HISTORY AND SPECIAL SITES 3 - 1 HISTORY AND SPECIAL SITES The State Archeological Register at the University of Idaho currently lists 302 historical Community Vision 2028 and archeological sites in Kootenai County. “We treasure this place we call home. The Approximately 250 sites are classified as non- beauty of its land, lakes, rivers, and forests native historic sites and are primarily related to ground us in our sense of place. We relish its early industry and located on federal land (see the spaces, its views, and the wildlife that shares it Historical Preservation Commission for further with us. We want to preserve and protect it.” information for maps, special sites, and Kezziah Watkins Report documents.) Overview1 The history of Kootenai County and its special sites have historical, archeological, and cultural significance and are important to the established character and identity of this community. The County has a diverse social and cultural history, with several Native American societies established long before European settlement of the region. Early pioneer settlement revolved around fur trapping, mining, and timber industries. Traces of these lifestyles remain in archeological sites, historic buildings, and landmarks throughout the County. Many sites and structures that have played an important role in local cultural experiences and history have been Fort Sherman Chapel, 1880 lost to growth and development. Careful The National Historic Register considers a consideration of remaining special sites is site to be historic if it is associated with any of the required to preserve and protect these following: an event that had an impact on the irreplaceable cultural resources. history of a region; an important aspect of cultural, historical, political, or economic Historic Sites and History of Kootenai County heritage; the life of a person important to local or Historic sites, including cultural resources regional history; or an important work of a known and the County’s history are critical components architect or an outstanding example of an of the County’s future development. Fundamental architectural style or period. The “value” or to the preservation process is assessing what is uniqueness of each site, its relationship to known, and what is not known, about the historic adjacent areas, the fragility of the site, and the and cultural resources in the planning area. None need for protection or preservation determines the of the historic property types existed in historical, level of significance. cultural, or physical isolation from one another, and all types represent and reflect our 1 The Planning Commission thanks both the County Historic Preservation Commission and Dorothy Dahlgren and Simone Kincaid, authors of Roads community’s past. Since preservation and land Less Traveled Through the Coeur d’Alene (2007) for allowing use of their use decisions relate to specific locations, it is materials in writing the historical section of this chapter. Much of the critical that our knowledge base addresses in a information contained herein is taken from these two sources. unified manner all the historic and cultural resources that coexist in the same place to provide useful guidance and avoid inadvertent damage. Historic sites reflect past traditions of an area and are of interest to visitors and local residents. Kootenai County Comprehensive Plan HISTORY AND SPECIAL SITES 3 - 2 The oldest building in the state, the Mission aboriginal campsites. Unfortunately many historic at Cataldo, was constructed in the 1840s and is sites have been lost because many are being used now a state park. As of this date, 31 buildings, by the current population for recreational and one road, and two Historic Districts in the County housing activities. have been listed on both the National and State Historic Registers. The Fort Sherman Historic The National Historic Preservation Act and District typifies early regional military the American Indian Religious Freedom Act architecture and includes four of Coeur d’Alene’s require federal agencies and federally funded or oldest buildings (one officer’s quarters, a chapel, permitted projects to consider historic and and a powder magazine). The Spirit Lake Historic “prehistoric” resources in project planning. Only District is a prime example of early 20th-century burial sites are protected on state or private lands. boomtown architecture and includes 15 The Native American Graves Protection and commercial buildings, the Post Office, City Hall, Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C.A., 3001 et seq.; Title and Fire Station. 27, Chapter 5, Idaho Code, protects Native American religious sites and burial grounds, making it illegal to disrupt, desecrate, or molest graves, cairns, and other places of interment and also making it unlawful to remove either human or cultural remains. Discovery of other types of Native American sites on private, state, or county land does not require notification of any government agency unless federal money or permits are involved, and no state or local legislation protects such sites. Preservation Activities The Kootenai County Historic Preservation The Mission at Cataldo Advisory Commission develops and coordinates historic preservation activities and advises the Archeological and Native American Sites Board of County Commissioners on preservation Recorded archeological sites and many issues. The Advisory Commission’s goal is to culturally significant sites are located in the identify, evaluate, and protect historic sites in the County along with the traditional lands of several County. The identification and inventory of all Indian tribes, including the Coeur d’Alenes, the culturally significant sites may be difficult Kalispels, the Spokans, and the Kutenais. The because state records do not include all Native Coeur d’Alene Tribe has identified several American cultural sites. Currently, tribal traditional cultural sites and is continuing to governments keep records on traditional cultural research and inventory sites. Sites include sites, and inventories of these sites are not permanent village sites, gathering places, complete. Financial assistance for preservation cemeteries, sacred places, and a battlefield, with activities is provided by grants from state and nearly two-thirds of the sites situated on private federal funds, while the National Park Service lands. Although cultural sites may or may not provides technical assistance. Kootenai County contain physical remains, they are important in typically receives $3,000 to $5,000 per year for the religious and cultural heritage of Native inventory and Register nominations and for American tribes. restoration and preservation of County-owned buildings. Some federal tax incentives and state There is potential for future discovery of assistance programs exist for private properties. archeological sites during construction processes, particularly on waterfront property. The presence Because of area’s history, little of the land of a water source was important in the location of within the County has been surveyed for Kootenai County Comprehensive Plan HISTORY AND SPECIAL SITES 3 - 3 archaeological resources. Settlement patterns and The aboriginal landscape of the Schitsu’umsh recent cultural resource studies conducted for encompassed much of what would become the federal projects indicate that many sites such as Panhandle region of Idaho, extending into parts Lake Pend Orielle, Hayden Lake, the Spokane of eastern Washington and western Montana. River, the Coeur d’Alene River, and Lake Coeur Lake Pend Orielle marked the northern boundary, d’Alene are considered areas of high probability with the country beyond the home of the Kalispel in terms of historical and cultural value. and Pend Orielle peoples. With mountain passes up to 5,200 feet in elevation, the Bitterroot Range History of Kootenai County of Montana marked the easterly area of the The history of the County is equally as Schitsu’umsh. The western reaches of the important as the cultural treasures it now entrusts Schitsu’umsh landscape began just east of us to protect. Spokane Falls (Plante’s Ferry) along the Spokane River, extending south along the Latah and Pine Kootenai County, as currently configured, creek drainages. contains a significant portion of the center of the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Homeland as well as the The heart of the Schitsu’umsh landscape was primary east-west trail system for interior Lake Coeur d’Alene. Its waters sprang from the Salishan peoples traveling in both directions slopes of the Bitterroot and Clearwater through the Bitterroot Mountains to the Great Mountains, gathered into the Coeur d’Alene and Plains and, ultimately, the Yellowstone area. The St. Joe rivers, fed into the lake itself, and then original inhabitants called themselves the drained into the Spokane and eventually Schitsu’umsh (“the ones who were discovered Columbia rivers. It was a landscape of nearly 5 here”) and were traditionally made up of three million acres of white pine, fir, ponderosa, and generally recognized bands, each of which was cedar-forested mountains, as well as freshwater associated with a particular winter village region. rivers, lakes, marshlands, and rolling hills and The Coeur d’Alene Lake band comprised some prairies covered with perennial bunchgrass and sixteen villages consisting of families located on fescues. Hayden Lake, at the current cities of Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls, along the Spokane River The Lewis and Clark expedition through near