Byrd Trego, editor of the Idaho Republican newspaper, held up a $20 gold piece and announced a contest to name Blackfoot’s newest hotel. He went on to say that Blackfoot was not noted for the beauty of its names — Snake River, insane asylum, desert, lava beds — to name a few. None that would “charm the visitor. The opportunity was open for Blackfoot to have something that will suit, that attracts, rather than repels, and the projectors of this enterprise invite everybody to participate in suggesting a name. It is desirable that the name shall be easily spoken, and preference is likely to be given to an Indian name that is smooth and musical and that has a suitable significance.”

This new hotel, built by the Eccles brothers of Logan, Utah, was located on North Taylor Street (now called Broadway) and would cost about $100,000, not including furniture. Some unnamed Blackfoot men raised $25,000, the Eccles boys were putting in $50,000 and a bond would supply the rest. The Eccles company would equip and operate the hotel of 60 to 75 rooms, with the expectation of drawing many guests from the nearby railroad. The year was 1916.

Some weeks went by, and 160 entries were turned in at the newspaper office. A list was compiled. Several names were suggested by more than one person, so dates received were added to the list. The Eccles Investment Company in Salt Lake made the final decision.

The winning entry was “Pawnee” entered by Miss Sarah Pokibro, a full-blooded Bannock girl. The word Pawnee means “take me there,” which the owners thought would be a good slogan for travelers through the years. Mayor Peck remarked to Miss Pokibro that it would be nice to get the $20, and she replied: “Oh, yes. But that isn’t the most interesting thing about it to me. I think it would be nice to remember that I had named so fine a hotel.”

As the decorative trim on the front of the hotel was being finished, a scrolled section was added with a large “P” on it. It is the only reminder we now have that this hotel, which still stands, did not start out being called The Eccles or The Milmor.

Another note: Byrd Trego kept his $20 gold piece. He wrote Miss Pokibro a check for the prize money from his account at The First National Bank of Blackfoot.