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Spirit Lake, Idaho: A Century-Old Timber Town With Deep Roots and Deep-Red Politics

  • Bill Postmus (Staff Writer)
  • 20 hours ago
  • 3 min read

Spirit Lake, Idaho is one of northern Kootenai County’s oldest incorporated communities — a former boomtown born out of the early 20th-century logging industry. More than a century later, this small lakefront city remains one of the most traditionally rooted, civic-minded, and overwhelmingly conservative communities in the entire Panhandle.



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Below is a full overview of Spirit Lake’s history, civic structure, public-safety services, political profile, and its 2024 presidential vote performance.



A Brief History of Spirit Lake


Spirit Lake emerged in the early 1900s when the Panhandle Lumber Company established a major sawmill on the shores of the lake. The timber operations attracted workers, families, boarding houses, saloons, and storefronts — the classic profile of a North Idaho mill settlement.



The city officially incorporated in 1908, and photos from around 1911 show dirt roads, wood-plank sidewalks, and a small but bustling commercial district. The town’s early development mirrored the wider Inland Northwest: rough, industrious, and built around the logging camps, sawmills, and railroad lines that connected the interior to the markets of Spokane and beyond.

While the mill economy eventually declined, Spirit Lake did not disappear like so many one-industry towns. Instead, it stabilized into a family-oriented small city with lake recreation, outdoor culture, and a strong local identity.



Source:City of Spirit Lake (Official Website) – https://www.spiritlakeid.gov

Spirit Lake Historic Walking Tour materials (1908–2008 centennial)



Spirit Lake’s Place in Kootenai County


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Spirit Lake is one of 16 incorporated cities within Kootenai County, Idaho. It ranks in the mid-range of population among these cities, with an estimated 2,494 residents as of 2023–2024.

While Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Hayden, and Rathdrum make up the larger population centers, Spirit Lake maintains the traditional, small-town civic character that defines the northern edge of the county.



Source: World Population Review – Spirit Lake, Idaho Populationhttps://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/idaho/spirit-lake



Government Structure


The City of Spirit Lake operates under a traditional mayor-and-council municipal structure, providing local oversight for community planning, ordinances, public works, and city services.

Full visitor and city information:👉 https://www.spiritlakeid.gov



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Local Police Department


Spirit Lake maintains its own fully staffed municipal police force — the Spirit Lake Police Department (SLPD). After a challenging period several years ago, the department was rebuilt and expanded.

As of late 2024:

  • 8 full-time officers

  • 3 reserve officers

  • A newly appointed police chief

  • Expanded community policing and patrol coverage


Police resources & community alerts:👉 https://spiritlakepolice.org


Source: Coeur d’Alene Press reporting, Dec. 2024



Fire & EMS: Spirit Lake Fire Protection District (Two Counties)


Fire and medical service is provided by the Spirit Lake Fire Protection District (SLFPD) — a regional agency larger than the city itself.


Key facts:

  • Covers ~120 square miles

  • Serves 15,000+ residents

  • Operates across two counties: Kootenai County AND Bonner County

  • Includes Spirit Lake, Blanchard, Hoodoo Valley, Spirit Valley, and multiple cross-county communities

  • Provides structure fire response, EMS, and wildland capabilities



Fire district website and service map:👉 https://spiritlakefire.com

Source: Spirit Lake Fire Protection District (Official)



The Political Identity of Spirit Lake

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Spirit Lake is part of one of the most conservative counties in Idaho — and the numbers reflect it. High homeownership, a historic timber heritage, a strong sense of local control, and community institutions all contribute to its longstanding Republican identity.

In the 2024 Presidential Election, Spirit Lake’s three voting precincts (Precincts 201, 202,

203) produced one of the highest Republican margins in the state.



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2024 General Election – Spirit Lake Precincts (President)


Two-Candidate Percentages:

  • Trump: 87.7%

  • Harris: 12.3%


These results align with broader Kootenai County performance, where Trump dominated countywide.



Sources:Kootenai County Elections – 2024 General Election Precinct ResultsIdaho Secretary of State – 2024 General Election

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