Letting you know about an important meeting regarding the future of Kootenai County museums and historical societies. As you know the various historical societies in Kootenai county are fragmented and have no united front….we’re all just trying to eek by!. This meeting will be the first attempt to organize the historical community of Kootenai county to get more support/funding from the county commissioners.

Here is what was discussed-

1. The use of the now empty army reserve building (at Wyoming Ave and Ramsey Rd. in Hayden, Idaho) to preserve the historical heritage of Kootenai County.

The county has an obligation to preserve its history and culture ( Id Statute 31-864). It owns the reserve building and property outright and is currently trying to sell it for airport use.

2. The Museum of North Idaho receives ALL the money from the county for historical preservation and it is not enough to do the job. $15,000 in a budget of $100,000,00+!!!

3. The Army reserve building can be a storage facility/ meeting facility and facility for kiosks and displays for all the 12+ historical museums and historical societies in Kootenai county.

4. The status of the Bird aviation and invention museum moving to that location; the imminent closing of the Museum of North Idaho ( its location has been for years  in the plans for the Coeur d’Alene URD to be a parking lot), and what do when it has to close; the possibility of turning a part of the army reserve building into a Kootenai County museum; the closing of the Honor point museum in Spokane and discussing the acquisition of some of its 15000 artifacts; and the status of the Pappy Boyington Veterans museum.

5. Expanding the Kootenai County Historical Society to include ALL the historical entities in Kootenai county in order to: share resources and fund-raising information, have a central storage building for long term storage; have a united front (numbers!) to present to the county commissioners for funding.

I know it’s short notice but time is of the essence! The new airport director is trying to sell the building before the historical community can get organized enough to present their case to the commissioners.

Ken Moore (Col. USMC-Ret.) is spearheading the project and is shaping up the project quickly and efficiently. He has arranged to have to meeting room at the Atrium Business center available to us tomorrow at 5:30 pm. If you can’t make it, please have someone from your museum/historical society available.