"Steunenberg will be one of the best of the new towns"

"STEUNENBERG. A few miles farther on (from Lawyers Canyon) lies the new town of Steunenberg, situated in the heart of a vast and beautiful farming section. One cannot observe the resources in sight of this place without coming to the conclusion that Steunenberg will be one of the best of the new towns. Adjoining the town site is the village of Ferdinand. Here there is no prejudice about the new town as Ferdinand is so close as to really be a part of it." --High Line of the Camas Prairie Railroad, researched and compiled by Byron Bovey and the Ilo-Vollmer Historical Society.

Of course, it didn't quite work out that way. Apparently the hotel and saloon in Steunenberg burned down. John P. Vollmer, director of the Northern Pacific Railroad, which co-owned the Camas Prairie Railroad, had purchased property along the right of way with an eye toward town development and profit. It was apparently decided that moving Ferdinand back near the railroad and referring to the whole area by that name would be the most profitable way to go. The town of Steunenberg disappeared into obscurity. Hopefully we can bring it back into the historical consciousness.

This information came to me via my kin Malcolm McClain who got it from his contact, Iver Jay Longeteig. Iver has kinfolk in Idaho county. Another example of information that is coming in through the "network."

Being the ever obsessive historian, I just purchased a couple of old maps that are on there way to me that have the town of Steunenberg. More to come.