Bonner County History - Nov. 10, 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

Nov. 10, 1976 – PRIEST RIVER TIMES SOLD 

Pete Thompson announced that Pend Oreille Printers has purchased the Priest River Times. Formerly owned by Olive Woods and Marie Rodney, the paper has been published by the Woods family for 62 years. The Times will still be published weekly and will continue providing comprehensive coverage of news events in the Priest River-Priest Lake-Oldtown areas, with an increased emphasis on county news. Mike Anderson, a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer, who is currently a staff writer for the Sandpoint Daily Bee, is the new editor of the Times. He will assume his duties in Priest River next week.  

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FIRST MEAL AT NEW CENTER 

Bonner County Senior Citizens enjoyed their first luncheon in the new Center in Sandpoint on Nov. 3, when 60 senior residents participated in the noon meal catered by Kaniksu restaurant. According to Grace Bruder, Senior Citizen Council treasurer, past luncheons –held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – have been in various area restaurants. 

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ROCKY MTN ROVERS INSTALLS OFFICERS 

1977 Officers for the Rocky Mountain Rovers 4-H club were installed Saturday night: Rachel Petzak, President; Laurie Newton, vice-president; Mark Murray, secretary; Angie Nordgaarden, treasurer; Jill Greenwood, reporter; Carlyn Coulter, historian; Cynthia Stoicheff and Pam Newton, song leaders.  

75 Years Ago

Sandpoint News-Bulletin

Nov. 10, 1951 – WOUNDED IN ACTION 

Cpl. Glenn S. Greer, a former Colburn resident and the son of the late Mrs. Irma Greer, has been wounded in action in Korea. He graduated from the Sandpoint high school with the class of 1949.  

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PIONEER TO TAKE FINAL CRUISE 

Melvin “Cap” Markham, an early Bonner county settler, died Sunday in Seattle. Final rites will be held today at the Moon chapel with Rev. George Ham officiating. Born at Albany Ore., Markham was 12 years old in 1883 when his father, Francis M. Markham, brought the family to Sandpoint, then a village with “a couple saloons and the Baldwin hotel.” The family later homesteaded at Laclede, where Markham grew up with nine siblings and the children of Indians camping nearby as playmates. In his teens, “Cap” became expert in river and lake navigation, helping his father and brothers build the first ferry to ply between Laclede and the south side of the Pend Oreille river. The present ferry runs in about the same place. Following in his father’s footsteps as a boat builder, Markham built the tugs ‘Elmina,’ ‘Coyote,’ and two named ‘Tyee,’ as well as the ‘Kaniksu,’ a forest service launch on Priest lake. He was especially proud of his years as captain of the sternwheeler ‘Juno,’ which he operated for the Humbird Lumber company. With the death of Cap Markham, a rich source of north Idaho early day lore is gone, but his name will long be recalled in the history of pioneer days here.

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