Sharing birthday memories

COEUR d'ALENE - Kootenai County is turning 150 this year, and anyone with historical information, photos or artifacts is encouraged to contribute and join in the sesquicentennial celebration.

The "North Idaho Heritage Exhibit" will be presented to the public during this year's North Idaho Fair and Rodeo, which takes place Aug. 20-24 at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. A plethora of exhibits highlighting the people and historical events that have occurred in North Idaho will be displayed in the 4,000-square-foot Building 7.

"We picked this one just because we're building our new entrance," said Dane Dugan, general manager of the fairgrounds. "It's one of the first things people will see when they come in."

Local historian and exhibit coordinator Robert Singletary and the Museum of North Idaho have already sent out invitations to area historical societies and museums requesting their participation.

"Our next invitation is going to be to families, individuals, businesses, organizations," Singletary said, adding that the invitation will be titled "North Idaho Pioneers" and will seek any personal, familial or organizational ties to Kootenai County's past.

"Who out there is related to Oscar Canfield?" Singletary asked. "The first county commissioner. Canfield Mountain. Is the family still around? ... We want to hear from people whose families have been here, how long? Oscar goes back to the beginning of the county."

The display booths will be 10 feet by 10 feet with 8-foot exhibit walls in the back of each booth. They will be free and used to promote and educate the public about the history of North Idaho and Kootenai County. Participants will be able to sell items at the booths.

"This is a great opportunity for us to coordinate with all the other historical societies and museums to help promote history as well as the people who make the history and preserve it," Singletary said.

Singletary, who has lived in the area since the 1960s, said to his knowledge, this is the first time all of the historical entities in the area have been called together. He and Dugan both agreed that those who visit the exhibit will learn something new.

"A lot of people don't realize that Rathdrum was not the first county seat," Singletary said. "It wasn't a city. It wasn't a town. It was a river crossing at Seneacquoteen."

In the entirety of Kootenai County's existence, it has been expanded, downsized, divided and completely erased off the map. The March 3, 1905, edition of The Journal, a weekly newspaper in Coeur d'Alene, ran "Kootenai is dead" as a headline when a bill was passed that split Kootenai County into Lewis County to the north and Clark County to the south, to where Benewah County is today. The county seats were Sandpoint and Coeur d'Alene. The bill was found to be unconstitutional, and just a month later on March 31, 1905, Lewis and Clark counties again became Kootenai and the county seat resumed in Rathdrum.

"We've also given invitations to counties that used to be Kootenai County," Singletary said. "To Bonner, to Benewah, so the other counties that were at one point part of Kootenai."

Dugan said people have a nostalgic connection to the fair, which is a long-standing tradition in North Idaho, and that it is a fitting setting to honor Kootenai County's history.

"I just think the fair should always be a reflection of the community that it's in," he said. "What a fantastic way to include that idea in celebrating the anniversary ... I'm at the right place at the right time as far as being able to celebrate with everybody else."

Singletary said people who wish to contribute physical artifacts to the exhibit should contact him or their local historical societies. Original photos will be archived and copies will be displayed.

"We encourage photos, really encourage photos," Singletary said. "Individuals, businesses, organizations. We'll have a special spot for that."

Already committed to participate are: The Museum of North Idaho, Post Falls Historical Society and Museum, Crane House Museum and Historical Society (Harrison), Farragut State Park Museum, Old Mission State Park, North Idaho College/Powder Magazine, Bayview Historical Society, Kootenai County Preservation Commission, Kootenai County Historical Exhibit, Friends of Spokane House, Staff House Museum (Kellogg) and the Westwood Historical Society (Rathdrum).

The new ACI Northwest Plaza, including a four-part monument dedicated to North Idaho's founding industries of timber, agriculture, mining and tourism, will be unveiled along with the new main gate of the fair Aug. 20 as part of the sesquicentennial celebration.

"If they want to witness history being made, they can come the opening day and see the dedication of the new main entrance and the monument," Dugan said. "It's totally open to the public."

Anyone with questions or interested in contributing to the "North Idaho Heritage Exhibit" can contact Singletary at 755-1308.