Bookmarking History: CdA's Garden District flourishes

(Editor’s note: This is the final installment of a three-part series analyzing the preservation of historical sites in Kootenai County.)

Think historical places in Coeur d’Alene and most of us conjure images of the deeply rooted Fort Grounds district.

But there’s another long-ago established Coeur d’Alene neighborhood rich with history and boasting the city’s oldest homes, first public schools and earliest churches.

Nestled adjacent to bustling downtown Coeur d’Alene, the historic Garden District is located north of Sherman Avenue between 4th and 11th Streets and bordered by Montana Avenue to the north. The quiet, tree-lined streets include more than 300 largely Craftsman and Victorian-style homes built in the early 1900s—and as early as 1893.

A hotspot for homebuyers and history buffs, a stroll through the Garden District reveals a beautifully maintained neighborhood with six churches, a city park and community garden.

Recognizing the Garden District’s historic charm and character, officials have been quietly working to have the 63-block neighborhood designated as an official Historic District recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

Supporters of the endeavor say the designation would help to boost community pride and appeal, which translates into maintaining the financial and intangible worth of the properties.

“It’s just such an amazing neighborhood with so much character and so close to downtown,” said Lisa Benscheidt, who lives in a beautifully maintained 100-year-old home in Garden District and serves as president of the district’s board of directors.

“So many people walk our neighborhood and want to find out more about these homes,” she said. And the appeal is perpetual. “There are so many people who loved this neighborhood as a kid growing up, left the area and came back to raise a family.”

If the historical designation is approved as expected, Garden District residents plan to display plaques on their homes affirming the distinction and the year in which the house was built.

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“The Garden District project is the first of its size in the city and will be an important example of how a historic district designation comes to be—a model and example of other yet-to-be formally designated historic districts of Coeur d’Alene and the county.”

Lauri Mauser, Kootenai County Historic Preservation Commission

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Local historian Robert Singletary said efforts to have the Garden District recognized as a historical district have been ongoing for over a year. Word is expected “any day” on approval of a $13,000 federal grant to move forward with the designation.

The money would fund a reconnaissance survey, recording, site form preparation, survey report preparation, and information and training workshops. Local volunteers would chip in a match of $13,000 in donated time toward the cause, Singletary said.

The comprehensive survey of each building/property will be evaluated by Idaho State Historic Preservation Office for final approval.

The Garden District designation would be unique to Coeur d’Alene, said Laurie Mauser, an archaeologist and member of the Kootenai County Historic Preservation Commission.

“The Garden District project is the first of its size in the city and will be an important example of how a historic district designation comes to be—a model and example of other yet-to-be formally designated historic districts of Coeur d’Alene and the county,” Mauser said.

The historical attributes of the Garden District also make the neighborhood alluring to homebuyers, said Janna Rankin Scharf, an associate broker at Keller Williams Realty Coeur d’Alene.

Property values have soared in recent years and in 2018, 25 homes within the district sold at prices ranging from $180,000 to $899,000. Homes put up for sale in the district are usually snatched up quickly, Rankin Scharf said.

“It’s a highly desirable area because of its proximity to downtown, the lake, parks, restaurants, and trails,” she said. “It’s surrounded by big stately ancient trees and you’ve got the charm of the older houses.”

The Garden District will become one of only a handful of districts officially recognized on the National Historic Register in Kootenai County. The others are: Fort Sherman buildings, Harrison Commercial District, Lake Pend Oreille Lime and Cement Industry and Sherman Park Addition/Fort Grounds.

Singletary said the official recognition of the Garden District as a historical site enhances the community culturally and economically.

“We look at historical preservation as an economic development tool,” Singletary said. “When you preserve the historical character of a town, that adds to its beauty and allure for people to come visit and that’s good for the economy.”