Bonner County History - March 29, 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

March 29, 1976 – LUMBER MARKET LOOKING UP 

“You’d have to be a Californian or a fool to predict the weather or the lumber industry,” says Pack River Lumber Co. plant manager Russell Rosco. Ignoring this warning, spokesmen for area lumber companies talked this week about the industry’s near future, offering explanations for why it appears to be going up. With a 37 percent increase nationwide in housing starts in 1976 compared to 1975, most area lumbermen are anticipating a prosperous summer.  

•••

ESCAPE EARLY MORNING BLAZE 

Sandpoint firefighters turned out at 5:30 a.m. Friday to battle a house fire at 335 S. Fourth. Occupants of the house, Raleigh Bricker and his invalid wife, were asleep when the fire broke out. Bricker, who woke up to wood snapping and windows breaking, managed to get his wife out of the house before calling the fire department. It took firefighters two hours to put out the fire, and at one point, firefighters had to chop holes in the roof to get at the flames burning inside the walls and roof. Fourteen men and two trucks responded to the fire.  

•••

GINA BORK TO STUDY IN NETHERLANDS 

Gina Bork, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Bork of Sandpoint, has been accepted to go abroad with the Youth for Understanding program next year to study in the Netherlands. While Gina is traveling to the Netherlands, three European youths will be coming to Sandpoint under the exchange program to live with host families and attend high school here. 

75 Years Ago

Sandpoint News-Bulletin

March 29, 1951 – TWINS BORN 

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Albert [Wanda] Wilkinson, route 1, March 24, twins, a son and daughter, the first twins to be born in the new Bonner General hospital.  

•••

CITY IN BRIEF 

A 7 pound 12 ounce baby boy [Ted Allen] was born to Mr. and Mrs. Paul J. Loman Monday, March 26, at one minute before midnight at Clarkston, Ida. 

Mrs. Willima Coy and her daughter, Margaret, of Spokane, spent three days here with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Hale. Mr. Coy has been recalled into the armed forces.

•••

SANITARIAN HAS NEW POST IN BOISE 

Herbert Jagger, sanitarian for the Panhandle district health unit, leaves this week for Boise where he will join the staff of the city-county health unit there. Coming from Coeur d’Alene to fill Jagger’s resigned position will be Jack Ross.  

•••

HOME FROM HONEYMOON 

Newlyweds Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Bleckwenn returned Sunday from a honeymoon motor trip to southern California, where they visited relatives in Pasadena. In San Diego they were guests of Mr. and Mrs. Orren [“Sonny”] Overland. Mrs. Overland will be remembered here as Virginia Judge. They drove to Mexico and did sightseeing in Tia Juana.

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