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From the archives of the

Bonner County History Museum

611 S. Ella Ave., Sandpoint, ID 83864

208-263-2344

50 Years Ago

Sandpoint News-Bulletin

Aug. 15, 1967 — MUSIC MAN OPENS

Friday night, Sandpoint Community Theatre and Academy brings Meredith Wilson’s “The Music Man” to the stage of the fairgrounds arena. Jackie Brown plays the lead part of Marian, the librarian, and Robin DuCrest of Comedia DuCrest has the other lead, that of Professor Hill. A lot of dust has been raised on the streets of River City in the past nights as the cast burned the midnight oil to put the finishing touches on the parts.

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BURNED FAIR BARN BEING REPAIRED

Bonner county fair board has received a settlement on the burned out fair barn which should allow them enough to do a temporary job of renovation and still come out with around $5,000 in the building fund for construction of a permanent cattle barn at the future fair location.

When the old roof, which was gutted by fire several weeks ago, was stripped off, it became more obvious how close the fair association came to losing the entire complex. The common wall with the main exhibit hall was well charred. A few minutes more and the whole place would have gone up in smoke and the fair would be in a tent this year, said Walt McPherson.

The long range plan is to build a new and larger fair complex on the outskirts of Sandpoint in a few years. The method of repairing the fire damage is in keeping with holding the costs down so they will stay within the concept of the long range plan.

100 Years Ago

Northern Idaho News

Aug. 15, 1917 — NORTHERN LIGHTS

A brilliant display of northern lights, so great in the middle west that it cut off practically all telegraphic communication between Spokane and Chicago, could be seen in this city Thursday night. According to Western Union Telegraph, the display around Denver and Chicago was so great that all of the wire trouble had not been straightened out at 9 o’clock Friday morning.

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FRIGHTFUL SLAUGHTER BY SHERIFF

The sheriff’s office today revived the “Carrie Nation” performances of years gone by, when they took from their secret cellar the county’s liquid accumulation of wealth and smashed the same with picks, crowbars, hammers and other weapons of torture. When the first bottle was broken the smell evidently attracted attention, as crowds began to appear, with reporters from the local papers taking the lead, as usual, thereby getting the best and longest smells. In all there were about 150 gallons of whisky destroyed and 39 bottles of lager were slaughtered in the fray, all liquor seized by the sheriff’s office in bootlegging cases which have held a prominent place in the county affairs since the state went dry.

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PREMIUM LISTS OFF PRESSES

Premium books for the Sept. 26 Sagle fair are now out. Prizes this year are better than ever.

For more information, visit the museum online at bonnercountyhistory.org.