Behind bars

Kootenai County Jail Museum opens for summer tours

RATHDRUM — Travel back in time and discover what it felt like to be behind bars 100 years ago through the 10th annual tours at the Kootenai County Jail Museum.

Originally built in 1892, the Kootenai County Jail was home to dozens of prisoners, eight steel jail cells, the county hospital for the mentally ill, and the sheriff’s office. After the county seat was moved from Rathdrum to Coeur d’Alene in 1908, the building served as the city hall and town library.

Rumored to be haunted, the museum houses exhibits featuring county records, antiques, photos, and artifacts dating back to the 1800s. With the help of families and donors, volunteers at the museum have filled the old jail with newspaper articles, an original jail cell, clothing, and furniture from the last century.

“A lot of times people coming through will know who (are in the photos) and they’ll let us know so we can put names to them,” said Pauline Jensen, the Rathdrum/Westwood Historical Society secretary. “We have high school photos, parade photos, band photos, house photos. We constantly get people donating different things all the time.”

Excluding Fourth of July weekend, tours are available every Saturday and Sunday leading up to Labor Day from noon to 4 p.m. Group tours are available by request year-round, weather permitting, by calling the museum or through its website.

While the jail is free of charge, they encourage a $2 donation for adults and $1 for children to help preserve the heritage of the Rathdrum.

Tour guides offer a plethora of fun facts. Whether guests want a guided tour or just to learn at their own pace, volunteers encourage visitors to wander the property for as long as they’d like.

“We give you a light overview of what’s here and we ask you to go back and look at anything that particularly interests you,” said Sue Culver, the Rathdrum/Westwood Historical Society treasurer, who has volunteered with the museum since 2010. “When we do tours we get a feel for what people are interested in and we’ll spend more time on that exhibit.”

Despite hiccups from COVID-19, the Kootenai County Jail Museum is excited to start its 2020 season and educate the public on Rathdrum’s rich history.

“History is our heritage. There’s so much history that is not taught anymore,” Culver said. “I think the younger generation is really missing out because history repeats itself and they need to learn from it.”

Info: www.rathdrumhistory.com/