Traveling here and there in historic Bonner County

One would be hard put to find a more colorful history than that of our area of the world. The other night I started a-rocking and took a mental trip all the way from Priest Lake to Sandpoint. I would like to share my meandering journey with you.

Priest River was once referred to as “Little Italy.” Many Italian immigrants came to the Priest River area in 1892. Most of them came from southern Italy and had lived in Canada, and various parts of the United States, before coming to Idaho. They were drawn to the area by the availability of work on the Great Northern Railroad. Today’s “settlement” in Priest River was first called the “Italian Settlement” and is located east of town. This is where many of the immigrants first settled by buying railroad land, or by homesteading.

In 1920, the timber industry made Priest River the fastest growing town in North Idaho. The first log drive took place on Priest River in 1901 and the last one occurred in 1949. Blanchard, a short drive from Priest River, was named for Joe Blanchard, an early settler.

At one time, Priest Lake was the scene of a movie camp owned by Nell Shipman. She was a silent movie star and produced movies at Lionhead Lodge located on Mosquito Bay on Priest Lake. She produced, directed, was the screenwriter, and starred in many of her own movies.

Today, when you go to Newport, you are in the state of Washington, but Newport began on the Idaho side of the line.

When the Great Northern built a new depot on the Washington side of the border, the business district moved in that direction leaving the “old town” behind. In 1947, this area became Oldtown, Idaho.

When Newport was part of Idaho, it was known as a wide-open town with plenty of saloons and unbridled prostitution. The first steamboat landing in the area was at Albeni Falls and the decision to have another port for the steamers was made. Naturally, it was called, “Newport.”

Bonner County got its name in 1907. The new county was named for Edwin L. Bonner, who owned the ferry on the Kootenai River in present day Bonners Ferry.

Bonner was a sharp businessman and he had an idea when he saw numerous men headed along the “Wild Horse Trail” for the gold mines of Canada. He realized that transporting the miners, and their animals, across the river would bring him more money than he could make digging in the dirt.

Indian tribes from Montana, Washington, and Canada once came to Sandpoint by the thousands to pick huckleberries. The women and children picked the berries while the men raced horses and played games. Pow-wows were held at today’s City Beach. “Two Gun Hart,” a famous lawman, was often present to keep the drinking of “Fire Water” under control. The local Indians referred to the Sandpoint area as the “aching bones” place.

In 1866, the steamship Mary Moody made her first trip from Seneacquoteen up the Pend Oreille River to Pen d’Oreille City on Lake Pend Oreille. The steamer was constructed by an Oregon company run by Zenas Moody; the boat was named after his wife, Mary Moody.

In 1909, the post office in Dover was called “Welty,” and it was on Sept. 17, 1909, that the first electric streetcar began operation in Sandpoint. The main station was located on the corner of Main Street and Second Avenue, about where Truby’s is located today. The early line covered a distance of five miles. The automobile brought about the demise of the streetcar.

Sandpoint was just a few years old when someone thought a name change was in order. The streets we are familiar with today were not always called by the names we know.

Pend d’Oreille Avenue became Second Avenue.

Golden Gate Avenue was changed to Third Avenue.

Ash Avenue became today’s Fourth Avenue.

Detroit street in Sandpoint was changed to Lake Street.

Elm Street became Superior Street. The name changes were brought before the city’s governing body and were approved on Sept. 11, 1908. As the law required, the changes were first seen in the Pend d’Oreille Review newspaper on Sept. 18, 1908, more than 103 years ago.