Bonner County History - July 26, 2026

BONNER 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 26, 1976 – HOOK REELECTED  

Emma Lou Hook was reelected president of the Lake Pend Oreille Commercial Fishermen. An active fisherwoman, Mrs. Hook is also secretary of Bonner County Sportsmen Assn. and a Sandpoint City Councilwoman. Other officers are Ozzie Rue, vice president and Josephine Haacke, secretary-treasurer. Directors are William Kallio, Danny Lee, Kenneth Coulston, Carl Haacke and John Rogers.  

•••

GEORGE HAM REFLECTS ON LIFE 

George Ham recently reminisced about life and faith from wisdom gained in eight decades of living. He talks a lot about faith and with good reason. For many years, he has been an ordained minister, and has shepherded several churches in the outlying areas of Sandpoint. Along with his church service, he has also worked at the Humbird Mill, been a carpenter, and owned a grocery store, a “family business” located at [303] Cedar next to Mitchell’s blacksmith Shop. “We called the store ‘Sav-on Grocery’ and thought it was kind of a tricky name until one day a fellow came in and told us ‘savon’ meant ‘soap’ in French.” Ham has lived in the same house at [520] N. Boyer for 40 years. “Before Boyer was paved, there was a spring that ran down the street in front of my house. In spring it was a bog and a lot of cars would get stuck. Since they paved Boyer, the only sign of the old bog is a bump in the road.” “You know,” he said, as an afterthought, “Sandpoint has always been good to me and my family. I like it here. Maybe that’s another reason I’ve lived a long life.”  

75 Years Ago

Sandpoint News-Bulletin

July 26, 1951 – NEWS FROM KOOTENAI 

Vacation Bible school will be held in the Kootenai church July 30 through Aug. 10, reports Mrs. Verna MacIntosh. The theme is “Smooth Sailing.” Miss Evelyn Miller of Dover will have charge of the beginners; Miss Eva Lacock of Colburn will teach the primary class; Melvin Lacock, also of Colburn, the junior class, and Rev. George Ham of Sandpoint the intermediate age group. The school will open each morning at 9 o’clock and continue until noon.  

•••

PIONEER GROCER TAKEN BY DEATH 

Death Tuesday claimed Frank Luce, 87, pioneer Sandpoint grocer. Death came at the Yusten old folks home at 323 south Boyer. In the early days, Luce built the Pine Street Grocery [In 2026, the building still stands at 802 Pine, NW corner Forest and Pine], later operated for many years by Joe Leising. Luce came to Sandpoint in 1890, making him one of the oldest pioneers of Bonner county.  

•••

CITY IN BRIEF 

Pat Kaufman, son of Mrs. Harry Coffer, has enrolled at Gonzaga university for the fall term.  

Mrs. Mary Kitchen and daughter, Stella Kitchen, spent last week end in Spokane with relatives.  

Judy Bopp, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Bopp of Spokane, is visiting her grandmother, Mrs. Catherine Bopp.

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