Dwellings by the River

Dwellings by the River. . , No Tents? , By the time members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition reached the Snake River, their night-time shelter consisted of buffalo robes and other skins. They left St. Louis with tents of oiled canvas, but by the summer of 1805, those had rotted away due to rain, wind, and sun. Sometimes, sleeping under the stars was dandy, but not when they crossed the Bitterroot Mountains where they were forced to endure frequent rains and snows. , People under the Tule , The Nimi’ipuu were known by tribes to the south as “people under the tule” as their primary dwelling was covered with sewn mats of tule reed. These structures, called Long Lodges, could house up to 30 families and be over 150 feet in length. For summer trips the Nimi’ipuu built temporary lean-to lodges with lodgepole pine and tule mats as shown in this photo. , Tent City , When gold was discovered up the Clearwater River, merchants set up a supply center in Lewiston. This tent city became the capital of Idaho Territory in 1863. Because this land was part of the Nez Perce Reservation, assurance were given by the U.S. Government that no permanent structures would be built – a promise that was soon forgotten.