Setting the Centennial record straight

Congratulations to Lake County on its Centennial and to Gale Decker and others for assembling the insert in last week’s Leader. Two minor corrections should be noted:

The first Clerk of District Court was not John McGrann of Big Arm as was reported in the May 3, 1923 issue of The Flathead Courier. The next week’s issue reported an error after the official canvass. D. A. Cubbage of Valley View was elected. He was elected again in 1924 and 1928.

Also, the county did not begin to function on Friday, August 10, 1923. That day was declared a national day of mourning to honor former President Warren G. Harding who died August 2, 1923. “… The new county will not begin to function until Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m.,” according to the Aug. 9, 1923, Courier (montananewspapers.org). The next week’s paper said, “Lake County, which has been the dream of the people of this section for many years, became a reality last Saturday when the doors of the county offices were opened and the transaction of county business began.”

Kitty Pedersen

Retired Clerk of District Court (1980-2004)

Polson