Looking Back ...

A tale of two cities

October 16, 2012
By Jack Flinn
The city of Bonners Ferry is the result of a merger of two cities.

On February 1, 1892 , the town of Eaton was created by resolution of the Kootenai County Commissioners.

Generally the area enclosed in Eaton is that part of Bonners Ferry from the present Kootenai Inn eastward, including the old school administration area and the residential area around Oak Street.

On October 16, 1893, Kootenai County Commissioners created the town of Bonnerport.

This is the general downtown area of the present Bonners Ferry.

On April 15, 1899, Kootenai County Commissioners approved the merger of Eaton and Bonnerport and established the name Bonners Ferry.

Subsequently , Kootenai County was divided and Bonners Ferry became part of Bonner County.

With the creation of Boundary County on January 23, 1915, Bonners Ferry became a county seat. (By Peter B. Wilson)