Sandpoint City Hall - "The Apple Box"

by Bob Gunter

The old building stood across the creek near the railroad station. There were signs advertising chewing tobacco and Bull Durham nailed to its walls.

The jail, with its four cells, was on the lower floor and upstairs the City Council sat on plain pine benches and made decisions that affected the life of the citizens. They pondered such matters as a franchise for an electric light company, a water works franchise, and Earl Farmin's resolution to prohibit gambling.

Things got pretty busy for the council and more room was needed. The next few years saw a move to a wooden building that Mr. Farmin had built next to his barn on 1st Avenue and later the Star Market hall was rented for conducting city business.

The Sandpoint City Hall and Jail was built in 1904 and the locals called it the "Apple Box."
Click on photo to enlarge

The growth of Sandpoint from a village, along the railroad track, to a city is evidenced by the fact that it went from the "Apple Box" to a new City Hall at 2nd and Main in seven short years. This growth brought additional problems to the City Council. In September of 1908 the Women's Club appeared before the Council with certain requests to help beautify the small town. Mrs. L.D. McFarland spoke for the club and requested that the Council consider a "strict ordinance providing a penalty be passed forbidding people from expectorating on the sidewalks and in public places." She encouraged the Council to see that citizens use "disinfectants in all needed places" and "the owners of s

Sandpoint's Old City Hall. This building located at 2nd and Main Street
in Sandpoint, is now office space for Panhandle State Bank and Sandpoint Title Insurance.
Click on photo to enlarge

As the city grew the need for a new city hall was evident. The Spokesman Review reported that the foundation for a new building was laid in 1909. Two men, H.W. Howden and S.A. Thomas, turned in the identical figure of $11,300 for roofing and enclosure. They flipped a coin and Howden was the winner and got the contract. So the people had a grand building on 2nd and Main complete with a large belfry, however the belfry has since been removed.

This building met the needs of city government until 1994 when the City Council voted to buy the warehouse and office building of Coldwater Creek. The old City Hall was sold to help pay the $1.1 million paid for the new quarters. The City Hall today is located on Lake and Ella. It lacks the character of the old building but is more spacious and accessible.

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