This Week in History — July 6, 2023

100 Years Ago

Several hundred people from Bonners Ferry attended the Fourth of July celebration at Sandpoint. The Bonner County Commissioners kept their promise to mend the highway leading into Sandpoint. About 100 automobiles went over the road and, aside from a few blow-outs, no accidents were reported.

The Consolidated Company has leased offices in addition to the First National Bank building, now under construction. This building will be ready for occupancy in about six weeks. The new firm will handle real estate and rentals, investments and loans, and all kinds of insurance.

An 80-foot flag pole is being erected on the courthouse grounds. The flag pole was donated to the county by the Bonners Ferry Lumber Company.

50 Years Ago

Senator Frank Church announced today the Farmers Home Administration has approved a loan of $245,000 to the South Hill Water and Sewer District in Boundary County. The funds will be used to build a sewage disposal system for the South Hill area near Bonners Ferry.

A little after 1:00 in the afternoon Tuesday, a barn fire at the Duane Jelinek ranch destroyed property and routed Naples residents to help save the house. The barn, outbuildings and house are on the same property as that house and the new Caribou Raceways, and were destroyed in the fire, according to owner Duane Jelinek, were 14 snowcats were stored in the barn.

Four men were arrested early Tuesday morning in a farmhouse two miles off Highway 95 near Gillon Creek and arraigned later that day for possession of marijuana, according to a report from the sheriff’s office.

15 Years Ago

Bonners Ferry youngsters Carl Svec and Aliana Bauducco-Heiss, both 11, recently received the “President Award for Educational Excellence.” The two fifth graders enrolled in the K-12 Idaho Virtual Academy online school program, were ecstatic when they received their congratulatory letters from President George W. Bush.

The fifth annual July 4th parade in downtown Eastport will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, July 4, in front of Frontier Meat Inspection. The grand marshal for this year’s parade is Sam LoPorto.

When the Boundary County Fair opens Aug. 11, a new horse barn is expected to be available. Bids for construction of the 80-by-24-foot barn were accepted through Friday, June 20, said Fair Board Chairman Gene Andrews.

~Submitted by the Boundary County Museum