HomeMy Public PortalAboutMcCall, Tomof Many Talents
Torn McCall was a farmer, rancher, innkeeper and postmaster, ammo! offer titles
"(A lake)
filled with
fish and
grass that
grew belly -
deep to a
horse. Not
sure about
the winters,
though."
—Description of
Payette Lake heard
by Tom McCall
(Note: This the first in an occa-
sional series to mark the centennial
of McCall's incorporation on July
19, 1911.)
BY BRIAN CORCORAN
For The Star -News
isions of opportunity, free
land and a fresh start in the
new state of Idaho caused
Tom and Louisa McCall to
pack up their family and a
few belongings to head west by train
from Missouri.
Traveling in advance of the rest of
the family, Tom arrived in Boise in 1889
to search for an ideal spot to establish
their new life.
By the end of the train trip from
Missouri, he had grown weary of the
endless sagebrush of southern Idaho and
yearned to find greener, less arid land to
raise livestock.
He stayed briefly in Boise, pleased
with the bustle and market potential of
the city and relieved to see some greenery
at the river's edge.
After a short time, Tom gained em-
ployment at the Marsh and Ireton Ranch,
later the community of Montour, about
30 miles northwest of Boise.
During that time, he heard of an
amazing place to the north with a lake
that was "filled with fish and grass that
At left, Tom Mc-
Call and his wife
Louisa, seated,
with relatives
standing behind
them in a photo
taken about
1915. Below, a
photo of the new
town of McCall
taken around
1900,probably
from the hill be-
hind the current
location of Toll
Station Pizza
and Pasta.
McCall family photo
courtesy Cort Conley
and the Idaho State
Historic Society/McCall
town photo courtesy
McCall Public Library.
grew belly -deep to a horse. Not sure about
the winters, though." This description
seemed to fit the vision that Tom hoped
to fulfill.
By early
1890, wife
Louisa and
sons Wil-
liam, Ben
and Dawson
came west
to join Tom
and to work
on the ranch
in prepara-
tion for the
trip north.
In the early spring of that year, the
family began their trek to the lake,
joining with other would-be Long Val-
ley settlers along the way. Their trip
began at the ranch, then the wagons
wound north through Ola along the
Little Squaw River and east over the
mountain ridge at Tripod Summit.
A Treacherous Trip
The trip was treacherous at times and
passage over snow-covered mountains
required the use of heavy logs to brake the
wagons on the downhill slopes. Rushing
rivers had to be forded and a wagonload of
supplies was lost in Lake Fork River.
See McCALL, Page A-14
1Q0
a:
McCall
(Continued from Page A-16)
Upon arrival at that south
shore of the Big Payette, the
travelers were awed by the
magnificent beauty of the
mountain -bordered lake. How-
ever, all in the group except the
McCall family chose to head
back further south in the val-
ley, perceiving the grazing and
farming to be better there.
An earlier settler, a home-
steader named Sam Dever, had
built a substantial cabin near
the south shore of the lake.
After a brief negotiation, Sam
agreed to trade this cabin and
land to McCall for his best har-
ness, team and wagon.
WithDever's departure, the
family converted the cabin to
meet their needs. This became
the McCa11's original 160-acre
homestead.
The cabin and subsequent
additions and outbuildings
exist only in photographs
today, but they were located
about where Hotel McCall
stands today.
Improvising and develop-
ing new skills to adapt to the
challenging conditions were
critical. "Making a living"
required imagination and
considerable foresight.
So, besides farming and
raising livestock, Tom McCall
eventually operated a sawmill
(forerunner to the Brown Tie
& Lumber Co.), became the
postmaster, built a hotel and
served as mayor and justice
of the peace.
Daughter Was First
Teacher
Sons, Ben and Daws car-
ried mail between Council
to Meadows and Van Wyck
to Warren. Daughter, Flora
arrived and eventually be-
came the first school teacher.
Dawson would later become
the first forest ranger in the
McCall District.
The McCalls were not alone
for long. Other families came
and stayed in those early
years, all contributing to the
creation of the community
that would become McCall.
The McCalls assisted and
mentored many of the later
arrivals to ensure the growth
of the community.
Louisa McCall was asked if
she had ever become discour-
aged during the early difficult
years, the harsh winters and
personal sorrows.
"Why, no, of course not,"
she said. " I had my family
with me."
"Besides, there was always
the lake and the mountains,
and the grand trees and the
sunshine," Louisa said. And
when I get a little discouraged,
s��
eD.-dr2
I used to walk out to the place
just above the lake and look
across that glorious beauty.
That was all I needed."
(Brian Corcoran is a
member of the McCall
Historic Preservation Com-
mission.)