Saving history pays off

Preservation Idaho's 47th annual Orchids and Onions Awards recipient for Friend of Preservation was Hamilton House/Music Conservatory of Coeur d’Alene.

"We're honored and so grateful at the Music Conservatory to have received this award," said Zoe Thurman, a director with the Music Conservatory. "We could not have saved this house from demolition without the full support of this wonderful community. Our historic landscape is just that, our historic landscape. It belongs to, and enriches, all of us that live in this town, and it remains our diligent, individual responsibility to speak up and act to save our historic heritage."

The Hamilton House was built in 1908 for the second mayor of the city, Boyd Hamilton, and his wife, Alta.

From 1908 to 1975, the home was the residence of several prominent citizens, including Idaho Supreme Court Judge McNaughton. In 1975, the home was purchased by a local attorney for use as law offices. In 2017, the Kootenai County commissioners purchased the house for future use, but it sat vacant. In February 2019, news broke that they intended to demolish the house and build office space and parking.

It was on the brink of destruction a few years ago before a group led by Deborah Mitchell, Thurman and Cindy Nunn mobilized to save it.

They were successful, through extensive research, public awareness campaigns and significant financial support from then-Coeur d'Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer and Windermere/Coeur d'Alene Realty Inc. owner Donald "Pepper" Smock, who bought the property for $500,001 from Kootenai County. Today, it serves as the home of the Music Conservatory of Coeur d’Alene, which offers music lessons and hosts concerts.

"The Hamilton House is also a fantastic example of adapted use where the residential building was converted in a sensitive way to a community and public space for music," wrote Shannon Sardell, historical architect, in a letter of recommendation. "The historic integrity of both the exterior and interior have remained largely intact with only minor exterior changes for safety and wellbeing of the facilities users."

Their efforts culminated in the house's listing in the National Register of Historic Places in October 2021.

"We've seen how much the Music Conservatory of Coeur d'Alene has brought, and continues to bring, music education and arts and cultural enrichment to our community," Thurman said. "Saving and repurposing our historic buildings for similar business and enrichment purposes is vital to maintaining the unique character of Coeur d'Alene."

Sardell agreed.

"I do strongly feel that the work on this building changed the public momentum and sentiment about the historic places remaining locally and has given hope for protecting and preserving more of it," she said.

The Friend of Preservation is awarded to non-professional individuals distinguished for service in historic preservation. It includes those who volunteer for preservation organizations, historical societies or museums.

Award recipients will be honored in Pocatello at the Purpose Center on Aug. 10.

"These projects, organizations, and individuals are powerful extensions of our mission: To preserve Idaho's historic places through collaboration, education, and advocacy," according to a press release from Preservation Idaho. "We invite you to join us in celebrating how each of these awardees contributes to making Idaho a better place to live, work, visit and enjoy."