Influenza in Idaho

A year ago, a report on how the Spanish Influenza pandemic affected a city in Idaho would have helped a student to gain perspective and hopefully even some empathy for the intensity of such widespread sickness in the aftermath of war and sweeping social change. That same report this summer of 2020 has a student exploring and mining historical databases for information that contains striking parallels to our own life today.

Bonners Ferry is a small, rural town in northern Idaho. While the sources used are specific to Bonners Ferry, the experience described and reported is not unique to only these residents. Rural towns and cities across Idaho and the nation were all grappling with the same issues. They needed to figure out the best way to protect their residents and mitigate the spread of Spanish Influenza in the fall of 1918. According to the Department of Health and Welfare for the State of Idaho, “Pandemic influenza arrived in Idaho sometime before the end of September, 1918. The Public Health Service did not require states to report influenza before September 27, 1918.” The information gleaned from a search of the Bonners Ferry Herald between the years of 1918-1920 supports that statement.

In very early October, references began to appear in the society section letting people know of families and individuals who were sick with Spanish Influenza, or who had traveled to visit family and care for ill loved ones. At that point disease was being treated by the newspaper as a curiosity, a side note relevant only to the comings and goings of its residents. However, very quickly the tone of reporting changed, and by mid-October articles about widespread flu and potential quarantine measures were being printed. On October 15, 1918 it was reported that “the state health board issued orders to all county physicians to…enforce stringent restrictions against the congregating of crowds in places of public amusement or assemblage.” It was also decided by School District No. 4, which covers Bonners Ferry, that it would immediately suspend classes. Bonners Ferry was ahead of the curve on shutting down schools as most towns waited a few more weeks to implement such closures.

One of the really interesting finds when searching through these papers, and its parallel exists today, was the inevitable next step of people trying to make a buck by offering helpful advice, tonics, potions, and immune boosters to help a person beat the flu. An advertisement on October 22, 1918 made to look like an official article touted the beneficial properties of “Tanlac” then helpfully “being sold in Bonners Ferry by C.D. Simmons.”

November 1918 was filled with reports about when and how quarantine efforts would ever end. December brought reporting on statistics of disease transmission, mortality rates and histories of pandemics of the past. As Bonners Ferry moved into 1919-1920, reporting focused on how efforts of councils that had been in place to support the homefront efforts of WWI were now being directed to support local county efforts to combat the flu. Eventually most references to Spanish Flu in 1919-1920 were found in obituaries, notices, and the occasional report of the spread in cities abroad.

A somewhat surprising aspect of researching this report is that even with a century of technology, health care infrastructure, and increasing knowledge of disease transmission and mitigation, there are many striking parallels to today’s COVID-19 Pandemic. While of course a different time and a different disease, we can nevertheless learn from the successes and failures of those who lived through similar experiences, regardless of time or place.

Jessica Owens, June 2020

The “Spanish” influenza pandemic of 1918 through 1920 swept through the country and resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths in the United States alone. While the number of deaths in the state of Idaho is not fully known, it can be said that rural areas were worse-off than those that were urbanized. [1]  Within the small, northern town of Wallace, Idaho, the primary concern was not that of influenza, but rather the lack of a work force within the many mines in the area due to both the flu and the Great War. [2]  

The first cases of the flu in Idaho were reported in October of 1918, which included a case in Wallace. [3]  A news article in The Wallace Miner, which was published in the same month as the first case, introduced protective measures to keep the flu virus at bay and citizens healthy. With a shortage of physicians and nurses due to the Great War, it became ever so important to ensure that the majority of people stayed healthy. Along with healthcare shortages, staying healthy and avoiding the flu virus was seen as a patriotic duty of every citizen. Therefore, there were many preventative measures put into place in Wallace. [4]  Some measures taken were simple, such as avoiding contact with others, covering your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing, and washing your hands often and keeping them out of your mouth. Others, however, were more specific, such as keeping the temperature in the home between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit, eating plain and nourishing foods, and keeping your feet dry. Other precautions included sleeping with a window open, not spitting in public, and keeping individual basins, utensils, towels, and soap. Along with these safeguards, it was required by Wallace health authorities that all people wear a facemask while in public. [5]  

With the many defenses against the flu, however, no quarantine was put into place within the town of Wallace. Officials in Idaho’s capital city, Boise, said, “The quarantine is worthless so far as stamping out influenza is concerned; that closing of dances and theatres is of no consequence; that the influenza epidemic will continue until complete immunization of people is established…” [6]  Although many health officials in Wallace thought quarantining was the best solution to keeping the flu from spreading, most people were “violently opposed” to any type of quarantine. Because of this, many public meetings and gatherings occurred in the midst of the epidemic. This led many people within Wallace to fall ill to the virus. 

The work force shortage due to the flu and the Great War affected the numerous mines within Wallace. The lack of workers led to decreased production, with a previous total gross value of $56,292,210 and a total gross value of $37,320,000 in the midst of the pandemic. [8]  Although the flu hit Idaho the hardest from 1918-1919, the effects of the shortage of labor were still seen within the mines years after, as many were still seeing the detriments of the reduced labor.

There were many newspaper articles that reported on the Spanish flu in Wallace. However, there were very few that reported on the deaths and seriousness of the virus. While many people did become ill, the major effects of the flu were mostly seen within the economy. The Wallace economy relied heavily upon the mines. Therefore, the biggest consequence of the influenza epidemic was that of labor shortage and reduced mine production. 

Mattison Rongen, June 2020

    [1] Tara A. Rowe, “Pocatello and the 1918 ‘Spanish’ Flu,” Idaho State Journal, April 10, 2020.

    [2] “Suspend Operations at Idaho-Carbonate: Shaft Down 440 Feet – Cross Cut and Explore Vein in Spring,” The Wallace Miner, December 19, 1918.

    [3] “1918-1919 Influenza Pandemic in Idaho,” Idaho Health and Welfare, https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/ portals/0/health/readyidaho/idahofluhx.pdf

    [4] “Spanish Influenza Protective Measures: Important Instructions to Be Observed During Present Epidemic,” The Wallace Miner, October 10, 1918.

    [5] “Quarantine Does Not Prevent Spread of Flu,” The Wallace Miner, January 2, 1919.

    [6] Ibid.

    [7] Bernard Studio, Wallace (Idaho) 1919 [05], April 20, 1919, 8x10 black and white glass negative, Wallace, Idaho, https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/barstock/items/barstock1108.html.

    [8] “Report of R.N. Bell, Inspector of Mines,” The Wallace Miner, March 13, 1919.

The date is September 28,1918 and on the front page of the Boise newspaper, The Idaho Daily Statesman, the main headline reads “Bulgaria Seeks Peace.” If you continue to read to page 4 you will find the headline “Influenza Epidemics,” a small article embedded among others that highlights the increasing cases of influenza cases at army camps and larger population areas across the U.S. [1]

As the capital of Idaho, Boise citizens begin to wonder if they will be next. On October 9th, Boise health officials begin enforcing bans on public gatherings and talks of school closures begin. The influenza epidemic now begins to get a bit more real for the patrons of Boise. [2] October 15, 1918 marks the date of Boise’s first case of influenza, a woman by the name of Ray Shawver. The virus is no longer a simple headline in the Idaho Statesman; it is real, and it has come to Boise. [3] The people of Boise are now placed into complete quarantine, all non-essential practices and gatherings are banned, schools and churches are closed, and all Halloween festivities were cancelled for the year. By the end of October, there are a total of 93 cases and at least 3 influenza related deaths. [4] In less than 30 days the citizens of Boise watched this pandemic go from their newspapers to their front doorstep.

There, however, seems to be a light at the end of this epidemic tunnel when in mid-November quarantine restrictions were slowly being lifted. The Boise Peace Celebration was allowed to go on and was deemed successful once there were no new reported cases from the event. Schools and churches were allowed to open by the first of December, and it seemed as though life was getting back to normal for the residents of Boise. [5&6]

That hope was short lived as cases began to increase once again later in December. With people going back into the community mixed with the cold weather, it was only a matter of time before this happened. The second to last week of December saw a record high of 358 new cases in a matter of 10 days and hospitals became overcrowded. [7] Quarantine restrictions were re-implemented in response to these new cases and January saw a decrease in cases. February had cases of smallpox but seemed to see the final peak of influenza cases for the state’s capital. [8]

As the weather warmed and precautions continued to stay in place in early 1919, cases slowly decreased over the coming months. On April 13th, the deputy city health officer reported that the health in the city had been going well. [9] A full year since its first case in October of 1918, Boise seemed to have their cases under control with life back to normal for its citizens. Both the citizens of Boise and the state board made mistakes; had the restrictions continued through the end of 1918, who knows how many lives could have been spared. The influenza epidemic left its mark on the people and city of Boise for years to come and leaves a lesson to be learned on the handling of epidemics in the state.

Isabella Guzman, June 2020.

[1] "Influenza Epidemics." Idaho Statesman, 28 Sept. 1918, p. 4. 

[2] "State Board Opens Fight on Influenza. Health Officials Issue Orders to Close Places of Assemblage Except." Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 1918. 

[3] "Boise Has Her First Case of Influenza.Another Case Suspected but Not Yet Officially Pronounced Such; Rigid Quarantine." Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 1918. 

[4] "Halloween Put in Quarantine for This Year. City Board of Health Rules That Ghosts and Goblins Must Keep." Idaho Statesman, 31 Oct. 1918.

[5] "Health Conditions Are Better in Boise; Danger Still Lurks. but Six New Cases of Influenza Reported by City Board." Idaho Statesman, 13 Nov. 1918.

[6] "Young Folks Enjoy Lifting of Quarantine Theatres and other Places of Amusement Well Patronized on." Idaho Statesman, 29 Nov. 1918.

[7] "Favor Red Cross Help in Fight on Influenza Where Need is Great Spread of Epidemic." Idaho Statesman, no. 136, 31 Dec. 1918.

[8] "More Smallpox in Boise." Idaho Statesman, no. 187, 28 Feb. 1920.

[9] "City's Health is Good. Report to Council Shows Little Sickness and Contagion." Idaho Statesman, 13 Apr. 1919.

The small community of Mountain Home, Idaho, has normally been a quiet locale that is now largely influenced by its military connections to the Mountain Home Air Force Base. In the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 it was quick to adjust, follow public health guidelines, and attempt to stop the spread of a deadly disease that was impacting both locally and globally. Eerily, enough, this is not the first time the town has had to react in the wake of a deadly virus sweeping its way through the country.

The Twin Falls Daily Times reported on January 20th, 1920 that Mountain Home was under quarantine for so “seriously was the malady in that section.” [1]  The “malady” mentioned was the Spanish Influenza. This deadly virus is thought to have affected somewhere close to 2,000 people throughout the state, but most especially to those in rural areas like Mountain Home, according to Rick Just for the Idaho Press in a recent article. [2]  Mountain Home, now and then, attempted to slow the spread of a deadly disease by following guidelines and placing orders to stop any excess contact with each other.

While records of Mountain Home Republican during the pandemic are not available in a digital collection, other papers such as the Twin Falls Daily News mentions the town. The January 14th, 1920 edition reports Mountain Home had 88 cases prompting the quarantine later reported. Part of this was due to the need for nurses and doctors to be brought to the area. [3]  With the lack of local medical care it is easy to see why the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare recently echoed that the flu widely impacted rural areas. Many local papers urged “calm” and social distancing practices, but some did not treat the pandemic as serious as it was. The Department of Health and Welfare noted many communities let the disease “run its course, unchecked by actions taken by the state, local or federal officials.” [4]  The current lack of available local reporting leaves a blank space in the local views of such a critical time on the community.

However, the information provided by other newspapers gives insight to the response of Mountain Home in the face of the Spanish Influenza. Their quarantine and number of reported cases combined with the need to bring medical staff to the area speak to the ruralness of it, the lack of assistance before it became overwhelming to the town’s population.

Kristin Hillman, June 2020

 [1]  “‘Flu’ Spreads Rapidly, Fight Steps Ordered,” Twin Falls Daily Times, January 20, 1920.

 [2]  Rick Just, “A Little Slice of History: When the Spanish Flu Came to Idaho,” Idaho Press, March 8, 2020, https://www.idahopress.com/community/community_columns/a-little-slice-of-history-when-the-spanish-flu-came-to-idaho/article_f45db566-6cc1-5bba-8fd6-e9d5700585cd.html.

 [3]  “88 Flu Cases in Mountain Home,” Twin Falls Daily Times, January 14, 1920.

 [4]  “Past Pandemics,” 0AD, https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Health/PanFluHome/tabid/871/Default.aspx.

The Influenza Pandemic of 1918 was one that changed the demographic and anthropologic history of the world as we know it. This was a fact in the smaller towns in the United States as well as the larger cities. Shoshone, Idaho, the seat of Lincoln County located in southern Idaho twenty miles north of Twin Falls, was affected by the pandemic. The influenza pandemic was the largest the world had seen to the date and was a test on the modern society that was built.

The influenza pandemic was difficult to track and therefore the numbers of actual deaths and cases were likely larger than the numbers reported in rural towns. John M. Barry author of The Great Influenza puts it in perspective, “It killed more people in twenty-four weeks than AIDS killed in twenty-four years, more in a year than the Black Death killed in a century.”

The time of winter in Shoshone would have brought many visitors through Shoshone to participate in winter activities along the Wood River Valley. However, quarantine, war, and the call for nurses to the big cities kept people away. The outbreak of influenza took place at the height of World War I and the call to nurses to come to larger cities was because many doctors were working on the frontlines of the war. In The Shoshone Journal reports on behalf of the American Red Cross, the headline reads, “URGENT CALL FOR NURSES” the call showed the desperate need for nurses or anyone that had any amount of medical training. Although it was difficult choosing one newspaper clipping to capture the uneasiness of the country the clipping below shows the turmoil at that time. It was a time of sickness, war and uneasiness in the government.

Crystal Oliphant, June 2020

Kendrick Idaho is a small North Idaho town nestled in a canyon along the Potlatch River. It was at one time a booming railroad hub that serviced many small mining and farming communities around it. The Kendrick Gazette was a local newspaper that serviced the community from 1892 until 1968, and although not anywhere as serious as in some other places in the country, even this relatively remote and picturesque town was not immune to the virus. People got sick and several died. In this period the newspaper was a citizen’s primary source of information both local and global, and the Gazette provides clues about Kendrick’s experiences during the flu pandemic.

Science has advanced a great deal since the Spanish flu pandemic hit but even at that time it was known that quarantine and cancellation of large public gatherings was one way to slow the spread of sickness. On October 11, 1918 the Kendrick Gazette ran an article on the Idaho quarantine: “The quarantine has been placed in Idaho. All public gatherings, excepting schools, both public and private, are forbidden by an order issued Wednesday by the state board of health.” The quarantine also covered churches and religious gatherings. On November 22 1918 the Gazette reported, “There will be no church services in Kendrick Sunday. Both churches agreed to postpone church meetings for at least another week.” 

Although measures were taken in Idaho such as quarantine and requiring masks to be worn to contain and slow the virus, there were still deaths. The Kendrick Gazette kept its readers informed of deaths of locals including this sad notice about two deaths from the flu in the same family: “The entire community was saddened to learn that Mr. and Mrs. William Whybark of Big Bear ridge have suffered the loss of two little children, their death being caused by influenza.” At the same time in fact in the same issue of the paper the author was trying to calm and reassure readers under the headline No Flu in Kendrick, “There have been no new cases of flu in Kendrick for some time and the few who are still confined to the house with the disease are past the stage where any danger of contagion exists.”

Overall as I combed through the Gazette articles I found more and more of the same notices of closures, infections, and the final and most tragic notices: those of the deaths resulting from infection. However it did seem like Kendrick tried to follow guidelines to slow the illness including the quarantine and isolation procedures. This seems to fall in line with what other places in Idaho were doing to combat the disease such as in Pocatello where “Train cars had to have open and adequate ventilation and had to maintain a consistent temperature. Like city streets, dry sweeping was prohibited No public spitting was allowed; the communal spittoon was removed. Riders were not allowed to place their feet on seats” (Rowe, 2020). I believe it was this flow of information and actions combined with Idaho’s rural status that helped it not be hit as hard as other places in the country by the Spanish flu.

George Upton, June 2020

Paris, Idaho, was established in 1863 by Mormon settlers under the leadership of Charles C. Rich.  The town is located in southeastern Idaho at the northern end of Bear Lake. Other towns in Bear Lake County include Montpelier, Bennington, and St. Charles. According to the United States Census, Bear Lake county was home to 7,729 residents in 1910 and 8,783 in 1920 (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 44). 

According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, pandemic influenza was detected in Idaho in September 1918. Paris was hit especially hard. It has been widely reported that Paris resident Russell Clark stated that 50 percent of the town perished from the flu (Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, 1). However, review of the reports published in the Paris Post for these years does not support this claim of such a high mortality rate.  

The Paris Post first reported on the epidemic on October 11, 1918. An article on the front page published information provided by the U.S. Public Health Service. It describes the symptoms, how the disease is spread, and how to stop the spread. According to the article, the latter can be done by separating sick people from others and by wiping away discharges from the eyes, nose, and mouth and burning the rags (U.S. Health Service). The article advises people to stay away from crowds and from those who fail to cover their mouths while coughing (U.S. Health Service). Similar information is published in this paper again at least two other times in 1918.

By October 25, 1918 Paris still had no cases of influenza. As a precaution, Mayor F.T. Shepherd and Chairman of the City Board of Health Dr. R.J. Sutton signed a notice of quarantine for travelers to and from infected districts. This notice required travelers to Paris to quarantine themselves for seven days (F.T. Shepherd and R.J. Sutton). Also published in the Paris Post on October 28, 1918, was a notice that the county commissioners and Health Board would soon hold a meeting to further consider the question of quarantine for the entire town (“Notice to the Public”).   

Fielding Academy, the area high school which was located in Paris, closed as a result of the quarantine in November 1918. To ensure that students continued with their studies, Fielding Academy began correspondence courses two weeks later (“Fielding Academy Introduces Correspondence Work”). The faculty created assignments and sent them to students; they also made personal visits to their students (“Fielding Academy Introduces Correspondence Work”). Despite the difficulties caused by quarantine, the school was able to hold commencement for 25 students in May 1919 (“School Year at Fielding Drawing to Close”).

Social activities in Paris were halted to prevent the spread of disease. “Boys and Girls Club Notes” reported on November 8, 1918, that meetings would resume when permitted by the quarantine. Other clubs, including the canning, cooking, sewing, handicrafts and calf clubs, also had not met for some time due to the influenza quarantine (“Boys and Girls Club Notes”). By May of 1919 activities in Paris had resumed. The May 15 issue of the Paris Review announced gatherings for the Garden Club and the Boys and Girls Club (“State Leaders to Conduct Training Program”). An upcoming dance at Fielding Academy was also mentioned in that issue.

Joyce McClure, June 2020

Bibliography

Bear Lake County. “History of the Bear Lake Valley.” Accessed June 10, 2020.  https://www.bearlakecounty.info/history.html .

“Boys and Girls Club Notes.” Paris Post, November 8, 1918. 

“Fielding Academy Introduces Correspondence Work: Influenza Epidemic Causes Faculty to Begin Home Study Plan.” Paris Post, December 13, 1918.

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. “1918-1919 Influenza Pandemic in Idaho,” n.d.  https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Portals/0/Health/ReadyIdaho/IdahoFluHx.pdf .

“Notice to the Public.” Paris Post, October 28, 1918. 

“School Year at Fielding Drawing to Close.” Paris Post, May 15, 1919. 

 Shepherd, F.T., and R.J. Sutton, “Notice of Quarantine.” Paris Post. October 28, 1918. 

“State Leaders to Conduct Training Program.” Paris Post. May 15, 1919. 

U.S. Public Health Service. “Information about Spanish Influenza.” Paris Post, October 11, 1918. 

U.S. Bureau of the Census. Population of States and Counties of the United States: 1790 – 1990. Edited by Richard L. Forstall. PB96-119060. March 1996.   https://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/PopulationofStatesandCountiesoftheUnitedStates1790-1990.pdf  .

Welker, R. A. “Statement Regarding Fielding Academy.” Paris Post. November 29, 1918.

In the years of 1918-1920, much of the world was experiencing the pandemic of the Spanish Influenza. Rathdrum, Idaho, was no exception. Rathdrum is a city in northern Idaho in Kootenai County. Though many people would think that Idaho was a backwoods area and the population was much smaller than many other large states, it was still affected by this pandemic.

              On October 18, 1918, the U.S. Surgeon General Rupert Blue of the U.S. Public Health Service authorized an interview discussing the concerns of the Spanish Flu and warned that if the country did not take care of the pandemic it would soon be known as the American Flu. The Rathdrum Tribune included this cartoon in the article.

On November 18, 1918, the Rathdrum Tribune reported that at the beginning of the week there were no reported cases of influenza in Rathdrum but by that Wednesday there were two new cases in the area coming from another community. Influenza was already in many counties around the area. Because of this, Rathdrum’s teachers were given leave early until after Thanksgiving break and weren’t expected to return for some time. The Red Cross was officially closed down at the beginning of November 1918 until the influenza epidemic was over. Even the library was closed during this time. The library was able to only open back up much later once the restrictions were lifted.

              At the start, influenza affected Rathdrum through people who were known to the residents of the city. A few examples of this were that E.W. Cody’s nephew James Blair, who died in the Vancouver Barracks from influenza-related pneumonia, and “Mrs Edgar Green, who died of influenza at St. Joe last week.” As time went on with this pandemic, more people were affected directly by influenza. Many people reported being sick with the flu and some even passed away.

By December 1918, Rathdrum implemented an emergency ordinance creating a “ban on church services, lodge meetings, and public gatherings in general.” (Rathdrum Tribune, December 6, 1918). The emergency ordinance was enforced because there was an increase of influenza cases by 8 to 10 new cases.  Another photo (below) showing a postal serviceman wearing a cloth mask while delivering mail printed in the Rathdrum Tribune encouraged readers to wear a mask when around others just as we are asked to do in 2020 with COVID-19.

By 1920, Rathdrum still had some cases in place and simply asked families who were sick or had family members who were sick to stay home and not potentially expose others to the influenza. They had gotten to the point where there were fewer cases and it looked as though influenza was finally coming to an end.

Though Rathdrum was a smaller town than many larger cities on the East coast, the Spanish Influenza still had a great impact on this town and its society.  Thankfully, this community took these warnings and concerns seriously. They restricted public gatherings and helped to reduce the spread of influenza by limiting contact with others.  

Michelle Timm, June 2020

 "Local Paragraphs," Rathdrum Tribune, November 15, 1918 .

 "Personal Mention" and "Red Cross Shop Closed," Rathdrum Tribune, November 1, 1918 .

 Local Paragraphs," Rathdrum Tribune, December 6, 1918 .

Pocatello and the rest of Idaho were hit significantly by the 'Spanish' Flu of 1918-1920. This influenza wasn't only stationed in Idaho, or even in the U.S.; this Flu was a global pandemic. Most of my research led me to articles from the year 1918, specifically around October and November of that year. The article "Closing Order" in The Pocatello Tribune says, "Edict of the state board of health closing all places of public assemblage should not unduly alarm the people. It is a measure of precaution rather than one of necessity." Much like today, the citizens of Pocatello initially thought that the Spanish Flu was not something that they should necessarily worry about too much. Still, they would rather be safe than sorry. The article continues, “And while it will work a material hardship on many individuals and institutions, it perhaps is a wise plan to at least keep the situation well in hand, and determine the exact status of the so-called Spanish influenza in this community" ("Closing Order," 1918).

As the Pocatello community began to realize the severity of the flu, the mayor of Pocatello put out a plea to the community to help those in need. In Proclamation by the Mayor, he says, "Inasmuch as a serious condition exists in the city of Pocatello and many families are badly in need and suffering from influenza, it is desired that a fund of five thousand dollars ($5000) be immediately raised to be placed at the disposal of the civilian relief committee for the purpose of relieving the suffering of the influenza patients and to assist in stopping the spread of the disease” ("Proclamation of the Mayor, 1918). Rather than handing out money that the Pocatello government didn't have, the mayor appealed to the people of Pocatello to help their community. The mayor stated the desperate need for financial assistance, evidence that the flu ravaged the economy in Pocatello.

On November 9, 1918, a few days after the Mayor's proclamation was published, an article named “Raise the Flu Fund” appeared in The Pocatello Tribune. It says, “The situation in Pocatello, while well under control, is hardly comprehended by the community at large. A thousand or more cases exist" ("Raise the Flu Fund," 1918). This article states that things were okay in Pocatello, but the community wasn’t taking the flu seriously. Thankfully, Pocatello had a fantastic Red Cross relief committee. This article, like the proclamation from the Mayor, pled with the Pocatello community to help. The article continues, “Put community dollars behind our community workers and our community sick, and we will be doing a quick and effective work for human beings. We will be reinforcing the magnificent effort of those silent and loyal servitors. They are now burning both ends of the candle to aid the city's weak and distressed in fighting the ravages of an imported disease" ("Raise the Flu Fund," 1918). 

Tara Rowe, an Idaho journalist, wrote an extensive article on Pocatello and how it dealt with the "Spanish Flu" epidemic. She talks about how the flu seemed to fluctuate, and the city's division over the seriousness of the disease. Rowe wrote about how the community in Pocatello had their eyes opened after a massive celebration at the end of World War I. She writes, "A parade in the midst of an epidemic is a catastrophe-in-the-making. The day after Pocatello’s parade, reported cases increased—100 new cases were reported. Following Columbus Day festivities in cites around the state, the Idaho Board of Health issued an order banning all indoor and outdoor gatherings. It is not possible to attribute exponential growth of flu cases and deaths to a single event due to unreliable reporting of the period” (Rowe). Rowe states that it's hard to understand the actual loss of life and infection rates because the reporting wasn't entirely reliable. Though through the sources we have looked at, we can see that Pocatello was affected economically, physically, and mentally by the Spanish Flu. It is interesting to note the similarities between the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1920 and the Coronavirus Epidemic of 2020. One hundred years and the ways that Pocatello handled the Flu then are like how we are dealing with the Coronavirus now.

Taneil Oswald, June 2020

 “Closing Order.” The Pocatello   Tribune, October 11, 1918 .

 “Proclamation by the Mayor.” The Pocatello Tribune, November 7, 1918 .

 “Raise the Flu Fund.” The Pocatello Tribune, November 9, 1918 .

 Rowe, Tara A. "Pocatello, and the 1918 'Spanish' Flu." Idaho State Journal, April 10, 2020. 

The Spanish Influenza pandemic took place at the end of World War One and was spread through a world at war that was interconnected by newspapers, railways, and ocean liners.  This report will analyze the experience of the pandemic within Twin Falls, Idaho, through its local newspapers and available secondary sources. 

What began as news buried in the back pages Twin Falls newspapers during the spring of 1918, continued to move more and more into the forefront for Idaho and the residents of Twin Falls. An article in May describes that in Madrid, Spain, King Alfonso is confined to bed, and “80,000 are victims of the mysterious new ‘Influenza plague.’” [1]  Throughout the early summer of 1918, reports appear of influenza spreading across Europe. In August and September, numerous reports of Spanish influenza appear at Eastern cities with seaports; articles list numbers of the sick and dead first in New York then later in Boston. [2]   The disease began to be transferred within the United States, coming closer and closer to Idaho. A September 24th article describes how a train passenger traveling from Chicago to San Francisco was isolated by Public Health. [3]  The westward movement of the disease continued, and the prevalence of its spread increased in newspapers. [4] 

Residents and officials begin preparations for the pandemic and discuss actions in a County Board meeting in October, “including closing public assemblies and places of amusement except public and private schools.” [5]  Although the schools were not closed, students were being monitored for symptoms. [6]  According to historian Leonard Arrington, the pandemic arrived in Twin Falls on October 10, brought by a person traveling from Portland, Oregon. [7]  

Twin Falls had a total of around 28 cases by October 21, 1918. [8]   Once the disease arrived, it spread quickly, and officials took measures to contain the disease by limiting group contact and closing schools. [9]  Local papers ran public notices about public health actions and advertisements from local retailers for drugs and preventative aids during the pandemic.

Influenza persisted through the winter of 1918 and spring 1919, and local newspapers reported local actions and deaths along with news of the disease across the United States. After a break during the summer of 1919, the disease saw a second wave in Twin Falls in the fall and cases peaking again early 1920. [10]  The community of Twin Falls mourned the loss of those who died but seemed to have moved on with little mention of Spanish Influenza after the spring of 1920.

Christopher A. Boyce, June 2020

 [1]  “Thousands down with the Influenza Plague,” Twin Falls Daily Times, May 29, 1918.

 [2]  “Passengers from Europe Suffer Strange Disease,” Twin Falls Daily Times, August 15, 1918; “Fear of Outbreak of Spanish Influenza,” Twin Falls Daily Times, September 11, 1918.

 [3]  “Influenza Travels to California via Train,” Twin Falls Daily Times, September 24, 1918.

 [4]  “Figures Show Influenza is Heading West,” Twin Falls Daily Times, October 4, 1918.

 [5]  “County Board Seeks Further Information,” Twin Falls Daily Times, October 10, 1918.

 [6]  “Survey Sends Pupils Home,” Twin Falls Daily Times, October 11, 1918.

 [7]  Leonard Arrington. "The Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919 in Southern Idaho," Idaho Yesterdays 32, no. 3 (Fall 1988): 20.

 [8]  “Prevalence in County,” Twin Falls Daily Times, October 21, 1918.

 [9]  “Health Board Closes Schools for Two Weeks,” Twin Falls Weekly News, October 24, 1918.

[10] “No ‘Flu’ Cases,” Twin Falls Daily Times, January 20, 1920.