History

Information gathered by Olita Johnston, Councilwoman & Historian

    Our lake has not always been known as Hauser Lake. Old maps show that our lake has had three other names, Mud, Mudd, and Sucker Lake. So who was Hauser?
    Sometime after the gold and silver strikes in North Idaho, Daniel Corbin at the request of his good friend and governor of Montana, Samuel T. Hauser, came to North Idaho to look into the possibility of building a railroad into the Coeur d’Alene mining district. Corbin built a branch line on the Northern Pacific Railroad, which is now Hauser Junction. The line went through what is now Post Falls and on to the steamboat docks in Coeur d’Alene. Completed in 1886, it was approximately 13 1/2 miles long and was called Spokane Falls and Idaho Railroad. It is believed that Hauser Junction was named at the time the branch was completed by Daniel Chase Corbin in honor of his good friend and business partner who was appointed governor of Montana Territory in 1885 by President Cleveland. Samuel Thomas Hauser, born January 10, 1833, died in 1914. It would then follow that the lake and the Village would be named Hauser.
    Hauser Lake Village was incorporated May 12, 1947. Sometime later the State said, “Those who call themselves villages shall now call themselves cities." The village was the fifth new village in Kootenai County after Idaho enacted new laws governing slot machine operations and regulating liquor-by-the-drink.
    Trustees who were appointed were Charles Eisenhauer, Melvin Amundson, John Nelson, Walter Ness, and Ronald Blanchard. Blanchard was chosen chairman, Howard G. Miner, clerk of the board, and Lucile Nelson, Treasurer.

Settlements

From History of North Idaho
Western Historical Publishing Co., 1903

   Hauser is the junction of the main line with the Coeur d'Alene branch of the Northern Pacific Railroad. It is twenty-one miles east of Spokane and six miles southwest of Rathdrum, the county seat of Kootenai County. It is in the Spokane Valley, or what is termed locally, the Rathdrum Prairie, about midway between Mud Lake (now Hauser Lake) on the north and Spokane River on the south. The surrounding lands are largely agricultural and some of the best ranches in the county are in this vicinity. Its proximity to Post Falls, which is only about five miles away, has retarded progress at Hauser in a business way; but to the north and west is quite a large expanse of territory that must, when fully settled, become a tributary to the town. Consequently there is reason to believe that in the future it will become a thriving village.
   Settlements were made here as early as 1880, but in 1900 it was credited with a population of only 38. E. P. Manor, now of Rathdrum, was one of the early settlers and businessmen. He moved his business to Rathdrum in 1894.
   The main line of the railroad and its branch afford great shipping facilities. John Cogan is the present postmaster. He also conducts a general merchandise store. The town is pleasantly situated, with the prairie stretching away to the east and west and the mountains rising on the north and south. There is an abundance of timberland to the north that is valuable, not only for the timber, but for its productive qualities when cleared. It is a desirable location for home builders. Adjoining lands on all sides are being rapidly settled.

Newspaper Article

Below is an article from the Spokane Chronicle, September 20, 1920.

Dredging - Outlet

In 1947 dredging of Hauser Lake Outlet was conducted by the Idaho Fish and Game Department, Kootenai County, and a local gun club in order to expedite spring runoff so that adjacent farm lands could be settled earlier. A dam was constructed and boards placed across the outlet to maintain the lake level at approximately 2,188 feet.

Hauser Firestorm

From the book: Firestorm! Big blowup II In North Idaho, by Connie House, Copyright1992, LISTOS Publications, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

October 16, 1991

CHAPTER TEN-8:00 TO 10:00 a.m.

    Earlier that morning Gary Mobbs of Hauser Lake said goodbye to his wife and two young daughters and set out for work at the Cenex Distribution Center at the state line between Idaho and Washington. He looked even younger than his 32 years of age, a man of small to average stature, quick thinking and quick acting. He was pleased with his work with the 100% volunteer Hauser Lake Fire Department. He had been with them now for 13 years, and had been in the first group of officers trained by Mike Teal of the Post Falls Fire Department. He was dependable and hard-working and was now serving as the department’s Assistant Chief. He was about to experience the most intense day of his life.
    He was uneasy about the wind that morning. It was already blowing at what he estimated to be over 40 miles an hour and seemed to be building quickly. At the job, a few minutes after 8 a.m. he heard the call on his pager. DOWNED POWER LINE AT WESTSIDE!
    He answered the call immediately. When he arrived at the small community on the west side of the lake, he found three or four trucks already there with other volunteers manning them. They were not sure if the power line was live. A call was made to the power company to report the problem. Because of the dangerous high wind, the probability of other power lines also going down was high. They were concerned about the threat of fire should the arcing lines spark on the dry grass or brush.
    Instead of disbanding and going on their separate ways back to work, the men decided it would be better to stay on alert. They were glad they did.
    The calls came in fast. First, there was a large tree down across a double wide mobile home. They checked it out and found that there was no one inside and, miraculously, the mobile home was not damaged seriously. When they called to report this to the dispatcher based at Post Falls, she told them there was another crisis, many power lines reported down on the east side of Hauser Lake near Chef in the Forest restaurant, and these were reported to be live! They were sent there next.
    Mobbs’ instructions to the dispatcher were to get the power companies over there “on the double”. The volunteers also quickly arrived at that scene. They found those power lines not to be live either, as the power was out do to downed transformers. Later it would be different, but at this point the downed lines were still not causing fires to start. Nevertheless, they wanted this area cleared and the lines cleaned up, not knowing when the power might come back on and cause danger to persons near them, and the danger of igniting the very dry brush and grass.
    At this time calls came in fast and furiously to the dispatcher at Post Falls Police Department.
    Then, according to Mobbs, “We were being dispatched to so many different places so fast that all the firefighters then jumped into whatever vehicle was available, and later, when possible, changed trucks with someone else, to one more appropriate to the expected emergency.” He added that this had not happened before in his 20 years of experience.
    Mobbs’ radio was busy. SMOKE COMING FROM THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF THE LAKE! Said the dispatcher, GO DOWN AND CHECK IT OUT! Mobbs was startled momentarily as this was very near his own home.
    On the way he and another volunteer sawed through another large tree that had fallen on the road, blocking traffic. They cut it loose, moved it, and went on their way. Five minutes later they could see, as Mobbs said to the other man, “We’ve got a ripper going!”
    There were two fire trucks already there so Mobbs dispatched one on the west side of a small oval going to the source, and one to the east side. They would end up in the same place.
    Mobbs saw the need to set up a command post and as incident commander, did that at the intersection just below his house, that of North Hauser Lake Road, and Hauser Lake View Road, sometimes called Mobbs Road.
    Gary’s brother John, first captain, went to do a “size up”, or an estimation of how big, how fast, and what kind of material the fire was burning at the end of this oval. Both fire trucks came into the general scene.
    John radioed back, “Can’t find the fire’s head, it’s heading too fast!” As his brother Gary back at the command post heard him panting on the radio, he realized John was talking and trying to run uphill at the same time. This is really haulin’ butt!” was the next phrase heard, and the *&%$$*^&%!! Out of breath now, brother John forced out the words, “We need a second alarm!” Things then, according to Mobbs, happened extremely fast and became confusing as to time. Mobbs called for a second alarm from his newly set up command post. All radio traffic was supposed to go through him, although the firefighters have their own “talkard” line in their own frequency so they can talk to each other. Although there are 16 frequencies on these two-way radios, most frequencies were so busy as to be unusable, especially the scanner, which was picking up emergency calls from just over the state line, in Washington, where they were busy with their own problems.
    “Can’t catch the fire, it’s going too fast!” Gary Mobbs heard on the talkard line from his brother. “Call of anything you can get!”
    At that moment the fire crowned coming over the hill not 200 feet to the west of the command post. Mobbs had just called the Post Falls Police Department dispatcher and requested Post Falls and Rathdrum Fire Departments. “Can’t do it, they’re too busy fighting their own fires!”
    “Then have Newman Lake come over!”
    “Can’t, they have fires of their own!”
    “Then get Hayden Lake, Kootenai No. 1, Coeur d’Alene—anyone! We’ve got a possible full blown disaster here!”
    As a result, nearby departments sent what help they could: Hayden Lake sent one pumper, Kootenai Fire District No. 1 sent several pumpers (which later had to be recalled when they had the danger headed into their own areas.) Coeur d’Alene sent one pumper. With all this equipment came several trained volunteers.
    Mobbs placed a call then to Idaho State Department of Lands, who are responsible for fighting fires in the timbered areas, “Where there were two acres a few minutes ago, now there are 50 acres!” was Mobbs’ information to them.
    “You’re telling me it’s a big fire?”
    “You got it, and there’s 12 homes up this road where it’s headed!”
    For an instant, Mobbs thought of his wife who was supposed to be at her grandmother’s house on the other side of the lake, as was their youngest daughter. Their older daughter was in nursery school at Rathdrum. He felt the emotional pressure of not knowing for sure they were safe and not being able to find out or to help them. He still felt an empty spot and deep hurt from losing a daughter to an illness five years ago, and he didn’t want to lose another.
    But he didn’t have time to think about that.
    He gave orders to evacuate the area, a job that was not usually one of the volunteer fire department; but in that crisis situation, had to be done immediately. The Kootenai County Sheriff and one of his deputies then arrived and asked, “What are you doing?” to which Mobbs replied, “I sure as hell don’t know.”
    Editor’s note: In fact, he knew very well, and was risking his life and his own property to help save others, and following established procedures as well as possible while doing it.
    “I really don’t know,” was his response again. He called the two fire trucks off the hill to regroup. By now numerous citizens were coming in to try to help. Mobbs had no idea how many people there were already fighting the fires, nor how many of these really were experienced in firefighting. But for their own safety and the safety of all concerned, he knew he needed to rely on trained volunteers.
    Confusion was great. There were so many fire trucks coming in and equipment and volunteers of all kinds. The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department had called in off-duty persons, even the animal control man was there to help. To the persons Mobbs barked, “I want Morris Road, Matheson Road, and Three Forks road cleared! Evacuate them, if they won’t leave, the residents will be trapped, the fire is going too fast, and there is only one way out of Three Forks.” This was the information Mobbs gave to the sheriff and his men.
    The wind was relentless and unpredictable, still at 65 miles an hour. But, in general, the largest part of the fire was traveling southwest to northeast.
    The dispatcher called again and said three trucks were coming and also the Department of Lands wanted a new “size-up” now. Mobbs’ response was, “I don’t know, it’s going too fast!”
    The dispatcher responded, “Post Falls can come out with a ladder truck.”
    “What can we do with a ladder truck? Well, okay, we’ll take the ladder off and haul men on it. Send it!”
    At this time it was learned that the road on the west side of the lake was blacked because of trees down, so they had to divert traffic to the narrow, twisty gravel back roads. This created another problem. Mobbs knew that the three expected fire trucks could not come in because of their length. They wouldn’t be able to negotiate the road at best, and especially with so many civilians’ cars in the way. These cars belonged to citizen volunteers, well-meaning persons – a few “Lookers”, but they were helpers for the most part, according to Mobbs.
    “Clear the cars out so the fire trucks can come in, and evacuate – get the people out – don’t take time to take any possessions, it’s going too fast!”
    The sheriff’s men responded immediately and the road was clear. Evacuation began.
    First Captain John Mobbs and Second Captain Rick Herrera had returned from the first hill, but went back up with an attack truck, which is a smaller four-wheel drive with a small amount of water, and were trying to save a house. They helped the lady out with a few of her possessions. Quickly the fire sneaked around both sides of the house with 60 mile an hour plus speed. They were risking their lives, putting safety second trying to save the house.
    “We gotta go!” said Rick, “We’re losing our road!”
    “Just a little bit more, just a little bit more!” was the response.
    “Let’s go, let’s go!”
    “Just a little bit more!” They were still trying to save the house, but then they ran out of water and had to leave. There was no road, only fire, so they jumped into their small truck, lowered their heads, and drove directly through the flames.
    At the Kootenai County Sheriff Department 911 center, Bert Rohrback, communications supervisor, heard the beginning of the 45 fire reports calls they were to receive during the day. He and others wondered if this were the result of one fire, or if there were 45 separate ones.
    He drove out in his truck to see for himself what was going on. When he got Hauser Lake he jumped out of his truck and said, “Wow! We’ve got a major disaster going on here!”
    Rohrbach decided instantly to set up an incident command post at the area behind the Hauser fire station. His primary goal was to set up communications, which he did, and then later turned over the command of the post to the Fire Management Resource Team, with Bob Bosworth in charge.
    Rohrbach also set up a command post at Hauser City Hall, which the Idaho Department of Lands Area Manager Stan Galloway took over.

############

Personal memory of D. J. Nall:

The fire traveled on the north side, south side, and east side of Hauser Lake. Our fire department volunteers were tireless in their efforts to save homes while the Department of Lands took over fighting the timber fires. People were not allowed to come onto the lake and many congregated at Curly’s Tavern as they helplessly watched the inferno that looked like the entire area was burned. Since I had not been evacuated, I got up early the next morning and drove around the lake. It was like a ghost town since there were no other vehicles on the road. The air was still filled with smoke but the winds had stopped.. I came home and called Curly’s. I told the owner to tell everyone that Hauser Lake is still beautiful.

The City of Hauser turns 60

From The Rathdrum Star, May 16,2007

By Barbara Rostad

   Slot machines, a bar in the basement of the old school-house, fishing derbies and the legend of a logging truck sunk in the lake are but a handful of stories compromising Hauser's sixty-tear history as a city.
    Incorporated May 12, 1947, Hauser was the fifth new "village" to be formed in Kootenai County after new laws were enacted that governed slot machine operations and regulated liquor-by-the-drink.
    Later Idaho decreed that "those who call themselves villages shall now call themselves cities."
    Though the city's name is now Hauser, the earlier moniker "Village of Hauser Lake" is partially retained in a section on the west side known as the Lake Village District. It boasts the Main Street of Hauser with homes clustered along several intersecting streets.
    Before incorporation, back when the railroads were built, Hauser Junction was the name used. Daniel Corbin, who built a 13 1/2 mile branch line from there to the steamboat docks in Coeur d'Alene, chose it to honor his friend and business partner Samuel T. Hauser. Hauser was appointed governor of Montana Territory in 1885 by President Grover Cleveland and the branch Corbin built was completed in 1886.
    Those early days before incorporation had a feature Hauser lacks today - from 1888-0907 a post office. Now it's a century since the community had that distinction.
   John Matheson, whose father James was clerk, for the first city council, has lived at Hauser most of his life and remembers when all the bars had slot machines. Since bars were closed on Sundays in Washington back then, Saturday night and Sunday were especially busy at Hauser.
    Bars included the well-known Rainbow Inn, currently closed, as well as Woodland Beach, Hauser Inn and the Colonial Club, located in the basement of the old schoolhouse.

Hauser Celebrates Dual Events

From The Rathdrum Star, May 16,2007

By Barbara Rostad

    A joint celebration of Hauser's sixtieth birthday and the dedication of the new watercraft rinse station, first of its kind in Idaho, begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 19 near the county park's boat launch.
    Opening ceremonies will feature a presentation of the colors by Boy Scouts.
    Master of Ceremonies John Wallis, president of the Hauser Lake Watershed Coalition, will ask Mayor Ed Peone to introduce District 5 legislators, Sen. Jim Hammond and Reps. Frank Henderson, Bob Nonini and Eric Anderson who initiated the funding bill for the rinse station along with Kootenai County, Commissioner Rick Currie and Post Falls Mayor Clay Larkin.
    Wallis will explain the rinse station, which is intended to keep invasive Eurasian water-milfoil out of Hauser Lake.
    The design concept for this rinse station was initiated by Hauser resident Wiley Marks with the actual plans developed and laid out by Del Hatch.
   Ribbon-cutting will follow. A barbecue, cake and ice cream, music by bluegrass band "Spur of the Moment", display booths and a jump house for kids are all part of the festivities.
    Meanwhile, at the Hauser Lake Fire Station, the Ladies Fire Auxiliary is planning a rummage sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale begins Friday, May 18 with the same hours.
   Donations for the sale may be made by calling Elaine Simms 773-7457 or Lisa Wendle 773-3067.
   In addition, the new fire truck, Hauser's first in over 50 years, will be on display.

Milfoil rinse station to be unveiled

By BRIAN WALKER
Staff writer
The Coeur d'Alene Press
May 17, 2007
City of Hauser to celebrate 60 years

HAUSER -- The unveiling of Idaho's first stationary watercraft rinse station to prevent Eurasian milfoil will be held Saturday in conjunction with the city of Hauser's 60th birthday celebration.

The rinse station dedication starts at 11 a.m. behind the Hauser Lake fire station, 10728 Hauser Lake Rd., followed by the birthday barbecue at noon.

"The rinse station will be a boilerplate for the rest of the state to follow," said Jim Wallace of the Hauser Lake Watershed Coalition.

The station was funded with a $17,000 Idaho Department of Agriculture grant.

Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest River, the sponsor of the effort to obtain the state funds, will receive the coalition's first merit award for "making a difference."

Reps. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, and Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Post Falls, will be recognized for assisting with the project.

The first watercraft to be used at the rinse station will be the coalition's pontoon boat shown by James and Jabet Wheeler.

The Lakeland A Cappella choir will perform and the Lakeland Junior Miss court will be on the watercraft.

Hauser Lake does not have milfoil, an invasive weed that has spread to many Idaho lakes.

"The rinse station is expected to not only prevent the noxious weed from establishing itself in Hauser Lake, but also to eliminate the need to take other eradication action," said John Wallis, coalition president.

Motorists will simply tow their watercraft into the rinse station and spray them with water to rinse off weeds and other materials that remained on the craft after the last outing.

Coalition members will hand out educational materials at the station this summer. The city of Hauser will then take over oversight of the station, which is at the lake's lone boat launch.

"The rinse station is a major accomplishment for the (coalition) and a true asset to any lake community, let alone one the size of Hauser," Wallis said.

Wallis said the city's involvement helped make the grant application attractive to the state.

Local businesses and groups kept the project under budget and provided upgrades to the station, Wallis said. Those assisting included the Lions Club, Central Pre-Mix, Cedar Creek Builders, Harsh Construction, Ferguson Enterprises, Consolidated Supply, Poe Asphalt, Coeur d'Alene Paving, Panhandle Concrete Products and Sawhorse Ranch.

The birthday celebration will feature a barbecue, cake and music by the local bluegrass band Spur of the Moment. Hauser Mayor Ed Peone will speak. Both events are free and open to the public.

Hauser, which has about 700 residents, was incorporated in May 1947.

Information: Wallis, 777-6967

Hauser celebrates 60 years on the map

Jacob Livingston
Spokesman-Review
May 17, 2007

HAUSER – The community of Hauser will hold a beachfront birthday bash to celebrate the town's 60th anniversary on Saturday morning.

At 11 a.m. at the city's public beach, the birthday blitz will kick off with events including a bluegrass band, a barbecue, children's play areas, display booths and a special unveiling of Idaho's first watercraft rinse station, designed to help prevent Eurasian milfoil from invading Hauser Lake.

The birthday party is "going to be fun," said city Councilman Don Werst, who has helped plan the day's festivities. "You only get one 60th."

The whole town is chipping in to make it happen, said John Wallis, president of the Hauser Lake Watershed Coalition, the group behind the rinse station's construction.

With financial assistance from the state for the rinse station and with the hard work of the small town's residents in getting everything ready, the birthday bash will pay tribute to the town's greatest asset, Wallis said.

"It's local people realizing that this thing has some value, the value being this lake," he said.

The state's first milfoil rinse station will be officially christened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Mayor Ed Peone will lead the citywide celebration, and several representatives of state government, including the Department of Environmental Quality, will be on hand for the dedication.

"It's definitely a community project," Wallis said, adding that officials hope to use the day to educate the public on the invasive weed and how to prevent it from spreading. "The more people we can get … the better it's going to be."

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