Teen launches local walking tour

SANDPOINT — Anyone can experience the charms of North Idaho, but for an in-depth look, you have to call an expert.

This summer, 16-year-old Joel Smith is the person to contact when it comes to not only seeing Sandpoint as it is, but also as it used to be. The high school student is spending his summer offering free walking tours of the area, covering some of the key locations that defined the town’s past.

Tours meet at the Panhandle State Bank Community Plaza, 231 N. Third Ave., and begin at 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.  on Mondays and Tuesdays. Tours on Wednesdays and Fridays start at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The tour covers some locations essential to Sandpoint history. Throughout the tour’s 60-minute duration, participants will learn fascinating historic details about the Cedar Street Bridge, the Panida Theater, Community Hall, the McFarland House, the courthouse, the Old Power House, the Long Bridge and the old town hall. In addition, the tour includes details about long-forgotten aspects of old-time Sandpoint like the early use of electric cars, the ferry industry, the downtown’s wooden sidewalks and the rough loggers and railroad workers who gave early Sandpoint a bad reputation.

It’s all fascinating stuff — and it’s only the beginning.

“Everything I cover only scratches the surface,” Smith said. “You can only cover so much in a single tour.”

In preparation for the project, Smith set to working conducting research. He combed through dozens of articles and online resources until he had pieced together a sense of the historic Sandpoint. After he had a complete presentation put together, he debuted his tours on July 23.

Since then, he’s given the tour several times. His clientele so far has largely consisted of Sandpoint visitors, but Smith is happy to guide residents who would like to learn more about their hometown, too.

“Everyone who has taken the tour so far has loved it,” he said. “The feedback has all been very positive.”

A summer’s work as a tour guide wasn’t something that Smith originally anticipated for himself. However, the idea planted itself when he and his dad visited the East Coast for his brother’s college graduation. While they were there, they noticed individuals giving tours of the area as a means of generating some extra income. After watching them at work, Smith’s dad suggested that he try the idea for himself.

“He put the bug in my ear about it, and I ended up running with it,” Smith said.

However, Smith’s approach is somewhat different — he offers his services free of charge. Support for the endeavor comes from business sponsorships. So far, a handful of businesses have offered sponsorship, but Smith hopes to acquire more as the season progresses. However, he’s not too concerned about whether or not his tours become a big money-maker.    

“Even if I don’t make a dime from this, the business experience and learning to work with other people will make it all worth it,” he said.

To learn more about Sandpoint Walking Tours or offer business sponsorship, give Smith a call at 946-9446.