Kootenai County

Kootenai County established on December 22, 1864, by the Second Territorial Legislature with Seneaquoteen, a trading post below Lake Pend Orielle, as the county seat. It was the ninth county created in the Idaho territory, and the last one of the first eight set up by the Territorial Legislature. Rathdrum replaced Seneaquoteen as county seat in 1881 and Coeur d'Alene replaced Rathdrum in 1908. It was named for the Kutenai Indians who inhabited the area when the white man arrived. The word is derived from the Kutenai word meaning "water people."

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County statistics:

County Seat: Coeur d'Alene
Population: 122,350
Kootenai County website

Borders:  Benewah, Bonner and Shoshone counties; Washington state

Interesting Facts:

Kootenai County is Idaho's third most populated county and ranks twenty-third in area.  About 5.4 percent of the county is water and almost one-third of the county is federal property.  Recreation and tourism employment are important to the economy as are trade and service jobs that support the north Idaho region.  Annual average total civilian employment grew 52.5 percent between 1990 and 1997.

Farragut State Park began as a naval training center near the town of Athol at the south end of big Lake Pend Oreille.  In 1941, the U.S. Navy built the second-largest naval training center in the world on this site at the foot of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains.  Over fifteen months during World War II, nearly 300,000 sailors received basic training at Farragut Naval Training Station.  After the war, the site was a college before becoming a state park in 1965.

The Coeur d'Alene area takes the title as Idaho's bed-and-breakfast capital, with more than a dozen establishments providing homey hospitality and new ones opening all the time.

Idaho's Silver Valley, also known as the Coeur d'Alene Mining District, was the undisputed world leader in silver, lead, and zinc production for more than a century.  By 1985, the region had produced one billion ounces of silver; the total value of wealth from the mines had topped $5 billion.

The U.S. government established a military post in Coeur d'Alene in 1879 on the recommendation of General William Tecumseh Sherman. The government set aside 999 acres now occupied by North City Park and North Idaho College.  Sherman named the fort Coeur d'Alene, but on his death, it was renamed Ft.  Sherman to honor him.  The town remained Coeur d'Alene.

The name Coeur d'Alene was first given the Indians of the area by French fur trappers and traders.  it has been interpreted in a variety of ways: "awl," "pointed," or "needle-hearted," for the shrewd trading ability of the Indians.  The name was transferred to the land and waters of the area.  Sherman transferred it to the fort, and it was then applied to the city.

The Cataldo Mission, which is east of Coeur d'Alene, is the oldest standing building in Idaho and was built in 1848 without the use of nails.

What To See And Do :

Coeur d'Alene's Old Mission State Park :  The Mission of Sacred Heart (also known as Cataldo Mission) is the oldest surviving building in Idaho.  Catholic missionaries and members of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe built the mission between 1848 and 1853 without nails.  The walls measure one foot in thickness.  A visitors center offers a walking audio tour tape.  The park features the mission building, a restored Parish House and an historic cemetery.

Fort Sherman was built in 1880 as a means of keeping the peace in the area between the Coeur d'Alene Indians and the settlers of the area. The fort's, which now rests on the North Idaho College Campus, Powder Magazine building was turned into a museum on July 28, 1973, to preserve and showcase the unique history of the area.  The Fort Sherman Chapel is the oldest building in Coeur d'Alene.

The mission of the Museum of North Idaho is to educate the community and visitors about the history of the Coeur d'Alene region. To achieve its mission the Museum has a comprehensive collection of artifacts and materials that reflect the history of the area. The collection is preserved, exhibited and is available to the general public and researchers according to professional museum standards.

Rider Ranch:  Provides trail rides and guides on a working ranch near Coeur d'Alene.  Chuckwagon dinner rides are also available.