From the Archives - May 7, 2026

The staff and volunteers have taken on the task of inventorying all the “paper” artifacts in the archives. This includes maps, survey reports, written family histories with genealogy research, land records, Indian land allotments, citizenship records, obituaries, receipts - you name it. If it is on a piece of paper, we have probably seen it. In the past five months, over 6,500 paper items have been cataloged; and we’ve barely opened the file cabinets.

Among the Museum collection are these unused items from Wickstrom’s Drug and Jewelry Store.

Rene Wickstrom went to work at Hawks’s Drug Store (Enterprise Building) in 1926, purchasing the pharmacy business in 1937. He renamed it City Drug. O.F. Howe operated his optical business and jewelry store in the Enterprise as well. In 1940, Howe sold the jewelry store to Rene, but retained his optical business.

Rene had remodeling work done to his drug store in 1947. The newly remodeled City Drug Store had a fire. It was a set-back, but “Rene fought fire with fire and had a fire sale.” After much work the business was up and running again.

By 1949, Rene’s City Drug Store was renamed Wickstrom’s Drug and Jewelry Store. Rene operated the business for another twenty years. Stan DeHart purchased Wickstrom’s Drug Store in 1969.

The Boundary County Historical Society and Museum, 7229 Main, Bonners Ferry, Idaho sponsors this column. 

Visit the museum, Thursday-Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m., or visit the website at boundarycountymuseum.org or the museum’s Facebook page for historical photos and stories, and to see upcoming events. The museum can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 208-267-7720.