From the archives - August 12, 2021

It is Boundary County Fair week! The fair theme is “Barn in the U.S.A.” So, it is a good week to feature a local barn.

The Smith Barn – But, Who’s Barn is It?

Spence Smith came to the area in 1883, homesteading 145 acres 3 1/2 miles south of Porthill on the International Boundary line in 1892 and filing papers in 1896.

His land was along the Kootenai River 1/2 mile north of a creek called “Nip ko” by the Kootenai people. In English, it was called “Bear Creek” (later renamed Smith Creek).

Smith and his wife, Suzie, lived comfortably on their place raising stock and putting up about 150 tons of hay each year. He also owned mining interests with partners Billy Houston and Albert Klockmann.

Smith’s brothers, Sam and Charley Smith, arrived in 1885 forming Smith’s Passenger, Express and Fast Freight Line, a stagecoach and freighting service.

By 1892, Sam Smith had acquired a piece of land at the mouth of Bear Creek, 1/2 mile south of Spence Smith’s homestead. In July of that year, the Kootenai Herald reported, “S. W. Smith’s house […] at the mouth of Bear Creek […] was totally destroyed by fire last week [...]”

Also reported in the Kootenai Herald, Sam Smith and his wife, Mary, moved to their ranch in August 1892, and by 1893 “Sam has a fine ranch at the mouth of Bear Creek.”

Vonnie Smith wrote in the “History of Boundary County, Idaho - Vol. 1,” “Sam Smith built a large log house on the flats at the edge of the foothills close to Smith [Bear] Creek. They heard a terrible roaring in the night; they ran out and saw a big wall of water coming down Smith [Bear] Creek. They grabbed the children and dog, and ran up on the hill. Their house and everything they had was washed away. There had been a slide up the creek and when the dam broke loose, that is what caused the flood.”

So, did Sam Smith lose two homes at the mouth of Bear Creek, one to fire and one to flood, or was there one house and two stories of destruction?

Vonnie also wrote in the history book, “They [Sam Smith] later built a house and barn up on the hill, and that is where the large apple orchard was planted. There were hundreds of apple trees on the hill behind the house.”

By 1899, Sam Smith had retired from his stagecoach business and sold the Riverside Hotel in Bonners Ferry. It was said, “Sam lives on his ranch near Bear Creek.”

Charley and Cynthia Smith bought his brother Spence Smith’s 320 acre place in 1900.

Vonnie labeled her photo of the barn as being built in 1914 (which would have been when Charley Smith owned the property).

The barn in the photo (before it collapsed) sat on the Spence Smith homestead which his brother, Charley, purchased. Reports have Sam Smith “building a barn on the hill,” and a barn being built on Charley’s place in 1914. So, the question is: Who’s barn is it?

Your Boundary County Historical Society and Museum, 7229 Main, Bonners Ferry, Idaho sponsors this column.

Visit the museum Thursday through Saturday 10 a.m. to p.m., visit the website at www.boundarycountymuseum.org or the museum’s Facebook page for historical photos and stories, and to see upcoming events. We can be reached at doyouremember@meadowcrk.com or 208-267-7720. Thank you for your continued support!