History makes those who live it

Martin Luther King said we are not makers of history; we are made by it. The past informs the present, and our roots — both societal and individual — influence the cultures and experiences that shape our thoughts, beliefs, and emotional reactions to the present.

May is Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month, and 2016 marks 50 years since the National Historic Preservation Act. The law transformed communities from coast to coast as it established the legal framework and incentives to preserve historic buildings, landscapes, and archaeology.

North Idaho is home to many charming, beautiful, and fascinating such locations that beg to tell their stories of what brought us to where we are today. Native American cultures, the mining and timber industries, rich natural resources such as the forests and lakes Pend Oreille and Coeur d’Alene — they’re just the beginning.

The Idaho State Historic Preservation Office celebrates that history by promoting opportunities to learn about them. This year’s events in North Idaho include:

Bayview: “Investigating the Pend d’Oreille City Site” Saturday, May 7, 10 a.m. at Bayview Community Center; (208) 683-1751

Moscow: “Mining in Territorial Idaho 1860-1880” Saturday., May 7, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology, University of Idaho; (208) 885-1771 or scamp@uidaho.edu

Post Falls: “Celebrating Post Falls’ Oldest Building — Historic Preservation at the JACC” Thursday, May 19, 6 to 8 p.m. at The Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center;

pfhistorical@roadrunner.com, (208) 262-9642.

Sandpoint: “Homesteading on Beaver Lake and Gamlin Lake” Saturday, May 14, 2 to 4 p.m. at East Bonner County Library, (208) 263-6930

Wallace: Two presentations at the Wallace District Mining Museum include, “Bed, Breakfast, and Booze: An Examination of the Pend d’Oreille Hotel;” and “Hear the Whistle Blow! Sandpoint, Idaho, and the Railroad, 1882-1925,” both on Saturday, May 21, 10:30 a.m. (208) 556-1592.

For more events statewide this month see https://history.idaho.gov/preservation-month.

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Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at Sholeh@cdapress.com.