Spirit Lake Idaho Historical Society and Museum

09/07/2026

On Labor Day, come to the Spirit Lake Museum (and next door to the Lutheran Church) as we have our annual free ice cream social, with live old-time music, historic stories, and the museum is open too (from 1-4 on Sept 7, 2026). (due to the weather the music will be inside the Lutheran Church)
Also this Friday (Sept. 11 at 7 pm) will be the first of a series of 2nd Friday night free movies at the library. Featured will be Harold Lloyd, whose daring silent comedies stand tall next to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. An excerpt from "Safety Last" will show Harold scaling a skyscraper and hanging from the clock. Then the feature will be The Freshman, where Harold tries to be the hip kid at college, and in spite of his failures gets into the big football game.
Finally on Sept 16th at 4 our regular 4 pm meeting will feature a 90+ year old pianist performing on our 1899 piano and sharing the story of her mother being the first baby born in Spirit Lake.

08/24/2026

The classes of the 1950's will have an all school reunion this Friday Aug. 28 at Big Park at 9 am, promoted by the Historical Society.

08/22/2026

https://youtu.be/ws4HksA97Do our museum interview with a unique local citizen.

known for his many old vehicles still used for transport, and color...

08/18/2026

Looking for something to do This Wednesday?!

Join Historical Society to hear George "Buzzy" Booten Sr, well-known local resident, share stories at the Museum, Wednesday, August 19 at 4:00PM. Buzzy's antique automobiles and trucks are famous in our area and his history is another colorful addition to our common life.

Also, please put Labor Day Monday, September 7, from 1-4, on your calendar for the Historical Society's annual free Ice Cream Social, with live old-time music and historical conversation. If it is too hot, or wet, to be outside in the pop up tents on the grass behind the Museum, we will be graciously hosted in the air conditioned, and dry, Lutheran Church.
And finally, at our regularly 4:00 monthly September 16th meeting, we will hear from the daughter of the first baby born in the Spirit Lake Hospital in 1908! Look forward to details of this very special event coming up!
All these opportunities are at your local Spirit Lake Museum, on the corner of Jefferson and 6th, right behind the Lutheran church on Highway 41. See you there!

07/18/2026

https://youtu.be/KvQ8HNxdRaE new video recorded Wednesday

at the Spirit Lake Idaho museum, July 2026

07/17/2026

The Lutheran Church has a giant yard sale going on this weekend. We have a small one in the parking area by the museum. We encourage you to visit both. The historical society sale is unpriced and people are welcome to take what they like and donate what they feel is appropriate. There is a box on the building for cash, and a QVC code for donating via the Sondahl Pottery Venmo account. The photo is from last year, but gives you the idea...

07/15/2026

Today (Wednesday July 15th) at 4 pm at the museum Ole Hohman will talk about the log flume down Brickel Creek. photo is of Wanda Lockling (of the Lockling store family) in the dry flume.

06/17/2026

On Wednesday June 17th at 4 pm, Doug Freeland and Diane Rinck will share memories of their family's long time at Spirit Lake.
On Saturday at 2 pm, Brad Sondahl will present a talk on his family rock and fossil collection, as well as an overview of our local history related to the catastrophic floods around 15,000 years ago when glacial Lake Missoula emptied repeatedly through this area...
Does this rock look familiar? Everyone who has been here has probably driven right by it...

05/23/2026

https://youtu.be/iehRMlne7qQ

Presented at the Spirit Lake Idaho Historical Museum spiritlakehistory.org

05/14/2026

Our monthly meeting starts again on May 20th at 4 pm at the museum (6th and Jefferson, Spirit Lake). Mandi Conway will share stories and pictures from her trip to Morocco.



The museum will open for the summer on May 23 from 1-4 pm.

If you would like to help keep the museum open by being a host, contact one of the board members--Brad and Althea Sondahl, Paul Sturm, Mary Jo Foss, John Weiss, and Sam Hughes.

We are adding new items to our collection this year (with board approval), including a stereo-opticon viewer and stereo photos (my generation's version was the Viewmaster 3D viewer) and a collection of rocks and fossils to add to our natural history...



Here's an ad for the I W and N Railroad from around 1910 showing how many of our local lakes are joined together as tourist destinations.