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Bonners Ferry in Boundary County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)
 

Spokane International Railway

The Corbin Road 1906

 
 
Spokane International Railway Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, May 8, 2018
1. Spokane International Railway Marker
Inscription. In 1905 Inland Empire construction magnate, D.C. Corbin, set out to build a railway line from Spokane to the international border. His plan was import coal from British Columbia to markets in eastern Washington.
The Spokane International Railroad was to connect with the Canadian Pacific, making it an international transcontinental line. Financed by the sale of stock, the 140.8-mile line from Spokane to Eastport was completed in October 1906. Construction through Boundary County required four tunnels, bridges, trestles, and numerous construction camps. Italian workers name the town of Naples, south of Bonners Ferry. By 1907 the Spokane International ran two passenger trains daily. In 1916, the 30 miles between Bonners Ferry and Eastport included postal stops at Moyie Springs, Eileen, Meadow Creek, Snyder, and Addie.
Financial problems frequently plagued the Spokane International. When passenger service was terminated in 1954, the railway initiated a new schedule for fast freight. Finally in 1958, the Union Pacific purchased the line, constructed a new depot in Eastport in 1962, and built a new bridge across the Kootenai River in 1985.
Today, Bonners Ferry is still a town along the way. Diesel engines have replaced steam locomotives and the cabooses are gone. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Union Pacific rumble
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non-stop through the county on century-old roadbeds. The long horn blast warning people to stay clear of the crossings are reminders of the thousands of workers who built and continue to maintain the lines. This story is dedicated to them.
More information on Boundary County history and the railroads is available inside the museum.
Thank you for visiting

(side-bar at bottom:)
This project is supported in part by a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, a state-based program of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Boundary County Historical Society, Inc., August 2009.
 
Erected 2009 by Boundary County Historical Society.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & CommerceRailroads & Streetcars.
 
Location. 48° 41.861′ N, 116° 18.693′ W. Marker is in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, in Boundary County. Marker can be reached from Main Street near Riverside Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7229 Main Street, Bonners Ferry ID 83805, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Kootenai Valley Railway (here, next to this marker); Railroad Laborers (here, next to this marker); Railroad Services (here,
Spokane International Railway Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, May 8, 2018
2. Spokane International Railway Marker
next to this marker); Great Northern Railway 1892 (here, next to this marker); A Town is Born Along the Way (here, next to this marker); Logging Railroads (here, next to this marker); Semaphores (here, next to this marker); Pelton Wheel (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bonners Ferry.
 
More about this marker. This marker is located on the backside of the building at 7229 Main Street near the entrance to the Boundary County Museum.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on August 31, 2018. It was originally submitted on August 31, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 372 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on August 31, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.

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Mar. 29, 2024