FS hosts Snyder Guard Station open house

BONNERS FERRY — If you’ve never been to Snyder Guard Station or you love the place, the upcoming open house is your chance to visit for free.

The Snyder Guard Station is available for rent but isn’t otherwise open to the public.

On Saturday, May 16 between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. the Bonners Ferry Ranger District is hosting an open house for the public to look around at Snyder Guard Station.

“It’s one of a kind,” said Kitty Devine, USFS. “It’s old and restored. It takes your breath away.”

In 1908, Snyder Ranger Station (Snyder) was established to help with administration and protection of national forest service lands.

Snyder was located on the banks of the Moyie River and adjacent to a post office and railroad station.

At first, Snyder was part of the Moyie District in the Kootenai Forest. Within a year national forest boundaries changed and Snyder was placed within the Pend Oreille Forest. Later, Snyder was within the boundaries of Kaniksu National Forest.

Snyder was used as a ranger’s headquarters until 1937 and during that time today’s still-standing structures were built. Edward G. Stahl built a ranger cabin for Artman Snyder, ranger of the Moyie District, in 1908.

In 1914, two buildings from the Meadow Creek Ranger Station were moved to the site and became the cookhouse and the warehouse/office.

In 1918, a meat house was constructed and in 1919 the barn/animal shelter was built.

In 1929, two single-room log dwellings were built along with a machine shed. Then in 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps built a 50-foot garage.

During the early days of Snyder Ranger Station, the duties of the ranger included reporting on the validity of homestead claims; fire protection; timber sale administration; establishing a telephone system between ranger stations, towns and lookouts; grazing permit administration; and overseeing trails and roads. Snyder also served as a telephone communications center and a cache for tools and supplies.

In 1937 when three smaller districts (which included Snyder) were consolidated into the Bonners Ferry Ranger District, the status of Snyder Ranger Station changed to Snyder Guard Station. Then until the early 1980s Snyder was used as a work center.

A Forest Service archeologist nominated Snyder Guard Station to the National Register for Historic Places and in 1982, Snyder was placed on the Register.

The commitment of numerous volunteers kept Snyder Guard Station from going to ruins, said Devine. Volunteers repaired buildings, added a picnic pavilion and camping spots, and are recreating the inside of the dispatch office to what it looked like in the 1930’s.

Today, Snyder can be rented for family reunions, weddings or a quiet weekend retreat between May and November. The cookhouse and ranger house are fully stocked with kitchen utensils so guests only need to bring food.

“There are not too many places like this to rent,” said Devine.

During the open house, Wayne Nishek will be providing a horse and buggy shuttle from the entrance to the buildings as parking will be outside the gate. There will also be coffee and cookies in the cookhouse.

Snyder Guard Station can be accessed from the north and south. To access from the north, travel US Highway 95 north 29.8 miles from the Bonners Ferry Ranger Station to the Moyie River Road.

Turn right and continue 4.8 miles. Snyder Guard Station is on the right side of the road and is marked with a sign.

To access from the south follow US 2 from Three Mile Junction for two miles and turn left onto Meadow Creek Road. Continue for 17 miles and Snyder Guard Station is on the left.

For more information, contact the Bonners Ferry Ranger District at 267-5561.