Tour offers chance to explore city's rich history
SANDPOINT — To mark the release of the third printing of “Sandpoint – A Walk Through History,” the Sandpoint Historic Preservation Commission is conducting a free, guided walking tour of historic buildings in downtown Sandpoint next month.
The walking tour will take place on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 10 a.m. to noon. Everyone is welcome to join the tour, which will start in front of the historic Panida Theater at 300 N. First Ave.
“Sandpoint is fortunate to have so many buildings that speak for our history. Congratulations to the Historic Preservation Commission for bringing these stories to life in a guide that residents and visitors alike will find entertaining and enlightening,” Mayor Shelby Rognstad said in a press release.
Produced by the Sandpoint Historic Preservation Commission in collaboration with the Bonner County Museum, the guide features photos and descriptions of more than fifty sites throughout Sandpoint, including some listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as winners of Preservation Idaho’s Orchids and Onions Award.
A convenient fold-out map at the back of the guide outlines three self-guided walking tours featuring an interesting mix of commercial, residential and other significant sites. You’ll discover which house was built from a kit purchased from Sears & Roebuck; learn which school started with seven pupils in a converted saloon; and perhaps catch a glimpse of the ghost said to walk the upper floors of a building on First Avenue.
Copies of “Sandpoint – A Walk Through History” are available at Sandpoint City Hall, 1123 Lake St.; Bonner County Museum, 611 S. Ella Ave.; Sandpoint Visitor Center, 1202 Fifth Ave.; and select downtown businesses. A digital version of the guide is available on the city of Sandpoint Historic Preservation Commission website at sandpointidaho.gov/HPC, where you can also learn more about the commission. Additional information is also available from Ryan Shea at rshea@sandpointidaho.gov or 208-946-2087.