| 'They
Called This Canyon Home'
The Ilo-Vollmer Historical Society in Craigmont is proud to host a book signing for the release of IVHS member Dick Southern’s new book he co-authored entitled They Called This Canyon Home. The book signing will be on Sunday, October 28th from 1:00 p.m. till 4:00 p.m. at the Craigmont community hall. This book, the culmination of two years of research, commemorates the 100th anniversary of the historic Bethmann family establishing their home in the “Mansion” at Pardee, Idaho. Work on the book was started in 2010 when Susan Turner of Spokane contacted the Ilo-Vollmer Historical Society requesting information on the Bethmanns. Susan was referred to Southern, and these two historians teamed up to research and document the Bethmann family with photographs and facts. Even though the two lived 150 miles apart, this was not a deterrent to their collaboration. The huge Bethmann home and the small settlement of Pardee no longer exist. Their land, personal and household possessions have been sold off, sometimes for a second time. Family members, neighbors and acquaintances have passed on, leaving little first-hand documentation. Both authors agreed that rumor and gossip have surrounded the Bethmanns, and to their knowledge, no one has actually searched all available records to extract the pertinent facts. Even though the researchers were not granted access to all personal family material, the project involved thousands of hours of research and included travel, phone calls, and interviews. Southern designed and published this 206 page book, using a 32 lb. glossy paper which reproduced the photographs in a professional quality. Hundreds of pictures along with documented facts, offers a clearer perspective about the people and places with whom Emilie Bethmann and her family interacted. It is the hope of the authors that this endeavor will provide the public with an interesting historical account of these early Idaho settlers. Susan Turner, now of Spokane, grew up on a ranch in Asotin County, Washington, where she started singing and yodeling. This resulted in several invitations to turn professional but due to the distance of New York and Los Angeles, she decided not to try either. She became involved with the Civic Theater in Lewiston, Moscow and Spokane for the next 15 years. Susan finally put her lifelong love of history to work researching courthouse records and reading biographical books on archaeology in her spare time. Her quest for knowledge of the past grew into a worldwide avocation, taking her to archaeological digs in the U.S. and Europe. Presently she is a member of several historical societies and is a well known genealogist among her friends and family. She has had two poems published, but this will be her first book. Dick Southern lives in a house built in 1898 on a ranch between Craigmont and Winchester. He is an active member of the Ilo-Vollmer Historical Society and was recognized in 2011 with the Idaho State Historical Society’s Esto Perpetua Award for outstanding contributions to individual, local, and regional historic preservation. He has traveled to area schools and organizations to realistically represent Colonel William Craig, Idaho’s first permanent white resident. Southern is also a recognized authority of Victorian era flow blue china and was a co-founder of the Flow Blue International Collector’s Club in 1986. His first publication, A Look at Labelle, is a reference book for flow blue collectors. He is currently at work on a sequel. The Bethmann book is offered in two formats. Comb bound books with laminated covers are $37.10 including tax. Forty-five limited 1st edition hard cover books are available for $47.70 including tax. Shipping and handling is $4.50 per book. For more information or to order, please contact Dick Southern, 1018 Trautman Road, Craigmont, Idaho, 83523 or email col_craig57@yahoo.com. Please plan to join the Ilo-Vollmer Historical Society as they help Mr. Southern and Ms. Turner debut They Called This Canyon Home on Sunday, October 28th. |
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