This 717 foot high concrete structure is the highest straight axis gravity dam in North America. The dam backs up water from the North Fork of the Clearwater River forming a 54-mile lake at full pool. Flood control, power production, and recreation . . . — — Map (db m159495) HM
This rock, moved here from the river's edge, was used long ago by Indian fishermen as a water flow gauge. When the water level reached the upper mark carved on the side of the rock, they began building small dams of sticks and stones, called "fish . . . — — Map (db m159496) HM
You are nearing the junction of historic Highway 11, now designated as Gold Rush Historic Byway.
Winding its way through spectacular scenery, it passes through the traditional homeland of the Nez Perce Indians on the Weippe Prairie and the National . . . — — Map (db m109758) HM
Indians have lived here next to this good fishing hold for 10,000 years.
As long as 3,000 years ago, they had large oval houses, 28 feet long by 24 feet wide. To build these houses, they put a bark and mat covering over a frame of 50 or so . . . — — Map (db m121416) HM
In 1898, after rail service from Lewiston reached Lenore, a tramway was begun to ship grain from Camas Prairie (1600 feet above) to a new freight stop directly across the river.
Previously, grain wagons descended a long steep hill from the . . . — — Map (db m109760) HM
Founded by Seth S. Slater, May 6, 1861, Slaterville (permanent population, 50) had 5 edifices – built mainly of colored blankets – 2 stores, 2 houses, and a saloon.
When the Colonel Wright “snapped her tow-line on the Grand Rapids . . . — — Map (db m110703) HM
David Fraser, a young merchant, came to the area with a pack string headed for Pierce City, the gold rush area, to open a store in the Spring of 1863. Some people of the area encouraged Fraser to open the store here as a lot of the miners had moved . . . — — Map (db m121417) HM
This 10 acre park was a part of the original homestead of John Cattron, who homesteaded the 160 acres in 1890.
Lewis and Clark passed through the park on the old Nez Perce Indian trail that went through the park in 1805. Clark returned to the . . . — — Map (db m121437) HM
The brass monument nearby is provided by the Idaho Society of Professional Land Surveyors in cooperation with the National Geodetic Survey to commemorate the “Lewis and Clark” Corps of Discovery campsite at Canoe Camp, Idaho.
. . . — — Map (db m110468) HM
Lewis and Clark called this place Canoe Camp.
For 11 days in 1805 the Corps of Discovery camped here in the company of Nez Perce while building five canoes for the journey to the Pacific.
For thousands of years before that, this riverbank was . . . — — Map (db m110465) HM
Guided by Twisted Hair and several other Nez Perce, Capt. William Clark selected this as a camp site because of the many large ponderosa pines that grew here then. The canoe makers chopped out small portions of the pine logs, then used fire or . . . — — Map (db m109875) HM
Welcome to
Canoe Camp
One of 38 sites of Nez Perce National Historical Park
These grounds have been inhabited for thousands of years by the Nez Perce people, but are best known as the place where the Lewis and Clark . . . — — Map (db m109872) HM
Ever since the first cross-cut saws were heard in the remote forests of Clearwater County in the late 1800s, the Clearwater River played a major role in the timber industry of this area. The river served as a means of transportation and by the early . . . — — Map (db m159486) HM
After more than a month’s search, they finally had reached a westward river where they could use canoes.
From here they continued another 16 miles with their pack horses before they found a campsite with trees suitable for making canoes.
But at . . . — — Map (db m109757) HM
When the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery entered this area in September 1805, they were not only hungry, but still anxious to locate a water route to the Pacific Ocean.
Under the direction of a Nez Perce headman, Twisted Hair, the explorers . . . — — Map (db m159484) HM
Orofino is situated on the north and south banks of the Clearwater River.
The area’s mild climate and convenient location made it a thriving Nez Perce village site long before Lewis and Clark stopped here in 1805.
Lumberjack Days
. . . — — Map (db m109888) HM
Low mounds and depression in the ground here give only the faintest impression of villages that stood on both banks of the river. These are the remains of pit houses, built 1,500 to 2,000 years ago. Imagine the scene then: people spearing fish, . . . — — Map (db m109876) HM
...then crossed the River at a shole place the water to the horses bellies." - Sgt. John Ordway, Sept. 26, 1805
Clearwater Crossings
Long before we had highways and bridges, people crossed the river at this location. What . . . — — Map (db m159488) HM
Routes Through History
Travel through the rugged Clearwater River region has not always been on smooth, paved highways. Routes on land began as game trails, then foot paths which grew into horse paths. Many of these historic routes paid . . . — — Map (db m159490) HM
Canoe Camp is part of the Nez Perce National Historical Park and a key site along the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway
An Interesting Drive
The 202-mile Northwest Passage Scenic Byway stretches from Lewiston to Lolo Pass on US Highway . . . — — Map (db m109886) HM
During the gold rush boom, the population exceeded 6,000. At that time Pierce was actually located in Washington Territory. In 1861, Pierce became the first established gold rush town in Idaho, and the county seat of Shoshone County. In 1862, the . . . — — Map (db m121513) HM
The fabulous Gold Rush days of Idaho began on September 30, 1860, when W.F. Bassett struck gold just about here.
E.D. Pierce, who knew the country, had led twelve prospectors, including Bassett, out from Walla Walla in August. After news of . . . — — Map (db m121518) HM
This is the site of the graves of the Chinese who died in Pierce. All bodies have been returned to their homeland. Chinese artifcts (sic) broken tools and rotting cabins are still found in the nearby hills. — — Map (db m141099) HM
Charged with hacking a prominent local merchant to pieces, five Chinese were hanged here by vigilantes Sept. 18, 1885.
They were just setting out on a long, hard 240 mile trip from Pierce to face trial at the county seat in Murray when the . . . — — Map (db m121442) HM
Hearing rumors of gold in the hills, Captain Elias Davidson Pierce started his first journey from Walla Walla to this area on August 12, 1860, with a crew of ten. The crew included: Benthnel Farrell (18), Horace Dodge (22), Joseph L. Davis (37), . . . — — Map (db m121490) HM
One summer's night in 1885, it is alleged that five Chinese men gained entrance to the Fraser General Store, while their fellow countrymen set-off fireworks up and down Main Street. It was a stormy night and the fireworks supposedly helped drive-off . . . — — Map (db m121515) HM
Commercial center of Idaho's earliest mining district in the great days of 1861. It flourished here for more than a year.
Pierce City was only 2 miles away but another town sprang up near some rich gold strikes. In its first few weeks, Oro . . . — — Map (db m121517) HM
When the courthouse was built in 1862, Pierce was a boomtown. Gold discovered in the nearby hills was attracting thousands of miners. There was one catch: they were all trespassing on Nez Perce land.
The government solution was to draw up a new . . . — — Map (db m121579) HM
Shoshone County's original courthouse -- and Idaho's earliest public building -- still stands in Pierce., where it was built in 1862.
Although Pierce gained a large population for a year after gold was discovered here in 1860, most of the . . . — — Map (db m121520) HM
A few weeks later, a larger group of men and horses made a second journey to Pierce. The group passed near several Nez Perce Indian encampments, which had not seen many white men since Lewis and Clark passed through almost fifty years prior. The . . . — — Map (db m121512) HM
After the hardships of the mountain passage, the Weippe Prairie was a place of relief for the Corps of Discovery. The Nez Perce befriended them and renewed their hope of reaching the Pacific Ocean.
"the pleasure I now felt in having tryumphed . . . — — Map (db m121438) HM
The brass monument nearby is provided by the Idaho Society of Professional Land Surveyors to commemorated the "Lewis and Clark" Corps of Discovery campsite near Weippe Prairie, Idaho.
Datum NAD 83 and NAVD88
Latitude N 46º21' 00" Latitude . . . — — Map (db m121581) HM
In late September of 1805, three young Nez Perce spied several men dressed in strange clothes and hats coming from the ridge to the southeast. The boys hid, but the men discovered two of them in the area behind this sign. The boys led these men to . . . — — Map (db m121441) HM
I Set out early and proceeded ... to a Small Plain in which I found maney Indian lodges ... I met 3 Indian boys, when they saw me they ran and hid themselves. -- Capt. William Clark, September 20, 1805
After Lewis and Clark's Corps of . . . — — Map (db m121582) HM
Journeying toward the Clearwater, 6 men under Clark met the Nez Perce Indians not far from here, September 20, 1805.
Clark first saw 3 frightened Indian boys who hid in the grass. Finding two, he reassured them with small presents and "Sent . . . — — Map (db m121439) HM
This marker was dedicated
1957
to commemorate the arrival of the Lewis and Clark Expedition at Weippe Prairie, Idaho, Sept. 23, 1805. Also to honor the memory of Dr. J.T. Moser who pioneered here in the 1890's and to honor the memory of his . . . — — Map (db m121440) HM
Welcome to Weippe Prairie
This has always been a traditional gathering place for the Nez Perce people where camas bulbs are harvested and baked each year. The blue flower of the camas lily grow so thick here in the spring time that from . . . — — Map (db m121610) HM
