Bonner County History - July 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

July 9, 1976 – SENIOR CITIZENS DANCES 

There will be dances this month July 9 and July 16 at the Senior Citizen Center, corner of Forest and Main Streets. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with a sing along until 8. Fun for all Senior Citizens.  

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PARKS, PHILLIPS WED AT KENDRICK 

Miss Nancy Lee Parks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Parks, Kendrick, on June 5 became the bride of William Phillips, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Phillips of Sagle at Cameron Emmanuel Lutheran Church. The bride, who attended the U of I, is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. The groom, a 1975 U of I graduate, is employed by McFarland Pole Co.  

•••

SANDPOINT JUNIOR RODEO 

Silver buckles will be awarded these first place winners in the second annual junior rodeo, sponsored by the Sandpoint Lion’s Club and the  Panhandle Rodeo Assn.: Ron Poole, winner in bull riding; Larry Cooke, champion bareback rider; Kelly Ryan and Rocky Mattison, team roping; Lori Mattison, barrel racing; and Melanie Bonser, goat tying. Second place finishers will receive certificates donated by J.C. Penney’s, Anthony’s, Larson’s, B.J.’s Drive-in, Bi-Rite Drug, Ross Rexall Drug, Sandpoint Drug, and Sears and Roebuck: Jess King of Noxon, bull riding; Buster Bandy, bareback; Wendy Griffin, barrel racing, and Kathi Apfel, goat-tying. Stock for the rodeo was supplied by Bill Bonser of Laclede and Floyd McGee of Sandpoint. 

75 Years Ago

Sandpoint News-Bulletin

July 9, 1951 – BETTY LEE JOHNSON IS BRIDE 

On June 30, Miss Betty Lee Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.R. Johnson of Oden, and Lt. Felix R. Csorosz of Lisbon Falls, Maine, were united in marriage in a beautiful ceremony performed by Rev. P.J. Ahern in St. Joseph’s Catholic church. Mrs. Csorosz has been a teacher at Great Falls, Mont., for the past year. Lt. Csorosz is a pilot in the transport Alcan squadron out of Great Falls.

•••

NEW TRAFFIC SIGNS DOWNTOWN 

  City police will hang four crosswalk signs this week over First avenue intersections. The large plywood signs, reading “Cross Walk. Stop when Occupied” and hung on cables anchored to buildings, will be at First and Cedar from The Hub to the J.C. Penney store; in the middle of the block from Teape’s Jewelry to the Crystal Barber shop; at Main Street from Jennestad’s to the Panida; and at Church from Sigman’s to the Eagles Lodge. The city council directed police chief McCrum to order two new traffic signal lights to be installed at Pine and Fifth and at Pine and First. “Restricted Speed” signs will be installed on Euclid, with additional “Speed Limit in City Limits, 20 miles per hour” signs posted on major streets approaching the city center. These regulations have become necessary with the increase of pedestrian and car traffic since work began on the Albeni Falls and Cabinet Gorge projects and with the influx of summer tourists.

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