50 years ago in Expo history: A Spokane tribal member explained to fairgoers the significance of the land they stood on

Sadie Boyd, 90, a member of the Spokane Tribe from Wellpinit, regaled Expo visitors with stories about the early days in Spokane – the very early days.

She was one of the featured speakers at Native American’s Earth on the Expo grounds.

Boyd pointed out that the Spokane “are the people who own this area along the river.”

“It is our land,” she said. “And I am going to welcome all the people from the ‘old’ countries. … I am glad though, that Mr. Nixon stepped on our dirt (referring to the visit of the president on opening day). I hope his footprints will be here for all our lives and will be there for our children to see.”

She “proved to be a very popular attraction at the Indian site with tourists,” The Spokesman-Review said.

From 100 years ago: John Olsen, a railroad man who disappeared in Spokane months earlier, was found alive and well in Seattle.

“Mr. Olsen seems to be suffering from amnesia,” The Spokesman-Review reported. “He is said to have declared he had no knowledge of how he got to the Sound city, announcing that he would never have gone from Spokane to Seattle knowingly.”

Police earlier believed he had been murdered or otherwise suffered from foul play. His suitcase was found lying on the riverbank near Howard Street, and no trace of him had been found.

His relatives went to Seattle to fetch him home.

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1947: Alleged and disputed Roswell UFO incident.

1937: Japanese and Chinese troops clash at the Marco Polo Bridge, beginning the Second Sino-Japanese War.