The Washington, Idaho & Montana Railway Company (WI&M) was constructed in 1905-07 from Palouse, WA to Bovill, ID as the company railway of the Potlatch Lumber Company, which constructed the world’s largest lumber mill at Potlatch, ID to manufacture lumber from the last great stand of White Pine in North America. Extended to Purdue, ID (just short of 50 miles total) just north of Bovill, in 1910 it connected with the Elk River branch of the CM&StP Ry. which reached Potlatch’s second mill at Elk River. The WI&M connected at Palouse with the Northern Pacific and Inland Empire electric (later GN), and at Bovill with the CM&StP. The WI&M hauled logs to mill, lumber to connections, and was the main artery of commerce for the area tributary to it. It remained in Potlatch ownership until 1962, when it became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Milwaukee Road. With the shutdown of Lines West, it became the WI&M branch of the Burlington Northern (BN) and in 1996 became part of the Palouse River & Coulee City RR (PCC). Shortened to Harvard, ID, the line continues to operate under a succession of operators. Railroad and lumber company headquarters at Potlatch, ID were located in the large 2-story frame depot. Additional info in WHITE PINE ROUTE (Museum of North Idaho 2003) and
www.facebook.com/wimryhpg/ .
The WI&M Railway History Preservation Group (
www.wimryhpg.com) was founded in 1997 to preserve as much of the lines history as possible (see mission statement on website). Its centerpiece is the restoration of the Potlatch depot for public use, completed in stages with help of a $500,000 grant from the State of Idaho. Preservation efforts continue with WI&M (ex-NP) caboose #X-5 and a Bennett Lumber Products Co. (BENX) all-door boxcar, used as a public performance stage. One of the last pieces of the restoration has been the unpaved parking lot, used until now by the Potlatch City Garage. With its relocation, paving efforts can now be undertaken. The lot functions not only for parking for the depot's public use, but for lawn-chair spectatorship for events held outside in the Bennett car stage. The restored depot has been visited by Milwaukee Road Historical Association (2012 convention), Railway & Locomotive Historical Society (2016 convention), and mention in James D. Porterfield’s On the Menu column in Railfan & Railroad.
Each year the state of Idaho holds a giving day, Idaho Gives (
www.idahogives.org), until now one day in May, to benefit Idaho charities (separated into several classes by sizes of organization), with incentive bonuses for top donor-getting organizations. WI&MRyHPG has won its class several times resulting in numerous improvements to depot and projects. An interesting facet to this donating is that statistics are tabulated based upon number of individual donors rather than simply aggregate amount of donations. For instance, ten $10 donations from charitable railfans scores more than one $100 donation. This is counted by unique e-mail addresses and credit cards. So if you can donate more than once from different locations/cards, that counts up. Individual record is five. Donations can also be made by check to WI&MRyHPG, PO Box 181, Potlatch, ID 83855. If arrive in time they can be entered as a statistic.
This year, for a variety of circumstances, Idaho Gives has been changed from a one-day event to a two-week event covering April 23 through May 7. Anyone with interest in railway preservation is encouraged to donate.
Thanks to all interested and generous readers. Feel free to forward this to anybody and everybody.
Tom Burg