Celebrate National Train Day and Idaho Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month at the Sandpoint Community Hall on Friday, May 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
This day-long event is sponsored by the City of Sandpoint Historic Commission and will feature three presentations along with an exhibit of historical railroad photographs from the Bonner County Historical Museum.
Kicking off the event at 10:00 a.m., Dan Everhart will give a presentation on “ITD’s work on depots in Idaho.” Everhart is an architectural historian with the Idaho Transportation Department. At 1:00 p.m. local train buff, Paul Rechnitzer, will talk about the history of the railroads in Sandpoint.
Arthur Hart, Director Emeritus of the Idaho State Historical Society, will be the featured speaker in the evening. At 6:00 p.m. Hart will give a slide presentation that surveys the major and minor railroads that once covered Idaho with a network of steel rails. Steam locomotives pulled all Idaho trains until most of the railroads themselves became obsolete. Hart’s presentation is funded in part by the Idaho Humanities Council.
The event and all presentations are free and open to the public. Come enjoy the interesting presentations and Museum exhibit of our local railroad history. Railroad items from the collections of local train buffs will also be on display.
For more information, contact Melissa Bethel at 263-3370 or mbethel@ci.sandpoint.id.us.