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Sandpoint, Idaho

Population: 6,835
Located in Bonner County

Mountains with ski hills, wide, lush valleys and crystal clear Lake Pend Oreille, the largest lake in Idaho, dominate the view of Sandpoint. The recreational possibilities are unlimited and unmatched. Many travelers, when crossing the long bridge on U.S. 95, instantly decide to make this their new home, if only temporarily. It is a feeling that can only be experienced, not explained.

The opening of Schweitzer Mountain Resort in 1963 turned the area into a year around tourism destination based on its natural beauty. The beauty of the surrounding Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains and Lake Pend Oreille have kept Sandpoint a tourist favorite for water sports, hunting, hiking, horseback riding, fishing and skiing.

Economy
Sandpoint's major industry is tourism and recreation, thanks to its proximity to scenic Lake Pend Oreille and Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort. It is also home to the headquarters for the mail-order clothing catalog Coldwater Creek.

Significant local businesses that have developed and flourish in and around Sandpoint include Litehouse (a salad dressing manufacturer), Coldwater Creek (a national clothing and apparel marketer), Encoder Products, Percussion Aire (medical instrumentation), and Quest Aircraft.

Since 2002, Sandpoint has been home to Quest Aircraft where the Kodiak, a new 10-seat, single engine, turbo prop airplane is designed and produce. The Kodiak is unique among airplanes because it is designed for humanitarian purposes.

Education
Lake Pend Oreille School District comprises Sandpoint High School – the largest of three high schools in the district – Clark Fork Junior/Senior High School, Lake Pend Oreille High School, Sandpoint Middle School and seven area elementary schools. Sandpoint High School serves around 1,400 students and is a focal point for the community, hosting sporting events, concerts and plays. In return, the Sandpoint community provides strong support for the education system through supplemental levies, private sponsors, scholarships and community support. The Sandpoint area is also served by one charter school, Sandpoint Charter School, a public school serving students in grades 7-8.

Several private schools are also available, including: Sandpoint Waldorf School, serving preschool through 8th grade students; the Sandpoint Junior Academy, serving grades 1-10; the Sandpoint Community Christian School, serving grades K-10; and The Selkirk School, serving grades preschool-2.

As for higher education, North Idaho College is a comprehensive community college based in Coeur d’Alene, located 45 miles south of Sandpoint, that also has an outreach facility here, the NIC Sandpoint Center. The University of Idaho also maintains a Sandpoint Research & Extension Center, with research and extension activities conducted in Sandpoint.

Arts
In August of 2006, Sandpoint and the Panida Theater were host to the first ever International Film Festival in North Idaho - The Idaho Panhandle International Film Festival. IPIFF, as it was known, featured fifty-five films of various genres and lengths, over four days in August, from nine countries. IPIFF has since been renamed Lakedance International Film Festival. This festival, along with The Festival at Sandpoint, and Lost-in-the-50's, among other events, continue to build Sandpoint's reputation of being an arts and culture capital of North Idaho and the Inland Northwest.

Source: wikipedia.org, cityofsandpoint.com and sandpointonline.com

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