for students who participated in a successful summer reading program at Heyburn Elementary.
By Wayne Hoffman
Heyburn – You don’t picture students reading and taking tests during the summer. But at Heyburn, students have just finished a program which encouraged them to do both on their own.
Heyburn Elementary School Students have been going to the school library two days a week since June. They’ve been encouraged to check out books based on how well they’re able to read on their own.
When they’re done with each book, they take a computer comprehension test. Correct answers earn them points to spend at the school’s Reader’s Emporium.
The Parent Teacher’s Organization sponsors the Reader’s Emporium – a special store where earned points earn everything from costume jewelry to stuffed cougars to radios.
May Melycher, 8, said she enjoyed reading books to her little brother, Jesse, 3.
“I mostly read Disney books because he likes the stories,” May said. “He likes Lion King the best.”
May’s mom, Jackie Melycher, said the reading program has helped Jesse, as he’s been a slow talker.
It’s helped May, also.
“May is a good reader,” Jackie Melycher said. She’s done so well in Mrs. Jones’ class.”
About 500 hundred students signed up to check out books and take tests during the summer. Yesterday, the kids who took part in the program and the parents and school staffers who helped with it were honored at a special picnic on school grounds.
“Express” Coloring Contest
Stacey Murphy (left), and Suzette Bingham (right), West One Bank tellers, presented backpacks and fannypacks to the Heyburn Elementary School first and second prize winners of the West One “Express” Christmas Train Coloring Contest. Winners of the contest are (second from left) Tyler Taylor, second prize, May Melycher, first prize and second graders Adelia Saunders, second price and Wesley Cooper, first prize. The contest was sponsored by West One Bank – Mini-Cassia Branch.
Jesse Melycher Newspaper Snap
Heyburn Elementary School students enjoyed a reward Thursday for helping raise $1,100 for Ricky Hollahan, 12, who recently received a kidney transplant. Students enjoying ice cream bars include kindergartners A.J. Vargas, far right, Jesse Melycher, Elida Arriaga and Jonathan Post.
Burley Idaho Temple Groundbreaking
I do not know who thought that Burley, Idaho, might actually get a temple. But when it was announced on 4 April 2021 by President Russell M. Nelson, we have been watching closely since! I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the groundbreaking as a representative for the City of Heyburn. It was a brisk, cool, windy day, but our excitement was evident. Burley native Brent H. Nielson attended and was presided at the groundbreaking.
After the groundbreaking was formally over, I ran home and grabbed my family to bring them back over to do their own shovel turning.
I really wanted this to be something they were a part of from the beginning.
They even had it available so you could take a little bag of the soil home!
It was a memorable occasion. We also participated by writing our names on rocks to be placed in the foundation of the temple. Over 7,000 rocks were placed in the foundation pours of the temple. Workers made sure to turn each of the rocks so the names faced upward. Our names are literally part of the temple!
Heyburn Train Depot
This photo popped up a while ago on an Idaho History Page. I downloaded the photograph and wanted to share it. The photo is of the Heyburn Train Depot in the very early days of the City.
Growing up in the area, I never thought much of Heyburn. It was just in the middle as we were going somewhere. Now that I am the City Attorney, I have learned much more of Heyburn, its past and its future.
Heyburn’s name was changed from Riverton as apparently the Post Office thought there were too many. Senator Weldon Brinton Heyburn represented Idaho in the United States Congress at the time. He was a big man and had served Idaho since 1903. He collapsed on the Senate floor in 1912 and died some time later.
As an interesting bit of history, I thought I would share this Bureau of Reclamation contract with Heyburn from 1910.
As you can see, the contract is between the unincorporated Town of Heyburn and the United States Reclamation Service. I am not entirely clear how an unincorporated town signs a contract. Minidoka County had not been created yet, that is 3 years later, so this is in Lincoln County. Acting for the now Bureau of Reclamation was Charles H Paul, the project engineer for the construction of the Minidoka Dam and delivery system. As you can see, the contract is dated 19 February 1910. The City of Paul is named after Charles Howard Paul (1875-1941).
This was the agreement for the Bureau to delivery water for irrigation to the City each year. This contract is still in place.
Heyburn was incorporated in Lincoln County, Idaho on 18 January 1911.
Lincoln County Board of Commissioners Minutes, Book #2, pages 285-286:
“In the matter of the incorporation of the Village of Heyburn. This matter came on regularly to be heard and it appearing to the Board that a petition signed by a majority of the taxable inhabitants of the proposed Village of Heyburn, Lincoln County, Idaho, has been presented and duly filed, praying that they may be incorporated as a Village, designating “Heyburn” as the name they wish to assume and describing the metes and bounds of the proposed Village, and the Board being satisfied that a majority of the taxable inhabitants of the proposed Village have signed such petition, and that such proposed Village has not heretofore been incorporated under any law of this State, it is therefore ordered and declared that the said Village proposed in said petition be and the same is hereby incorporated under the name of the “Village of Heyburn” with metes and bounds as follows:
5 miles to the northeast corner of Section 1, thence south 10 miles to the southeast corner of Section 24 Township 8 South Range 15 East, thence west 6 miles to the southwest corner of Section 19, thence north 2 miles, thence west 1 mile, thence north 1 mile, thence west ½ mile, thence north 1 mile to the quarter corner on the north of Section 2 Township 8 South Range 14 East, thence west ½ mile to the place of beginning.
Lincoln County Board of Commissioners Minutes, Book #2, pages 287:
“In the matter of the appointment of five persons as Trustees of the Village of Heyburn duly incorporated and this being the time of the incorporation of said Village and for the appointment of Trustees for the same pursuant to law; therefore it is ordered by the Board that the following named persons possessing the qualifications provided by statute be and they are hereby appointed Trustees of the said incorporated Village of Heyburn to hold their office and perform all the duties required of them as such Trustees by law until the election and qualification of their successors: T. J. Smith, F. H. Adams, B. F. Kimerling, Lee St Clair, and George E. Schroeder.
Old Paul School
Old Paul School
I don’t know the year the Paul Independent School District was created, but it was Paul Independent District #3. After a successful vote in 1948, Paul Independent School District was one of 17 districts that combined to create Minidoka County Joint School District #331. For your information, those Districts were Acequia (2 – Rural and Independent), Big Bend, Empire, Heyburn (2 – Joint and Common), Hopewell, Jackson, Lincoln, Minidoka, Paul, Pioneer, Rosston, Riverview, Rupert, Walcott, and Washington.
Later, a consolidated high school, Minidoka County High School or Minico High School, was built. The last graduating class of Acequia, Heyburn, Paul, and Rupert High Schools was 1955. 1956 ushered in the first graduating class of Minico.
The building above was the Paul School which included the high school. This building burned down by arson in 1977 and the present building was built in 1980 with some minor additions since. The old ball fields are still behind with the backstops. The current elementary has the old bell hanging in front of the school sheltered from the elements.
Current Paul Elementary
Here is another picture of the old school from the Paul water tower.
Paul, Idaho from water tower
Adams Block
Adams Block, Paul, Idaho
I came across some pictures of Paul, Minidoka County, Idaho recently. Thank you to the City of Paul for making them available.
I remember this building as a kid. Somehow the alley immediately behind this building I seemed to get puncture weeds that would flatten my tire and then I had to walk over to the tire store to get it fixed. I felt an attachment to the building even though I never entered that I recollect. I was saddened when they tore the building down in the late 1980’s or early 1990’s.
The photo says it was the Paul Store Co. on Idaho Street and Main Street in Paul. Just behind the building away further to the right is Paul Elementary. I don’t know anything about Paul Store Co. but this photo has K & C Auction written on the front of the building.
I think the Adams Block at the top of the façade is more interesting.
J. E. Earley and Frank Adams were the founders of the Southern Idaho Review, a newspaper that was established in Heyburn, not far from Paul.
Francis “Frank” Henry Adams was born 18 September 1880 in London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada. I am not sure exactly why he came to the Minidoka Project, but he was involved with the Heyburn newspaper very early on. The Heyburn website indicates the newspaper started publishing in 1905.
Frank then went on to marry Clara Louise Schodde, son of the well-known rancher Henry & Minnie Schodde whose homestead is located about 3.5 miles west of Heyburn, about 2.5 west of Paul and about 3 miles to the south. Clara, born 1 August 1884, is claimed the first baby born in the area north of the Snake in what is now Minidoka County. Frank and Clara married 10 June 1908 in Heyburn by Rev. Merkins.
I don’t know what the Adams Building was originally built for. All I know is that it was a stately building that eventually lost usefulness and was demolished for storage units. When I was looking for somewhere to locate my law office when I came to Idaho, I did reminisce about the Adams Building wishing it was still there as I was trying to locate the owner of the old Paul State Bank. The owner was not interested in selling and the Adams Building was only a memory.
I remember walking along Main Street when the building was being demolished. I saw the old Adams Block blocks sitting in the rubble and wanting to climb the fence to grab them and take them home. Funny what memories we recall.
Sagacity 