On This Day in History, 5 February

February 5, 1855 Congress provides funding for Mullan Road

What was labeled a military road had been proposed a few years earlier as the United States had a desire to eventually build a railroad through Montana and Idaho to Washington.

Mullan Road was the first wagon road to cross the Rocky Mountains to the Inland of the Pacific Northwest. It was built by US Army Lt. John Mullan between the spring of 1859 and summer 1860 between Ft. Benton, Montana (the navigational head of the Missouri River) and Ft Walla Walla, Washington Territory. The road approximately followed the path of modern-day Interstate 15 and Interstate 90 through what are now Montana, Idaho and Washington.

The project itself was interrupted due to conflicts with Indian tribes and Lt. Mullan spent the summer of 1858 with Col. George Wright and participated in the conflicts with the Spokane, Palouse and Coeur d'Alene Tribes.  Along with his actions in the battles, Mullan also surveyed and mapped the region from what we now call the Palouse, up through the west side of Spokane and towards Colville.

While the Mullan Road was never used in a military sense, it saw an estimated 20,000 people cross it on their way west.

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.

This Day in Idaho History, 5 January

January 5, 1908, citizens meet to discuss the incorporation of Spirit Lake as a town.

Prior to the white man's arrival, Native Americans named the lake Tesemini meaning Lake of Spirits.  Legend has it that the daughter of a Chief eloped with a brave against her father's wishes.  Rather than risk being taken and separated, the young lovers jumped from a high cliff into the lake.  The legend says their bodies were never found because the lake spirit had carried them away.