While bids were first called for on October 17th, 1935, it wasn't until mid May of 1937 that a contract was awarded for the building. Three rounds of bidding all resulted in bids well over the amount appropriated ($100,000) by the government for the post office. However, a bid of $125,000 was finally accepted and the contract awarded to L. H. Hoffman.
Work had already gotten underway, with clearing and grading of the site, and construction of the building was commenced immediately upon the letting of the contract. By July 29th of 1937 pilings had been installed and concrete pouring had begun. By about November 21st the building had been closed in. By late April of 1938 a dedication ceremony was being planned for April 30th. That ceremony attracted 1,000 spectators, the day after which the post office moved into the lower floor. The upper floor was soon occupied by the U.S. immigration service and border patrol, the U.S. customs patrol, the U.S.G.S., and the Farm Security Administration.
We're not sure who occupies the upper floor today, but the post office remains in the building as of 2016. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
The history of Bonners Ferry is linked with the story of the Kootenai River. The first recorded visit of the white man in the area is that of David Thompson, an English immigrant employee of the Northwest Fur Company (a rival of the Hudson Bay Company).
In 1808 Thompson, an explorer and surveyor, came to the area along the Kootenai River where Bonners Ferry now stands. He returned to the area in 1809 and 1810; in 1811 the first trading post was established near the present site of Bonners Ferry by the Northwest Fur Company. In 1863 prospectors from all over the west came to the area after the discovery of the Wild Horse mines in British Columbia. In 1887 the first post office was established in the small town, then called Fry. Richard Fry was the first postmaster. The town began to grow with the coming of the Great Northern Railroad in 1892; in 1894, was incorporated. Originally known as Fry, then Bonnerport and Eatonville, the town became Bonners Ferry in 1899.
The Post Office is in the central business district, one block west of Main Street, the downtown's primary business street. On the northeast corner of the Kootenai and First streets intersection, the building faces the west.
On October 17th [1935] it was reported that the Treasury Department was calling for bids for the post office building (Senator Borah was given credit for securing the project). A month later a postal inspector examined the three sites that had been offered (November 14th article)...A site at the corner of 1st and Kootenai Streets containing six lots was selected. The lots were owned by F. E. Lenhart (3 lots), J. W. Reid (2 lots) and George R. Gray (1 lot); the total purchase price was $3,400 (December 19th article). On January 2nd, 1936 it was reported that the site had been purchased by the federal
government; it was also noted that the location, across from the Courthouse, would help "build up" that section of town.
Construction bids were called in the August 20th [1936] Herald. The building would contain two stories and would require 300 timber pilings for foundation support. Local labor would be given preference in hiring. The results of the bid opening were reported on September 10th. They were rejected as being too high: the low bid of $115,000 was $8,000 higher than the total appropriation of $107,000.
On March 25th [1937] it was reported that the new bids were being requested. Once again, the bids exceeded the appropriation: the new low bid was $125,000— $25,000 over the authorized appropriation (May 6th article).
On May 13th, however, it was reported that "after numerous delays and disappointments" the contract had been awarded to L. H. Hoffman, the low bidder. To avoid further delay, Cong. White and the procurement division had met and "decided to draw on reserve funds and let the contract."
On June 24th [1937] the Herald reported that excavation for the
federal building had begun that morning; the paper noted that 300 pilings would be used and that a "great deal" of materials would be purchased locally. On July 29th it was reported that concrete was being poured and that local labor was being used as far as possible... An article of November 18th reported that "A spirited race with Old Man Winter has been staged at the local Federal building, and indications today are that the workmen have won out." Only three more days of favorable weather were needed to complete
the major exterior work.
An article of January 27th of 1938 reported that construction was on schedule (most exterior work was finished and the interior work was underway) and described some of the building's features: the building would have a "spacious lobby" measuring 20' x 70', tile floors with marble base and wainscoting (the marble coming from Minnesota/ Utah and Alaska) and an inspector's lookout station "commanding a full view of the workroom."
On April 21st it was announced that the Kootenai Valley Commercial Club was planning a dedication ceremony for April 30th. Work had "progressed at a steady pace, all phases of the construction/ it is said/ being completed on schedule time." A banner headline of April 28th announced "Dedicate Federal Building Saturday." An elaborate ceremony was planned: the high school band and American Legion were to participate and local postmasters and state politicians had been invited to attend. Afterwards the new building/ with "interior furnishing of the most approved type/" would be "thrown open" to the public. It was noted that the post office would move from the First National Bank Building, the border patrol from the Interstate Telephone Company's building/ and the Farm Security Offices from the Estlund building. Credit was given to Sen. Borah and Cong. White: who "went to bat" for the building.
From the Idaho Historical Society