Welcome toSandpoint

The city of Sandpoint lies on the shores of the largest lake in Idaho, Lake Pend Oreille, and was given its name because of the long sandy beach which extends into Lake Pend Oreille near downtown. Sandpoint is the largest city in Bonner County, Idaho and, although it lies outside of Kootenai County, and 46 miles to the north of Coeur d’Alene it is included here on this website as a part of a larger shared history of Northern Idaho. As you search for homes for sale in Sandpoint, Idaho, you will find properties with unparalleled vistas of Lake Pend Oreille.

As with other Northern Idaho towns, Sandpoint’s history begins with Native Americans, specifically one of the Interior Salish Tribes, the Kalispel Tribe, whose ancestral land extended across Priest and Pend Oreille Lakes. Northwest Company Fur Traders was possibly the first to establish relationships with not only the Kalispel Tribe, but other Tribes in Northern Idaho in 1809, which then helped establish fur trading with the tribes.

In 1880 surveyors from Northern Pacific Railway arrived in the area and by 1882 began building the stretch of railroad between Montana and the town of Pend Oreille which had developed into a tiny but boisterous community.

In 1892 The Great Northern Pacific Railway arrived, and the rustic town grew to a more family oriented, genteel town encompassing both sides of Sand Creek and the town became known as Sandpoint. The many natural resources in the area attracted more settlers who formed small communities with timber being the main industry. Farming became popular on the cleared forest land and the City of Sandpoint was incorporated in 1901. Many historic sites can be found in Sandpoint, and a tour of these can be found on this Historic Walking Tour.

Between the 1960s and present day, the Sandpoint area transitioned from a resource-based economy of logging, mining, farming and ranching to a more diversified economy. 1963 brought a new ski area, Schweitzer only 12 miles from Sandpoint,
bringing thousands of visitors to the area. The ski area boasts breath taking views of the Cabinet, Selkirk, and Bitterroot Mountains, and dazzling vistas of Lake Pend Oreille.

The new economy developed over years includes arts and culture, manufacturing, recreation, technology, aeronautics, commercial services, education and small-scale horticulture while logging and mining have diminished.

Activities in the area are plenty. The annual Pend Oreille Art Council’s Arts and Crafts Fair offers two days of art filled fun in August. Various events are offered all summer long at Schweitzer including a Wine Festival, races on foot, bike, or swimming, and The Festival at Sandpoint an 8 day music extravaganza. For a quiet hour try the Land Pend Oreilles Cruises for a scenic tour on the water. And just in case that isn’t enough to wet your whistle, don’t forget the Sandpoint Train Station, the oldest remaining active train depot of the old Pacific Northwest Railway. If you want to take a train trip on Amtrak, Sandpoint is the only operating Amtrak station in Idaho. And one last thing; if you are a fisherman, you have probably heard of the Kamloops Trout of Lake Pend Oreille. Avid fishermen reading about this beautiful freshwater fish might be inspired to visit Lake Pend Oreille.

If you decide that you can’t resist all that the area has to offer, a search of homes for sale in Sandpoint, Idaho or more specifically Lake Pend Oreille waterfront homes for sale, will show a diverse array of properties from homes nestled into the forest, to quaint in-town houses, to lakefront properties with stunning views. With such a variety of options, Sandpoint could be the place for you.