DO YOU REM EM BER?
H istorical n otes f rom the B ig B utte H istorical S ociety
R ecollections o f C harleen B row n
N ot only has our w inter w eather changed but sum m er tem peratures have changed as w ell.
In the 40 ’ s and 50 ’ s, our sum m er tem peratures usually topped out som ew here betw een 90 and 99
degrees. T he valley w ould often record tem peratures o f 100 degrees or m ore but rarely did w e
see anything over 95 or 96 degrees here in B utte F alls. T hat probably explains w hy those early
tourists left the valley to travel by train to this m ountain tow n to enjoy the cooler tem peratures.
A s kids, w e didn ’ t notice that our tem peratures w ere cooler than in the valley. S um m er
w as sum m er and w e spent out days hiking in the w oods, fishing or sw im m ing at several favorite
spots along B ig B utte C reek. A bout the only w ay to get to the creek w as to hike dow n by w ay o f
one o f the m any trails on the north and east sides o f tow n. T here w as a road to the falls but in
those days it w as barely passable. T he trails w ere easy to go dow n but it w as very steep clim bing
back up. B y the tim e w e reached the top, w e w ould be hot all over again.
T he E agle P oint Irrigation D istrict diversion dam ju st below the falls w as a favorite
destination. S till today, this dam creates a pool about 2 to 3 feet deep so w ater can be diverted
through the “ head gate ” into the irrigation canal. S om e people liked to use the pool to float
around on inner tubes but our favorite use w as to throw sticks into the w ater so our dogs could
sw im out and retrieve them . T his w as great sport until one day one o f us threw a stick a little too
far and “ F lash, ” the R am bo ’ s dog, got caught in the sw ift w ater that w as being pulled through the
“ head gate ” into the canal. W e all ran to the edge o f the w ater, scream ing for F lash to sw im but
the current w as too strong and he w as sucked under. In panic, w e ran over to w here the w ater
entered the canal and w aited for w hat seem ed an eternity. W e ju st knew that F lash w as a goner.
T hen, suddenly, he popped up paddling frantically. W e ran to w here w e could reach him and
pulled him out. H e coughed and sputtered a few tim es but w as no w orse for his ordeal. B ut, that
scare w as enough for us! T hat w as the last tim e w e ever threw sticks for the dogs at the
diversion dam .
T he canal ju st below the “ head gate ” w as our favorite place to sw im . T he w ater w as
sw ift but not very deep so w e could jum p in and paddle along w ith the current for about 30 feet.
T hen w e w ould grab onto the concrete side o f the canal and pull ourselves out, run back up and
do it again. O f course the w ater w as so cold that after only a few tim es, w e w ould have to lie
dow n on the concrete to w arm up in the sun. S un screen? W e never heard o f it. A nother
favorite activity at the canal w as to use inner tubes to float the canal from the flum e to the w ater
w heel. T he w ater w heel is w hat keeps fish from going dow n the canal and w as another place w e
w ould som etim es sw im .
T he sw im m ing hole at the falls w as used m ainly by older kids. A fter the m ill w as
rem oved, the falls w as allow ed to revert back to a m ore natural state and a pool about 15 feet
deep form ed at its base. E ven today, the w ater sw irls and the current is strong in places so only
the older kids and a few o f the bravest young ones dare to sw im there.
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