Bayview Historical Society
BAYVIEW, ID
dedicated to preserving the history of Bayview, Lakeview and other locations on Lake Pend Oreille
|
dedicated to preserving the history of Bayview, Lakeview and other locations on Lake Pend Oreille
|
|
|
John and Jennifer Wilcox - Bayview
A fire erupted (right) on the docks in September of 1931 after a bottle of gas exploded. The float home and business was lost, even though most of the townspeople came to help fight the fire. Bucket brigades formed but it was too late to save the Wilcox's home, three boats and a dancehall. Mary, one of the children, braved the flames to save family possessions. Undaunted by the tragic event, the family rebuilt their home and business. This time it was a single-story affair. John continued his livery business and charmed Jenny with poetry recitations. Locals were impressed by his fluent Spanish which he acquired while working in Panama.
(Note from Linda: John and Jennifer's grandson "Skip" Wilcox, who has retired in Bayview, recalls fishing with his grandpa. One Wilcox daughter, Maude, now in her 90s, is living in Spokane and although nearly blind, tells amazing stories of early Bayview.)
|
Privacy Policy
Send mail to
linda@bayviewhs.com
with questions or comments about this web site.
|
John
Wilcox (1863-1944) came to Spokane, Washington, in 1898 with his wife Jenny (on
left) and eldest daughter Nona. Before that time he had a job in Panama running
what was called the "dead train," which carried yellow fever victims out of the
country. After moving to Spokane, John worked as a brakeman aboard the Spokane
International Railroad. They raised their seven children (Nona, Ray, George,
Harry, Maude, Mary and Beulah) in Spokane and later spent some time at Corbin
Junction, one of the stops along the Spokane International route. The family
loved to fish and visited Bayview after a branch line extended into town. They
bought their first 3-room float home in the mid-1920s and used it on weekends
and vacations. When John retired from the railroad in the late 20s, he bought a
boat livery business in Bayview. He rented boats and transported people across
the lake.
Then
in the mid-30s they decided to move the float home onshore and give up the boat
livery business, since they were "getting along in years." The home was floated
to the edge of the lake, placed on log rollers (left) and drug uphill by horses
to a permanent location on the corner of Main and Fifth, across from the hotel.
They
skirted the bottom of the structure, added a fence around the property and Jenny
planted some flowers.
The
home remains in that same location today but is now the Buttonhook Restaurant.
A few additions and remodeling have changed its appearance a bit, but the basic
structure is still identifiable.