When my great-grandfather Charles Beardmore first envisioned his commercial block in downtown Priest River, it was more than a business decision alone.  For him, it was an expression of a great confidence in the future of Priest River and northern Idaho, Beardmore had every reason to feel confident.  He arrived in Idaho in 1900 with nothing more than a letter of introduction and a desire to be part of creating a growing and thriving community.  Within two decades, his role in the timber industry was allowing him to do just that as Bonner County’s largest employer.

In many ways, I know how Charles Beardmore felt.  For me, the Beardmore Building stands as a physical expression of all that northern Idaho represents
—a connection of past and future.  Just as the Beardmore is a physical connection between me and my great-grandfather, so too it is a tangible link between the rich heritage of Priest River and its future as an emerging region in the early 21st century.  Charles Beardmore built his commercial block because he believed in northern Idaho and its future; 85 years later I’m preserving and restoring it for those very same reasons.

Brian Runberg, AIA