The good old days

COEUR d'ALENE — Florence Quarles began to chuckle Saturday afternoon as she pointed her cane at the silver rod on the front of an antique Round Oak Chief cook stove in the Museum of North Idaho.

She explained that her family had a similar stove when she was a little girl.

“We used to take that (rod) off Mother’s stove and use it as a baton,” she said, a grin forming on her face. “And it was heavy. It was longer and every once in a while we’d crack our elbows, and boy, it would hurt, and then she’d say, ‘Girls bring that back,’ when she was getting ready to fix supper.”

Quarles married a Coeur d'Alene fellow with North Idaho history stretching back to the 1880s and settled in the Lake City with him in 1950. She recalled recreation on the lake before the rest of the world knew about it.

“We had a boat on Coeur d’Alene for nine years and then it got too crowded in about 1960, so we went up to Bayview and bought a boat and a floathouse," she said. “Were up there for 31 years.”

She is also a part of local history — she served as the executive secretary for the 1969 Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree that took place at Farragut State Park. That was the unforgettable summer when astronauts landed on the moon and former Boy Scout Neil Armstrong gave a shout out to the Scouts at Farragut from space.

“We had Bob Hope come and entertain,” Quarles said. "I remember a lot of these things."

Quarles and a friend shared Idaho memories while they and many more wandered through the Museum of North Idaho during the Smithsonian magazine's 11th annual "Museum Day Live!" event, where museums across the country opened their doors at no cost to patrons.

“I think it’s great people are coming in to see the museum and learn about the history of the region,” said Dorothy Dahlgren, museum director.

Dahlgren said about 200 people came through the museum for last year's "Museum Day Live!" event. The Museum of North Idaho features a plethora of exhibits showcasing local history, from Fort Sherman relics and antique logging equipment to details about the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and the travels of Lewis and Clark.

“It adds value to our lives and to our community,” she said. “I think it fosters pride in our community to know our history, and I think it makes us different from other places. It makes us unique.”

Museum volunteer David Taylor grew up in Coeur d'Alene.

“I tell people that there used to be a train right down through town and people look at you like you’re crazy," he said. “The Resort Golf Course used to be a sawmill.”

He said with the influx of newcomers to the area, many people may not be aware of the rich history that surrounds them.

“There’s an interesting mixture of steamboats, railroads, mining, lumber mills, all that kind of stuff," he said. "Coeur d’Alene does have a really interesting history."

The Museum of North Idaho will be hosting another free admission day on Oct. 31, which is also the last day it will be open for the season. Admission normally is $4 for adults, $1 for children and $10 for families. It is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and located at 115 Northwest Boulevard.

Info: www.museumni.org