[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 81 (Wednesday, May 26, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4439-S4440]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     BAYVIEW CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

  Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate the 100th 
Anniversary of Bayview, Idaho, a beautiful

[[Page S4440]]

little hamlet on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille in north Idaho. On May 
29, 2010, the residents of Bayview will gather to dedicate the 
Centennial Gift to Bayview, a beautiful entrance sign funded by local 
donations and designed by local artists. In addition to this ceremony, 
several other events are scheduled throughout the year to celebrate 
this great milestone.
  In 1910, the Prairie Development Company was formed by five 
businessmen from Spokane, WA. They platted the town on the shores of 
Lake Pend Oreille, with visions of a bustling resort where Spokane's 
well-to-do could step right off the train and enjoy a weekend retreat 
or summer residence. A shortline railroad was completed in 1911, and 
the crowds soon followed.
  Bayview is a place full of well-kept secrets. You could say Bayview 
built Spokane. The limestone deposits above the town and in nearby 
Lakeview supplied the processed lime that was used to construct many of 
the buildings in Spokane from the turn of the 20th century, well into 
the 1930s.
  Another little-known fact is that nearby Farragut State Park stands 
on the site of what was once Idaho's largest city. In 1942, the U.S. 
Navy built Farragut Naval Training Station to train sailors for the 
fight against the Axis powers. Nearly 300,000 sailors were trained 
there, and at any given time from 1942 to 1946, the population exceeded 
50,000 people.
  More recently, few people know Bayview's role in helping the U.S. 
Navy build the quietest submarines in the world. After World War II 
ended, the Navy began to dismantle the training station, selling off 
the buildings and turning the land over to the State of Idaho. The 
Navy, however, did retain 20 acres on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, 
where they built research facilities as well as an underwater acoustic 
testing range. At a depth of nearly 1,200 feet, the cold, calm waters 
of the lake provide an ideal range to test various hull designs, hull 
coatings and propulsion systems at a fraction of the cost of full-scale 
ocean-based testing.
  Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the fantastic 
Independence Day celebration in Bayview, where the fireworks echo off 
the surrounding cliffs and mountains, adding a thrilling dimension to 
the show.
  Despite the stunning beauty of its setting, Bayview remains a well-
kept secret. I suspect its faithful residents prefer it that way. And 
even though it is a small town, it has made an outsized impact on the 
Inland Northwest and the security of the entire Nation. 
Congratulations, Bayview, on 100 years of proud, colorful history, and 
here's wishing you 100 more.

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