Original village of Sandpoint was a different town after dark

(Recently, in my “What’s That?” column in your Bonner County Daily Bee, I started showing some artifacts that came from the recent archaeological dig that took place along Sand Creek at the site of the original village of Sandpoint. The artifacts came from three primary areas: China Town, the Humbird Mill, and the restricted district, where the cribs or bordellos were located.

Today, signs along our highways proclaim Sandpoint, “A Walking Town.” Old newspapers, the census, and the Sanborn fire maps of yesteryear declared Sand Point to be a rough and rowdy swinging town. Hangings were common occurrences, saloons outnumbered churches, and dance halls located next to suspect rooming houses and hotels provided the perfect mixture for an influx of women the locals called, among other things, “Painted Women” or “Soiled Doves.” Today, we will take a look at the area of our town that catered to the lumberjack, the railroad worker, and possibly, a few of the locals, the Restricted District.)

The 100 block of First Avenue was the most popular part of town to anyone wanting to have a night on the town. For many it started at 116 North First Avenue, the home of James M. Bradley’s Parlor Saloon, built in September 1903. Bradley sold whiskey by the drink, bottle, or in jugs that could be refilled. The saloon also had a fine restaurant attached.

Although Bradley was involved in saloons, gambling and prostitution, he and his wife were part of Sandpoint high society. They had a large, beautiful residence at 221 Pine Street where they often entertained Sandpoint’s elite. Bradley was a major player in many of the early businesses in the red-light district.

Directly behind the Parlor Saloon, located at 116 North First Avenue, was a large out door dance platform that measured 50 feet by 60 feet. In good weather, an orchestra would play and young men could buy a dance with a lady. The dance platform was adjacent to the cribs that were located at the southeast corner of the dance floor. Around 1905, Bradley sold his saloon to Chris Peterson and George L. Arnet.

Peterson operated the establishment as the Stockholm Bar.  This saloon and gambling house gained a reputation of being wild and rowdy. On the north side of the Stockholm bar, Forest F. Peterson constructed a long, narrow, building in which he operated a bowling alley. This added further to the entertainment flavor of the district.  

Behind what is now Starbucks Coffee was Hugh McGuire’s cribs. Frank Springer, a local barber, sold the land to McGuire in 1903 and with permission from the city he erected two small-frame buildings. There were three rooms in each of these buildings.

The only stipulation placed on McGuire was that he built a high board fence around his enterprise so that polite society, traveling back and forth across the Bridge Street Bridge, would not have to see his painted ladies plying their trade. The cribs opened for business in December 1903.

A black madam by the name of Grace Freeman ran the cribs and collected the rent from the girls. Among the best-known prostitutes that worked these cribs were Dixie Colton, Victory Jefferson, and Maud West.

The cribs burned early on a cold, windy, morning of Nov. 27, 1905. It was rumored that an irate patron that had been ejected from the cribs the night before had set the fire. The patron was a respected citizen of the community and the police did not investigate him; instead they blamed the girls. Grace Freeman rebuilt the cribs with money furnished by James M. Bradley. Bradley also owned another brothel across Sand Creek that was run by Marie Henderson and Willow Herrman. Lulu Watson, Belle Richmond, and Trixie Edwards worked in this brothel.

Prostitution was illegal in Idaho so the city fathers could not legitimize this business by taxing it. The girls were routinely arrested and fined $10 each. In this way, the city could collect a tax. In 1907, the city counsel let it be known that ladies of the evening practicing their trade on the west side of the creek would be arrested for violation of the state law against prostitution. The “open” red light district on the west side was abandoned.