Warm River
A Place of Community on the Frontier
Rounding the curve, music fills the air. A moment later, a festive string of
colored lights appear. That was the sound and sight that greeted many people
coming into Warm River. They were headed to the Rendezvous Dance Hall where
the sound of laughter and the aroma of hamburgers filed the air on a Saaturday
night.
The Rendezvous was the creation of Fred Lewies and his wife Bertha. Fred
incorporated the Town of Warm River in June of 1947, and Bertha became its first
mayor. Warm River's legacy dates back to 1896 when settlers arrived from Europe
establishing farms and ranches. Years later, Warm River's popularity soared when the town
became one of the stops for visitors traveling along the Oregon Short Line Railroad
to West Yellowstone.
During the next sixty years the town in the canyon with its community of farmers,
ranchers, and lumbermen grew quietly. In 1957 the new highway to Yellowstone
was completed bypassing Warm River. The town faded into the shadows-leaving
only memories of a time when Warm River was a place of community and
friendship. The rendezvous is gone. But if you listen closely ytou may hear faint
sounds of music from a time when this part of Idaho was still considered a frontier.
[Picture Captions]
The Rendezvous Dance Hall belonged to the Fred Lewies family. Fred,
as a immigrant from Estonia incorporated the Town of Warm River in
1947. Fred and his wife Bertha worked tirelessly to enhance Warm
River. The hallmark was the Rendezvous-a Saturday night bat spot.
Today, many local residents remember hearing stories about their
parents meeting for the first time at the dance ball.
Warm RIver get its name from what
appears to be steam rising from the water's
surface during extremely cold winter days.
During the mid thirties, a foot bridge was
constructed across the river to provide
access to the town's sawmill.
Until the 1930's Warm River was considered a frontier.
Travel by car was slow on narrow muddy roads. Today's
Mesa Falls Scenic Byway is built on the original road to
Island Park, Idaho and West Yellowstone, Montana.
