The new year in 1908 brought news that the Northern Pacific Railroad had agreed to purchase 14 acres from the Humbird Lumber Company on which to build their new division point. This news prompted T.J. Humbird, an owner of the Humbird Lumber Company mills at Kootenai and Sandpoint, to create the Kootenai Townsite Company. Lots and new homes began to be put on the market in the fall of 1908.
In 1910 the Northern Pacific completed it new roundhouse, car shop, and coal chute, and officially moved the division point from Trout Creek, Montana to Kootenai, Idaho. By this time the town had grown rapidly and had become an incorportated city. In 1910 the town could boast of having an active lumber, cedar pole, and railroad industry providing employment for hundreds of men and women. By that time Kootenai also had a bank, forty-room hotel, several stores, restaurant, brick school house, dance hall, two saloons, church, and streetcar terminal.
This Saturday, July 24, the city of Kootenai will be celebrating this milestone in their history with a day of activities for all ages. The festivities begin at 8:00 AM at Kootenai City Park at 200 Spokane Street. There will be an Injectors Car Club showcase, a pancake breakfast and barbeque lunch hosted by the Shriners, live music throughout the day, a self-guided walking tour of historic Kootenai, and a display of historical photographs.
Part of the walking tour will include a stop at the interpretive site installed by the Bonner County Historical Society earlier this year. The Society owns the site of the Northern Pacific’s car shops and stockyards. The interpretive panel shows many of the most historic places related to Kootenai’s past.
Download a schedule of events here.
There are four history events coming up soon that we’ve just listed on the News & Events page.
Coming up this week are One Thing Certain: I Will Not Cry at the library in Sandpoint, Kittie Wilkins-Horse Queen Of Idaho at the Memorial Community Center in Hope, and Songs For The Journey To A New Life In Idaho at the Boundary County Museum in Bonners Ferry. In a couple of weeks, the Friends of Spokane House will be hosting their annual fur trade encampment at the Spokane House Interpretive Center.
Follow the News & Events tab at the top of the page or this link for more information.
The Bonner County Historical Society’s annual plant sale will be this Saturday, May 8 starting at 8:30 a.m. in the Museum parking lot.
The sale features choices for flower lovers, home vegetable gardeners, and shoppers for Mother’s Day. Proceeds benefit the Bonner County Museum.
For those ready to add color to their gardens a large selection of annuals from The Flower Farm will be available. Perennials, house plants and lilac bushes will be for sale.
For those planning to eat what they plant they can choose from 30 varieties of tomatoes as well as peppers, cabbages, strawberry plants and nut trees all from the gardens of the society’s members.
Since many plants are donated for the sale, items vary each year. Anyone with plants, garden tools or lawn decorations to donate can bring them to the Bonner County Museum at 611 South Ella. For information call 263-2344.
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.
On Wednesday, May 5 at 7:00 p.m., three staff members from the Idaho State Historical Society will give a presentation about the recent restoration of the Idaho State Capitol building in Boise. The presentation is free and open to the public at the Sandpoint Community Hall, 204 First Avenue.
The event will include a history of the statehouse building and its recent restoration by Idaho’s State Historian, Keith Petersen. Jody Ochoa, the Director of the Idaho State Historical Museum will talk about the artifacts found in the Statehouse building, and Tricia Canaday, Architectural Historian with the State Historic Preservation Office, will explain the architecture of the structure.
Originally established in Lewiston, the territorial capitol shortly moved to Boise. Territorial government met in a variety of rented structures until the 1880s when a new territorial capitol was constructed. In 1905 the legislature and the governor established a Capitol Building Commission to oversee construction of a new statehouse, which was completed in 1913, with wings added in 1921. Designed by Idaho’s most famous architectural firm, Tourtellotte and Hummel, the statehouse served Idaho’s needs for generations.
In 1998 Governor Phil Batt appointed a new Capitol Commission to oversee restoration and expansion of the statehouse to meet Idaho’s growing needs. On January 10, 2010, the people of Idaho gathered to celebrate the completion of the $120 million project. The reopening of “The People’s House” highlights this year’s Archaeology and Historic Preservation month, an annual statewide outreach program of the Idaho State Historical Society.
For additional information about the program, contact Keith Petersen at 208-882-1540 or keith.petersen@ishs.idaho.gov.
Visit the captiol building restoration site at http://www.capitolcommission.idaho.gov/restoration/
This year the Society’s annual meeting will be held at the Settlement School near Priest River. This beautifully restored building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Saturday, April 17 ~ $18.00-lunch & program, $15.00-BCHS members (RESERVATIONS REQUIRED)
11:30 AM – Welcome by BCHS President followed by a history of the Italian Settlement by Robert Naccarato. Lasagna lunch catered by the ladies guild of St. Catherine’s Church.
12:45 – Election of BCHS board members and announcement of 2010 activities followed by portrayal of Nell Kruegel Irion by Jennifer Leo.
“One Thing Certain: I Will Not Cry”
The Story of Nell Kruegel Irion, First Woman Candidate For Congress From Idaho.
By all accounts, early Sandpoint resident Nell Irion was a human dynamo. She was the first woman from Idaho to run for U. S. Congress, as well as an educator, Bonner County schools superintendent, businesswoman, Civic
Club leader, WWI Red Cross leader, and many other roles integral to the
growth and development of Bonner County.
In a one-woman performance, BCHS volunteer Jennifer Leo will portray Nell as she speaks to us about her teaching career, her run for Congress, and other fascinating glimpses into Bonner County life in the early- to mid-twentieth-century.
For more information or to make a reservation, contact (208) 263-2344 or bchs@verizon.net. Reservations are required by April 13.
Photo courtesy Ralph Bartholdt
In 1908 the Northern Pacific Railroad announced that it would move its division point to Kootenai, Idaho. Within two years the present townsite was platted, houses built, and businesses had opened their doors. In 1910 the town of Kootenai was booming, fueled by the newly constructed roundhouse, car shops, coaling tower, and all the men hired to keep the railroad running.
To commemorate this anniversary, the Society installed an interpretive site on its property adjacent to the townsite. It is located on the south side of Highway 200 just east of Lignetics and (somewhat) across the highway from the Conoco station. Look off to your right as your driving toward Hope.
For the full story read the article by Ralph Bartholdt. http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/articles/2010/02/03/news/doc4b692709ac9cc812699843.txt
We will be developing this website through the month of February 2010. Please check back for updates.
