McFarland House - A Sandpoint Landmark

by Bob Gunter

The old building is called the McFarland House by practically everyone that lives in the Sandpoint, Idaho area. It is located on the corner of Highway 95 and 1st Avenue and has become a landmark. The history of the home indicates that it was not originally the McFarland home.

The first person of record to live where the McFarland House sits today was an old timer by the name of Jack Waters. The Pend d'Oreille News of then Sand Point ran an article about the death of Waters on April 30, 1892. The paper stated that Jack Waters was accidentally shot when he was passing by the local slaughterhouse. Frank Hull who was employed by the Sandpoint Butchers was killing a beef and the bullet ricocheted and hit Waters in the arm.

The Ignatz Weil Home in Sandpoint, Idaho.
Click photo to enlarge

Waters was carried into a building near the slaughterhouse and a Dr. Dutton was called. The doctor told Waters that his arm would have to be amputated.Dr. Harvey who was called in for a second opinion and concurred that the arm could not be saved. Waters was moved by train the next day to Spokane, Washington. Drs. Harvey, Brown, Caterson, and Hood amputated Water's arm. The paper stated, "Jack Water's arm amputated this a.m. (April 28) and he is resting well at Sister's Hospital." On Friday morning the news was received in Sandpoint that Jack Waters had died.

Jack Waters was about 50 years of age and was unmarried. He came to what was then Sand Point during the time the Northern Pacific Railroad was being constructed. He owned 160 acres of land in Sandpoint in an area called Whistletown. He left no will and Ignatz Weil eventually claimed the property for services rendered in settling the affairs of Jack Waters. The Weil's undoubtedly lived in the homestead house on Water's land for a period of time before building what the local paper called, "Sandpoint's finest house in town."The property that was later called the Weil Addition was actually the land of Jack Waters.

The Weil's lived in the home many years and made their mark on the Sandpoint area. Due to bad investments the home was lost and purchased by Mr. And Mrs. L.D. McFarland. This pioneer family contributed much to Sandpoint and Bonner County. Mrs. McFarland died in 1963 and was followed in death by her husband in 1966.

In recent years the old home has been used as a Bed and Breakfast, Real Estate office, Florist, and other businesses. The grand old home stands proudly for all to see as they start up 1st Avenue in Sandpoint.

All photographs have been used with permission of the Bonner County Museum.