MCS invites community to coffee klatch

The community is invited to bring a friend — and their stories — as the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint seeks to learn more about its historic home at a special Friday event.

The Main Street Coffee Klatch, set for 9-11 a.m., at the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint, 110 Main St., is co-sponsored by the conservatory and the Bonner County Historical Society to gather and share memories and personal tales from what is also the former Sandpoint City Hall and fire station.

“We cannot wait to hear from seasoned members of the community,” Kathi Samuels, MCS development director, said of the informal gathering. “If the walls of 110 Main could talk, we know there would be stories to tell.”

In addition to an opportunity to connect with others and share special memories of the building, as well as preserve Sandpoint's history, the event is a chance for them to learn more about its home, MCS officials said.

Karin Wedemeyer, MCS director and founder, said the historic nature of the building is an essential part of the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint’s cultural footprint, adding that she and her staff appreciate all the community has done to support and preserve it throughout the years.

The desire to steward the building's legacy began when, in 2019, MCS purchased 110 Main with the help of the Confidence Foundation and community generosity. Conservatory officials have long expressed a determination to restore the building — with a goal of returning the historic cupola and bell to its original prominent place in the community.

“If there is enough interest, MCS and the historical society plan to repeat this free event on a quarterly basis,” said Samuels. “We know we have a limited window to capture history, and we don’t want to miss a minute.”

MCS officials said they are excited by the partnership with the historical society in gathering memories of 110 Main. Museum representatives will be on hand to interact with the crowd and capture any stories participants wish to be documented. 

To learn more about Sandpoint’s 100-year-old history, and the city's iconic downtown buildings, conservatory and historical society officials encourage community members to come, listen, sip, and share.

To learn more about the Music Conservatory, log onto SandpointConservatory.org. For more information about Friday's event, reach out to the MCS office at 208-265-4444.

    Early Sandpoint firefighters are pictured aboard a horse-drawn fire engine in front of the old Sandpoint Fire Station, located in what is now the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint.