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Yet
unlike more remote settings, Bonner, Kootenai and Boundary
counties collectively enjoy a thriving economy in recent
times. Only 75 miles from
Spokane
,
Washington
, we still have plenty of land to greet the many people choosing
to retire or otherwise live here to do business or recreate.
Sandpoint
community
is the proud home of
Litehouse Dressings and
Coldwater
Creek, two self-made nationally recognized firms who’s
business plans have
prospered into very productive
enterprises, and consequently provided hundreds of area
residents with good-paying jobs. Anchor companies like Walmart,
and Home Depot have seen
North Idaho
’s vision as well, building to meet the rising demand,
which includes many Canadians who come here for recreation.
Sandpoint
Airport
recently expanded
its airstrip to accommodate an increasing number of
corporate jets and dozens of sport and
recreational
private planes.
Though
Spokane International Airport is only one and a half hours
away, demand for daily flights in and out of Sandpoint
(direct to
Seattle and Boise) has brought a strong
consideration from commuter airlines.
Sandpoint
may look larger than it is in reality due to the fact that
three independent communities have grown in recent times to
the point that the undiscerning eye would not know of the
civic separation. The boundaries are not necessarily
visible. From the air, Ponderay, Kootenai and Sandpoint look
like one town. Yet each has its own city hall, city
officials and police officers. Another bordering community
already nearly drawn in to the overview is the little river
town of
Dover
, west of Sandpoint. An expansion of waterfront condos and
lake properties has created a nearly complete line of
housing connecting city limits of each.
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At
the top of the four communities, Ponderay is probably the
fastest growing in
Bonner
County
. It has more available land for one thing, for commercial
development and though residential accommodations are being
constructed, its sure boom appears to be due to the
strong likelihood that the Sand Creek Byway will soon be
constructed on the Burlington Railroad right of way directly
east of Sandpoint’s busy downtown. Separated from Sandpoint
by Sand Creek, the city of
Ponderay
stretches north and west like the blade of a carpet cutter
with its southern most point reaching nearly all the way
to Sandpoint’s famous
City
Beach
. It therefore became the natural path for receiving the
reconstruction of Highway 95 now in the works with the Idaho
Transportation Department (ITD).
Ponderay
still has an old part of town, a small sector of residential
streets east of Highway 200. But it’s barred more or less
from lakefront development by the fact that Burlington
Northern owns the wooded right of way along the clay shores
of
Kootenai
Bay
. The effect from the lake gives unsuspecting boaters the
idea that that part of
Lake
Pend Oreille
has no community. A strong line of trees including birch,
cottonwood, cedar, white pine and Douglas fir among others
presents this scene from the lake.
Kootenai,
a smaller town immediately east of Ponderay has some older
houses still available but is also seeing new construction.
But Kootenai is a very small township compared to the land
available in Ponderay. Across the highway toward the lake
from Kootenai is a popular community development known as
Ponder Point, which generally contains higher income housing
by virtue of its proximity to the big pond.
Idaho
’s Panhandle has
other communities in the area as well. Over time, I’ll
treat those separately. But for now, going east toward
Montana
you pass through the wonderful setting of
Hope
,
Idaho
, which looks out over the greater expanse of our
magnificent lake. Immediately adjacent, but independent, is
East Hope and further on,
Clark Fork
. I’m only mentioning the communities with city charters
at this point. There are a number of rural communities and
districts that have no elected officials but can be
recognized by name. I’ll treat those in another article in
this series.
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North
of Ponderay, along Highway 95 is the small rural town of
Naples
. It has a post office, a store, a bar and a
very good restaurant (JJ Cookshack), some area
lodging and an RV camping park. Further north is the small
town of
Bonners Ferry
and east of it, Moyie Springs. West of Sandpoint, beyond
Dover
is Laclede, a small rural community similar to
Naples
. Beyond Laclede is the lumber town of
Priest
River
, which in turn is about the size and texture of Bonners
Ferry for culture. South of Sandpoint just a few short miles
off the end of the
Long
Bridge
is the growing community of Sagle. Much further (about
halfway to
Coeur d’Alene
) you’ll pass through the edge of Athol. If you turn left
you’ll go to Bayview; turn right for
Spirit
Lake
and Rathdrum; go straight south to Hayden and
Coeur d’Alene
. All of this is to hardly mention the fairly new alpine
community of
Schweitzer
Basin
, northwest and uphill from Sandpoint and visible to most
county residents. This sometime eclectic and yet wisely
built collection of homes and condominiums supports a
thriving winter-time community at Schweitzer Mountain
Resort.
So
you can see, our rich and diverse region offers many
lifestyle opportunities. It’s a little known fact that the
Idaho Panhandle has the highest per capita number of
millionaires living in the area smaller than
New Jersey
. It also has a substantial workforce of capable people
willing to work, most of whom are by nature hard workers.
Meanwhile,
drive safely. Keep your eyes open for moose and deer. You
might even see a bear or two, certainly turkeys here and
there. And if you get a chance to sample some of the lakes,
you’ll catch a variety of healthy fish in the rich region
of
Northern Idaho
.
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Sandpoint
