Sterry and Blatchley Halls-College of Idaho-circa 1910

Sterry Hall on the campus of the College of Idaho. Today, this is where you would go to visit the COI Archive and find Jan Boles hanging out (well, at least some of his time) and watching over our Steunenberg family documents. I don't believe "the hat" would have been built yet, but this picture would have been taken from out near Cleveland Blvd. about where it is located. See Interurban post below. Once Jan gets back to work, I am sure he can shed more details on the construction and history of Sterry Hall. Anyway, this photo postcard will be heading for the archives if Jan wants it. Otherwise, I will keep it in the personal collection as it is a great old picture.


BTW...click and enlarge it and then see if you can tell what any of those reflections are in the windows, particularly the lower ones.



This card is indirectly Steunenberg related since the governor & the family were quite involved with COI through the years and friends with the Boone's and Blatchley's. This was just a nice early view and I am giving it to Jan for the college archives. Look at the desolate land around the home in those days. Hard to imagine it if you go to Blatchley Hall today. Following information from Jan Boles, COI Archivist: The identifications are, left to right: Mr. and Mrs. Montie Gwinn, Margaret “Babe” Boone (the little girl), H.D. Blatchley (Henry), Sarah Boone, Mrs. H.D. Blatchley (Carrie), James Louden Boone, Marie Boone, Mrs. William Judson Boone (Annie). The photo was made by Dr. William Judson Boone, husband of Annie, father of Babe, Sarah, Marie, and James, and first president of The College of Idaho. Carrie Blatchley and Monte Gwinn were sister and brother. Both Montie and Henry were Caldwell merchants in the early 1880s. They were movers and shakers for the creation of The C of I in 1891. Montie and Henry were early trustees. In later years Henry served as college librarian. Montie was instrumental in the creation of the first paved highway between Idaho and California. Carrie was on the early faculty, teaching art history. Babe Boone became a professor of English at the C of I; she was my favorite professor (1963-1965). The building is the Blatchley home, constructed in 1910. It was donated to the college in 1918, becoming Blatchley Hall. It was first used as the president’s home. Later it became the home of the music department. The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks, Jan B (This pic is now the property of the COI Archives, jr)


'The night before the governor's walk had witnessed the seasons grandest dinner party, cohosted by Caldwell's social arbiter, Queen Carrie Blatchley; William Judson Boone and their spouses for a group of refined young couples, including two attorneys, an insurance agent, a pastor, and the manager of a lumber company. "Very pleasant," Boone recorded in his diary. "Fine time."'

"The next evening...The Reverend Mr. Boone and his wife had been entertaining their closest friends, the Blatchleys, when they heard a "terrific" noise. They thought something had fallen on the roof."
--Big Trouble by J. Anthony Lukas