The Power House
by Bob Gunter
The Power House of
the Northern Idaho & Montana Power Company was
completed in 1910. It cost nearly $200,000 and, as
the Pend Oreille Review stated, "The new plant
in every detail is
modern and up-to-date and one of the most
substantial in the northwest." The building was
constructed of brick, concrete and steel from the
foundation up and the walls between the engine room
and boiler room were also made of brick and were 13
inches thick.
Sandpoint Power House
Click photo to enlarge
The plant furnished electrical power for Sandpoint
and the immediate surrounding area. The building was
127x113 feet and was divided into three rooms, an
engine and boiler room, and an all-purpose room
containing equipment and the seven panel
switchboards. A 500 kilowatt, 670 horsepower, Allis-Chalmers
engine was used in the power plant.
It was reported in 1917 by a local paper that there
was to be a new power company in Sandpoint. The
Northern Idaho and Montana Power Company was to be
succeeded by a Delaware based company by the name of
Mountain States Power Company.
In later years after the mode of the transmission of
electricity had changed, the old building was used
as a place for storage. 1972 saw the old power house
being used as the Sandpoint Marina. Winter storage
for boats was available as well as the rental of
water sports equipment. There one could find both
motor boats and canoes for fishing. Boat repair and
maintenance were also offered at the Marina.
When you come over the long bridge and enter
Sandpoint the first large building you see on your
right is the Power House. Today it houses the
Festival at Sandpoint, a restaurant and various
other businesses. It has been remodeled on the
inside but the exterior retains much of its
appearance of years gone by.
All photographs have been used with permission of the Bonner County Museum.
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