On This Day in Idaho History, 18 Jan

1848 Cornerstone laid, Cataldo Mission

The Mission of the Sacred heart was originally located on the banks of the St. Joe River in 1843.  Continued floods caused a move to the current location in Cataldo in 1846.  Father Antonio Ravalli designed and constructed the new mission with the help of two Brothers and members of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe.  The main structure of the church building was up and in use by 1853 and was finally completed in 1865 when Father Caruaba had the inside and outside walls covered with clapboard.

Interesting to note was there wasn't a single nail used in the original building.  Wooden pegs were used to hold it together.  Prior to the clapboard siding, the walls were made of grass and straw were woven on a framework of sticks between the uprights and covered with mud.  The only tools used were a broad axe, auger, saw, rope and pulleys.  The molding on the ceilings and statues were hand carved with a pen knife.

The Mission was declared a Registered National Historic Landmark in August, 1963.