Sprague Resident Gladys Engles Helps Compile History Book

I haven't ever met Sprague resident and historian, Gladys Engles, but I feel I know her a bit. Her grandson introduced me by email after he read the Sprague article I recently wrote. Then I received several emails from her son telling me of this energetic lady, a 91-year-old dynamo. It's fun to be able to write about someone making history right now versus in the past. Somebody who knows the area inside and out.

Engles played a large part in putting together an 800-plus-page hardcover history book of Sprague, Lamont and Edwall from 1881-1981. The book took four years to compile. I'm now the proud owner a 1981 edition published by the Southwestern Lincoln County Historical Society in Sprague. But even better, I know a bit more about the town from Engles, who gives her own personal touch to it. She wanted more of a community history book with personal family histories, and that's what the book has, plus local town history.

In a recent interview I learned that Engles has a love of life that keeps her young: "I like to live, keep busy, do things with people if I can." And do, she does. As one of two townfolk who put together the town history book, she was instrumental in getting more folk involved when she saw what a large project it was becoming. Soon there were eight part time folks who made it happen.

When Engles is not working on some project in town or quilting, she's off traveling. She recently went to Mexico and was amazed at all the pyramids - historians think there are 1,500 not yet discovered. She said they sure made her feel younger! But she had the unfortunate incident of having her purse, passport, etc, stolen right off her arm.

I asked her where she liked to go in Washington. Her answer: "Washington is wonderful. But New Zealand and Australia are the best!" She recently relived her trip when her daughter returned from there; they were able to chat about seeing the same things.

Now Engles is busy getting a framed newspaper up for Sprague Days that tells of the 1895 fire that devastated the town. Some headlines read: "Sprague in Ashes. Businesses destroyed." The loss to the town, burned to the ground, was $1,500,000. The commercial hotel and opera house were never rebuilt and the railroad sustained major losses. Some of the local libraries still have a history book of the area named Big Bend that you can still read, but its not available to buy anymore.

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