Nostalgia in ol’ 306

Perched on a small hill near Deary, with an expansive front porch view of Moscow Mountain in the distance, a 100-year-old Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway passenger car has been given new life as a luxury Airbnb.

The car, numbered 306, was lovingly restored as a functional guest house complete with original wrought iron fixtures and a cast iron stove by local business owner and history enthusiast Webb French.

French, who also owns the Pie Safe Bakery and Kitchen in Deary, is no stranger to such projects — the Pie Safe is an old Ford dealership restored by French and a handful of friends.

He said he first encountered “306” while helping a neighbor clear snow from the roof of a barn. He said he found the car stored inside — dilapidated, patched over with corrugated metal and apparently home to many generations of cats — but French it still had potential. He said his current neighbors inherited the train car from the previous property owners, who purchased it from the railroad company in 1957.

“This other neighbor bought the property from them in the early 70s, so he’s the one who put the barn over it,” French said. “We still know both of the neighbors — we just had them over for coffee at the train car last week.”

Early on, the project caught the attention of a new Discovery+ series called “Restoration Road,” hosted by woodworkers Clint Harp, of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” fame, and Kevin Durkin, who is also a restorationist, historical archaeologist and longtime friend to French.

“He and I both are always interested in historic preservation and restoration and so he, just in passing, asked me what I was up to and I thought about the train car,” French said. “Suddenly, light bulbs went on in his head because they were looking for more material for the show, so that’s when he then told the people he was working with about it.”

On the show, Durkin and Harp catch up with French and company in February as they attempt to move the train car on a semitrailer through a final stretch of snowy muck to its final spot at the top of a small hill. French said he and many helpers spent much of the early half of 2020 renovating the structure.

The completely restored 600-square-foot space is covered by a separate, tin-roofed shelter, which French and company constructed in the style of an old train depot, complete with a wrap-around deck in place of a platform where passengers would board and debark.

The car itself is separated into three sections, which were once compartments for passengers, baggage and U.S. Mail. The window-lined passenger compartment is now a living space and kitchenette, the baggage area in the middle of the car is home to a full bathroom and hallway, which connects to a master bedroom in the rear. The entire affair is surprisingly roomy, including a 10-foot-high ceiling lined with narrow, horizontal skylights that provide a feel of airy spaciousness.

Despite its new location, fresh coats of paint and modern amenities (including Wi-Fi), 306 still shows evidence of its past. On the show, Webb pointed out the freshly finished wood floor still bears scars and pockmarks scratched by the hobnailed boots worn by logger passengers in the first half of the 20th century, but one of his favorite features is the ceiling, made from long staves of heart pine. Its exterior has been restored to its original dark green, with carefully stenciled gold lettering spelling out “Washington, Idaho and Montana Ry. Co.” in bold letters.

French said 306 was fairly popular for a new listing when they posted it on Airbnb in September but after the episode of “Restoration Road” went live on Discovery+ in early January, interest jumped at least 20-fold. He said as of February around 18,000 people had viewed the listing in a 30-day period.

The reviews of past occupants positively glow with esteem for this quiet slice of Idaho — it’s near impossible to find a negative review.

“Everyone should experience the raw unspoiled beauty of Northern Idaho,” reads a review from Kapil, posted this March. “That experience would be incomplete without a stay at the beautifully restored bit of history. This place is just perfect.”

“We’ve stayed in a lot of Airbnbs, and this ranks as one of the very best,” agreed another reviewer, Sarah, in January.

In addition to its aesthetic presence and thoughtfully appointed interior, Harp hinted there’s something deeper that draws at those who stay in this place. Narrating for the show, he said “There’s a definite sense of connection here to the past where the stories of the mountains, the trees and our train car come together.”

“This is the perfect place for this 100-year-old rail car to be enjoyed again,” Harp said. “With a commanding view over the hills and valleys where it logged so many miles all those years ago.”

Jackson can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to sjackson@dnews.com.