Irvin Flats homesteader fitted with a hook after a 4th of July accident on Flathead Lake

We, my family including Dave, my son Wesley living in Oregon, and my granddaughter, Seeley, were all visiting my dad, George (known as Georgie as a child) at his house across from Bonner Park on Ronald St. in Missoula. It was the 4th of July, 2020. My dad fixed us some lemonade and we sat on the patio surrounded by dad's flowers. Ken, my brother, was also there.

I asked my dad what he did as a child on the 4th of July. Here's what he said: There wasn't much going on, however,  he told a story about a fellow Polson area/Irvin Flats homesteader, Cliff McBroom, and how due to a fireworks accident on Flathead Lake, lost his hand and had it replaced by a hook!! 

Here's what happened. Cliff and some others were lighting some fireworks on Flathead Lake. In those days fireworks really packed a punch and were more powerful than many modern day fireworks. Cliff was holding a firework which didn't go off completely at first so he dunked it in the lake water thinking it would douse the firework. 

Instead of the firework going out it exploded in his hand which was under water and blew his hand off!  

The doctors did surgery and his hand was fitted with a hook.

Cliff was at times known to get into some fights and you could say he had an angry streak that surfaced every now and then.  So...when he did get into a fight his opponents knew that Cliff had a hook on his one hand and that it may be used on them!

This is the story my dad told to us on the 4th of July many years after the incident. As I haven't looked into this story as far as checking newspapers or finding some relatives this account is just from my dad, an Irvin Flats homesteader, who has a very good memory!

Pearl Harbor News on December 7, 1941, stirs emotions for Irvine Flats ranchers

How did Pearl Harbor affect people in the Irvin Flats area?

George (aka known as Georgie on this blog) Halverson remembers that on the day of December 7, 1941, the day the Japenese bombed Pearl Harbor. He was riding home from school on his horse and a car came zooming down the road towards him.  It was the Merritts, homesteaders that lived above the Halversons, and they were telling George about the Pearl Harbor bombing and how terrible it was.

It is my understanding that one of the Merritt boys enlisted in the Army soon after the bombing.

George would turn 8 years old on December 11th of 1941.

George said that during the war the people would hear about all of the battles of WWII on the radio.  He remembers quite clearly about what was going on as even though Irvine Flats was miles away from the WWII action it was prevalent in every one's mind. 

In fact, George remembers having fears that the Japanese would fly over Irvin Flats and bomb the area.

Information on the Green Mountain School which George Halverson attended

Click on link below from the Polson School district archives to read about the Green Mountain School which George (Georgie)Halverson attended for most of his grade school years. 

The Green Mountain School closed before his 7th grade year began so he and the Irvine Flats children were bused into Polson. 

George and his grandparents moved into Polson and so he didn't ride the bus into town for his 8th grade year.

If I understand correctly, the Halversons, after moving into town, leased their ranch for grazing.

The Halverson ranch was not sold until the early 1970's.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&ved=0CEgQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.polson.k12.mt.us%2Fphs%2Fcountryschools%2Firvineflats%2520folder%2Firvineflats%2FPages%2Fgreenvalley50.html&ei=ecXnUKT4GYTtiwKatoFQ&usg=AFQjCNFlfodqIE7Bdc8LUsM7A356tmSjQw&sig2=lPUcW-YHt4oK1W6efMs3wg&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.cGE

Georgie Halverson on a horse in 1935.



Georgie on a horse with grandfather George in approximately 1935

This is a picture of my dad, George Halverson, on a horse with his grandfather, also named George, standing beside him on the ranch on Irvine Flats, just west of Polson.

I am told by my father, who was called Georgie when he was young, that this picture must have been taken in about 1935. Georgie was born in December of 1933. He thinks he was only about 2 years old when the picture was taken.