Bonner County History - Dec. 11, 2025

Brought to you by the

Bonner County Historical

Society and Museum

611 S. Ella Ave., Sandpoint, Idaho, 83864

208-263-2344

50 Years Ago

Sandpoint News-Bulletin

and Sandpoint Bee

Dec. 11, 1975 – EDDY SPEAKS TO KIWANIS 

Bob Eddy, sales manager for Arrow Tie Mill, was the speaker at Monday’s Sandpoint Kiwanis Club meeting. Owned by Larry Donnerberg, Arrow Tie Mill produces over 100,000 ties annually. The mill, which also produces dimensional lumber, was begun by Donnerberg who dismantled a mill he had in Portland several years ago, and moved it to Ponderay. The mill employs 35 people with an annual payroll of a half-million dollars.  

•••

NATURAL FOODS CAFE OPENS 

The Harvest Restaurant, specializing in natural foods, has opened in the Fidelity Building at 105 So. First in Sandpoint [in 2025, The Bank: Barroom & Eatery]. Patrons may enjoy pizza, soyburgers, ground nuts, freshly squeezed juices, herbal teas, and fresh ground coffee, as well as homemade soups, chili, yogurt, pastries and whole wheat bread. Proprietors are Mel Banoff and Buddy Stanis, with staff Pattie Bolton, Mary Bell and Diana Herchick.  

•••

MAXINE MOE IS TABBED 

Sandpoint Art Association’s December artist is Maxine Moe of Hope. Mrs. Moe studied oil painting at NIC under Merlin Miller and Jerry Schoenfeldt and took a portrait class under Bette Myers using conte and pastels. Mrs. Moe’s water pen sketches on notes have sold as far away as Hawaii, Alaska, Colorado  and Seattle. Seven of her paintings will be displayed at The Princess Shop, The Tifft Agency, Sandpoint Realty, J.C. Penney’s, and Sandpoint Furniture Co.

75 Years Ago

Sandpoint News-Bulletin

Dec. 11, 1950 – LEAVES FOR KANSAS CITY 

Mrs. James Brown Jr. and children, Barbara and Jacqueline, left Wednesday for Kansas City, Mo. to spend the Christmas holidays with her father, Dr. M.J. Owens and brother, Dr. Graham Owens and family. Brown will join them in time for Christmas.  

•••

OIL RIG TO SPUD IN ABOUT DEC. 15 

All necessary equipment and supplies are now at the well site on the Sam Owen ranch near Hope and within a very short time the Canadian American Oil corporation will begin drilling the first of three wildcat wells in the area to test the Hope-Clark Fork structure for gas and oil in commercial quantities.

•••

PFC ROBERTS AT CHANUTE AFB SCHOOL 

Pfc. Claude G. Roberts, son of Mrs. Maude W. Van Schaack, 408 N Fourth, Sandpoint, is attending an aviation specialist course in the technical training center, Chanute AFB, Ill. for 16 weeks. Roberts has been in the military service for six years. In World War II he was in the Pacific theater of operations.  

•••

NEWS FROM COLBURN by Mrs. Bertha Boylan 

Ardley Burt has recovered from a week’s illness at his home but Mrs. Burt went to the hospital with pneumonia Thursday. She is now improving.  

A son, Donald Leigh, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pedersen at the Sandpoint hospital Sunday.

For more information, visit the museum online at bonnercountyhistory.org.