History of Stony River

As you know, I have been interested in the history of Stony River, ever since I read the blurb under the old photo and news clipping of Gusty Michael in the hallway.   In an effort to clean up the library, I ran across something of interest.

On page 79, Wendell H. Oswalt reports (quote):

STONY RIVER VILLAGE.  A trader named Ora Barnhart, born in Michigan in 1875 (CR), presumably had a store "at a point near the mouth of Stony River", but when his health failed in 1933, he committed suicide (KT, June 3, 1933).  Another source (RCF...1923, 51) reports that Barnhart was trading "at the native village Tuliviksak" in 1922; this is an alternative name for the nearby Tatlawiksuk River.  According to Hrdlicka (1943, 327) the village site was a "camp" in 1930.  A post office opened at Stony River in 1935 (Ricks, 1965, 61).  According to local residents Barnhart was the first trader at what emerged as Stony River Village (Nick Bobby, Gusty Michael).  About 1937 Reginald M. White began trading at the village, and in the pattern common to one-man posts he eventually became the local postmaster, airline representative, and welfare agent.  During Reg White's tenure the store was patronized primarily by local Eskimos and Indians who lived nearby one-family hamlets.  Following his death in 1961 Robert and Diane Carpenter operated the store for a few years.  Stony River Village was founded in 1960-61 when local Eskimos and Indians and other Indians from Lime Village built cabins near the store and lived in them on a year-round basis.  A state school began operations in 1961, and the following year work was begun on a local airstrip (D.Miller, notes).

The above quote is missing quite a bit of punctuation, but I copied it exactly, so put in your own commas when you read.  If you're interested enough to want the referenced citations, email, text or FB message me and I'll find them for you.

I haven't inquired about the gas station for boats and 4-wheelers, so this might be it.  It also is near the airstrip and runway equipment, so I could be entirely wrong and it's only for that.  Not sure.

This bookcase is on the school ramp.  We're using it to leave messages, materials and books for the students.  We're trying to contact students every day for tutoring on the phone but already, second day, reaching everyone by phone is problematic.  On the other hand, the playground is full!

Ruh-oh!  I'm guessing authorized personnel would not have left the gate to the waste water compound open.  Who let the dogs out?