Weather Vane
This weather vane came to the museum's collection from the United Methodist Church after it was torn down.
In 1893, Sunday School began being taught in a building near the depot in the abandoned White Swan saloon. The day school had about 10 students and the Sunday School had 15 students of all ages. A school board was formed and they pushed through the building of a little one-room schoolhouse on the west side of Sand Creek. Except for the Earl Farmin home, this was the first building across the creek. Besides day school the Sunday school and social affairs met here. One day when the Methodist District Superintendent was traveling through by train on his circuit trips from Montana to Washington, Mrs. Earl Farmin recognized he was a minister by his half price fare, so she asked him to stop sometime and preach in the little schoolhouse. He agreed to this and held occasional services during the winter and early spring. Then he sent Wm. Hoskins, a student from the theological school in Helena, Montana, who pastored for nine months, living with the Nesbitts for this time. After Mr. Hoskins went back to school, two or three itinerant preachers were filling in until Rev. Alvin Morton was sent here. He became the first resident minister in Sandpoint and was loved by all, from the roughest lumberjack to the most refined ladies. He ministered to the entire community all the way to McArthur Lake and up the Pend Oreille River to Laclede and Newport. Often he would row a boat and stop to see settlers along the river. He would hop a train or horse to minister wherever he was needed, but mostly he would walk or catch a lumber wagon.
So desirous were some of the women to have an organized church that Mrs. Ella Mae Farmin (a Presbyterian), Mrs. Amanda Nesbitt (Congregational) and Mrs. Carrie Le Huquet (Episcopalian) said they would become Methodists and find five other people who would join them to make up the necessary amount to become a church. This they did and Dist. Supt. Stull and Rev. Morton presided over the little group and the First Methodist Episcopal Church was formed August 31, 1897.
The timing was perfect for the new Methodists to buy the little schoolhouse for their first church. Mrs. Farmin, being on both the church board and school board, was able to mastermind this excellent arrangement. The Methodists were on their way. The village was beginning to grow on this side of the creek and became incorporated in 1900 as Sandpoint. Streets were being platted, and Mrs. Farmin named the very first streets - First and Church - right where the little church and a new parsonage stood.
Donor: Skip and Helen Newton
Adopted by: Helen Newton, through 2031
This weather vane came to the museum's collection from the United Methodist Church after it was torn down.
In 1893, Sunday School began being taught in a building near the depot in the abandoned White Swan saloon. The day school had about 10 students and the Sunday School had 15 students of all ages. A school board was formed and they pushed through the building of a little one-room schoolhouse on the west side of Sand Creek. Except for the Earl Farmin home, this was the first building across the creek. Besides day school the Sunday school and social affairs met here. One day when the Methodist District Superintendent was traveling through by train on his circuit trips from Montana to Washington, Mrs. Earl Farmin recognized he was a minister by his half price fare, so she asked him to stop sometime and preach in the little schoolhouse. He agreed to this and held occasional services during the winter and early spring. Then he sent Wm. Hoskins, a student from the theological school in Helena, Montana, who pastored for nine months, living with the Nesbitts for this time. After Mr. Hoskins went back to school, two or three itinerant preachers were filling in until Rev. Alvin Morton was sent here. He became the first resident minister in Sandpoint and was loved by all, from the roughest lumberjack to the most refined ladies. He ministered to the entire community all the way to McArthur Lake and up the Pend Oreille River to Laclede and Newport. Often he would row a boat and stop to see settlers along the river. He would hop a train or horse to minister wherever he was needed, but mostly he would walk or catch a lumber wagon.
So desirous were some of the women to have an organized church that Mrs. Ella Mae Farmin (a Presbyterian), Mrs. Amanda Nesbitt (Congregational) and Mrs. Carrie Le Huquet (Episcopalian) said they would become Methodists and find five other people who would join them to make up the necessary amount to become a church. This they did and Dist. Supt. Stull and Rev. Morton presided over the little group and the First Methodist Episcopal Church was formed August 31, 1897.
The timing was perfect for the new Methodists to buy the little schoolhouse for their first church. Mrs. Farmin, being on both the church board and school board, was able to mastermind this excellent arrangement. The Methodists were on their way. The village was beginning to grow on this side of the creek and became incorporated in 1900 as Sandpoint. Streets were being platted, and Mrs. Farmin named the very first streets - First and Church - right where the little church and a new parsonage stood.
Donor: Skip and Helen Newton
Adopted by: Helen Newton, through 2031