Bonner County History - Aug. 9, 2026

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

Aug. 9, 1976 – STUDENTS WIN AWARDS 

Two SHS students attending a summer journalism conference at Brigham Young university won awards in writing competitions. Senior Doug Thurlow, who will be this year’s editor of the school paper, the Cedar Post, won first place in the news writing competition at the conference attended by 180 students from nine western states. Sulet Smith, who will be assistant editor of the Cedar Post, placed third in the feature writing competition.  

•••

KLIPPSTEIN OPENS CUSTOM JEWELRY SHOP 

George Klippstein, who has lived in Sandpoint for 10 years, is opening a custom jewelry design, manufacture and repair business. Klippstein, with 30 years’ experience in designing and manufacturing jewelry, has set up shop at 103½ S. Third, and will design jewelry to customers’ requests, make original models and molds, and cast the jewelry.  

•••

HARTSHORN 50TH ANNIVERSARY 

An open house at First Christian Church honored Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Hartshorn, 1322 Alder, who celebrated their golden wedding anniversary June 22. The party was hosted by the couple’s six children and their spouses. Married at Gillette, Wyo. in 1926, Hartshorn and the former Betty Grund lived in Sandpoint from 1936-45 and moved to Driggs for a time before returning to Sandpoint. They have 28 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.  

75 Years Ago

Sandpoint News-Bulletin

Aug. 9, 1951 – WIN SWIM AWARDS 

John Gillis, city beach swim instructor, announced names of those who passed their swimming tests: Beginners - Bonnie Merwin, Mike Bartleson, Sally Miller, Terry Goodwin, Pat Taylor, Steven Tillberg, Vicki McConnaughey, Steven Spealman, Sandra Spealman, John Sarff, Frank Slette, Merrilee Holien, Anna Holien, Joe Morgan, Linda Nelson, Raymond Carter, Ray Puckett, Ralph Bloom, Dick Bolstad, Esther Pennington, Joyce Rothenfluh, Rex Marks, Andrew Carothers, Karen Carlson, Gail Armstrong, Loretta Sciaccotti, Joyce Carter, Chester Whitney, Sandra Smith, Ken Pursley, Janet Pursley, Jean Lindsay, Donna Samuelson, Carol Kiebert, Julie McFarland, Bobby Wyatt, Marylyn Dryer, Evan Emery, Russell McCurdy, Dan Deshon, Carmen Carlson, Dennis Eckwortzell, Loren Evenson, Carol Engelen, Dewey Johnston and Dick McEwan. Intermediates - Deena McFarland, Pat Dunstan, Christine Evenson, Janice Goodwin, Kent Pietsch, Wayne Evenson, Darlene Baker, Jess Tillberg, Helen McConnaughey, Ellen Boling, Terry Merwin, Clair Black, Dean Martin, John Bolstad, Dick Yager, Mark Wendle, Arnie Yager and Jim Meneely. 

•••

CITY TO AID LAWN PROJECT 

The city of Sandpoint will help beautify the hospital grounds and aid the Kiwanis club make a lawn around the building. The city, which owns the property on which the hospital is situated, will appropriate $200 toward the lawn project.

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