COEUR d'ALENE — Across the white walls between courtrooms in the Kootenai County Justice Building, a tapestry of words and images unfurls, painting a picture of the region. 

"Each mural tells the story of the county," said Courtney Beebe, a public historian and member of the Kootenai County Historic Preservation Commission. 

When county commissioners approved the construction of an expansion to the courthouse on Garden Avenue, Beebe said they wanted the updated building to include space for art and history. She took up the task of creating a visual exhibit about Kootenai County, working alongside fellow KCHP member Liz Boutin, a museum professional and fine artist. 

That exhibit is now complete. Spanning two floors, it takes visitors on a journey through Kootenai County's people, places and stories, with photographs representing each municipality and state park, as well as broader themes including public service and recreation. 

Beebe said the project took about 18 months to research. She visited every museum and state park in Kootenai County and met with longtime residents and historical groups. Their input helped guide Beebe as she determined what stories and photos to include in the project. 

Many photos featured in the exhibit come from the Museum of North Idaho, which boasts a collection of nearly 40,000 photos. 

"It feels like we looked at every one," Beebe said, laughing. 

For Boutin, a fourth-generation Kootenai County resident, the creative process was deeply personal. The exhibit includes photos of her family's land in Rathdrum, their homestead history in Cougar Gulch and their participation in Coeur d'Alene's municipal government. 

"It shows the importance of historic preservation and preserving what we still have," she said, looking at a mural highlighting the history of Post Falls. 

The exhibit was made possible through a community enhancement grant from the Idaho State Historical Society, as well as funding from the Kootenai County Historic Preservation Commission and a donation from Allegra Coeur d'Alene, which designed and installed the murals. 

Owner Roger Stewart said Allegra Coeur d'Alene wanted to be part of the project because of its importance to the community. 

"They came into our office and you could just feel the passion they had," he said of Beebe and Boutin. 

The completed exhibit incorporates a variety of materials. The first-floor exhibit displays photos and text printed on vinyl wrap, with acrylic panels that add depth and dimension to selected photos. Detailed captions describe the photos and narrative text panels tell a broader story. 

The second floor features a more formal, minimalist design, with photos on a composite material set off the wall using spacers. The materials match the contemporary design of the new Justice Building. 

Different kinds of records add a personal touch to history. On the second floor, a mural highlights the Nov. 3, 1908, public vote to move the county seat from Rathdrum to Coeur d'Alene. The display includes a letter to the druggist, Dr. Farley, from a friend who won a bet that the county seat would be moved. 

"I have the pleasure and honor of informing you that I won that box of cigars (50) on the removal of the county seat," the friend wrote. "While I rejoice over securing the county seat at Coeur d'Alene, I of course sympathize with my friends at Rathdrum, where the result of the election is a detriment to them." 

Graphic designer Joel Nelson said the project was a labor of love. It was also illuminating. 

"It's amazing how much history this area holds," he said. 

He pointed to one of his favorite elements of the exhibit, a photo of a man fishing from a rental rowboat on Hayden Lake. The water is perfectly still, with nary a ripple. 

"Just imagine how quiet it was," he said. 

Beebe said it was hard to describe what the exhibit's permanence means to her as a public historian. In the courthouse halls, community members paused to examine photos and read the connected stories. 

"I hope they understand they're part of a larger story in the county and I hope they can find a small story that's meaningful or that they can relate to," Beebe said. 

    Liz Boutin, Andy Day and Joel Nelson look at a newly installed educational exhibit in the Kootenai County Justice Building.
  

    This 1935 photo, from the Museum of North Idaho collection, features Ruth Hoerschgen Turcotte and June DeGraff Holsendorf, Ladies Champion Tree Fallers from Kingston and Rose Lake.
  

    A mural featuring photos and writings from Kootenai County's history spans a wall in the Kootenai County courthouse.

    A photo of a man fishing in Hayden Lake appears in an educational mural in the Kootenai County Justice Building.
 

 

    More than a year of research went into the new exhibits about Kootenai County's history.
  

    Carl Carter, Courtney Beebe, Andy Day, Liz Boutin, Joel Nelson and Roger Stewart stand before a mural in the Kootenai County courthouse.