Celebrating yesterday and today

Pancho and J Edler had long been waiting for the grand opening of the Museum of North Idaho at its new home. When they walked in the doors on a sunny Friday morning, they were impressed. 

“Absolutely fantastic,” J Edler said. “We’re glad to finally get in here and see it.” 

Hayden’s Charles and Janie Cutting were equally pleased as they toured the museum at McEuen Park at the base of Tubbs Hill. 

“I think it’s beautiful,” Janie Cutting said. “They’ve done a wonderful job of putting all this together, and I haven’t even seen it all.” 

About 200 people attended the celebration that started Thursday, continued Friday with a ribbon-cutting, tours and talks and wraps up today with activities for kids and an Easter Egg hunt at 1 p.m.  

The grand opening was the culmination of a long journey and raising more than $3 million to move and renovate the historic J.C. White House. 

“Our community has been so supportive, our donors have been absolutely tremendous,” said Britt Thurman, MONI executive director. “Every donation that came through got us to where we are today.” 

Staff, volunteers and board members made sacrifices and contributed countless hours to get it done. 

“It's been truly a team effort, five years in the making to open the Museum of North Idaho,” Thurman said.  

Following songs by students with Bryan Elementary School and chants of Coeur d’Alene tribal members, guests were allowed inside. 

The primary exhibits are on the lower level. The main floor has a gift shop, welcoming area, a few exhibits and donor wall. The second floor has offices, exhibits, a research library and conference room. The third floor is offices. 

The museum features modern technology. It has interactive exhibits that create an “immersive experience” that lets visitors “feel like they are part of history."

Stories of mining, logging, maritime and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe are shared in words and pictures. 

One exhibit especially dear to Thurman is a beaded outfit made by Philomena Nomee of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, who recently passed away. 

“To be able to keep her legacy going and share her story with the public, to be trusted by her family, means so much,” Thurman said. 

She said there was sense of relief with the grand opening. 

“All of this hard work is done and we can just enjoy and share,” Thurman said. “We can focus more on history and less on construction.” 

A second phase calls for a $2.5 million, 5,000-square-foot underground expansion. 

Resident Dave Yadon has watched the progression of the museum from its old home of about 50 years near City Park, which will be demolished, to its new one. 

He said it will be a great addition to McEuen Park, with City Hall and the Coeur d’Alene Public Library nearby. 

“Getting to this point is fabulous,” Yadon said. 

Steve Widmyer, MONI board member, was pleased they were able to preserve history in Coeur d’Alene by moving the 1903 J.C. White House and refurbish it into a new museum.

It provides an opportunity to show locals and visitors “who we were and what our history has been in Coeur d’Alene.  

“That’s really important,” Widmyer said. 

    A beaded outfit by the late Philomena Nomee of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe is displayed at the Museum of North Idaho on Friday.
  

    A visitor walks down the stairs at the Museum of North Idaho on Friday.
  

    A display greets visitors to the Museum of North Idaho on Friday.
  

    Guests at the Museum of North Idaho's grand opening on Friday relax at a stairway.
  

    Museum of North Idaho Executive Director Britt Thurman, center, leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday.