Experts discuss ‘Good Bones’ at library

SANDPOINT — The community is invited to join local experts for a presentation next week on how the relationship between property and history.

Reid Weber, owner of North Root Architecture, and Hannah Combs, executive director of the Bonner County Museum and Historical Society will speak at the event, called “Good Bones: Adding Value When Developing for the Future.” The event is being held at the Sandpoint Library.

“This program will explore the history of the Elsasser homestead in the context of property development in Bonner County,” said Joyce Jowdy, community engagement and adult programming coordinator with the East Bonner County Library District. “The impact of a property’s history on its value, the property development process, historical preservation incentives and successful preservation methods will be discussed.”

While the Elsasser home was torn down in 2022, some speakers at the event were able to extract historical meaning from the building’s exterior and interior before it was demolished. Now, the building serves as an example of how property stores history and is affected by development.

One goal of presenters will be to try and demystify the process of property development and where history can play a role, Jowdy said. They also plan to explore the incentives to preserve the history of buildings at different scales. Specific buildings in Sandpoint and the methods of preservation that have made them more vibrant will also be highlighted. Local architects and property owner guest speakers will share their stories of personal experience as well. 

The event will take place Thursday, April 25 at the Sandpoint Library, 1407 Cedar St. A reception at 6 p.m. will allow time for conversing and networking along with an opportunity to view the associated Storied Futures exhibit being displayed at the Library. Presentations will begin at 6:30 p.m. 

"The Storied Futures display is displayed in three parts in the Sandpoint Library lobby display cases. Currently, the second part of the series is on display and at the time of this program, the final part focusing on development will be on view,” Jowdy said. On the night of the program, the main components of the first two parts will be on display in the meeting.

The entire project team for the Storied Futures exhibit includes Weber and Combs, and historian Emily Erkson, writer Cynthia Dalsing, and SHS senior and illustrator Owen Leisy.