The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-02-26
DHIsTo=~ or IDAHo-m

The following brief history OF
Idaho has been compiled The
earliest records of white men
visiting Idaho were of the party
that accompanied Lewis and
Clark in their Northwest explor-
ations in 1865, when they
passed along Snake river at
Lewis Fork, and from its juno
ton with the Columbia, the 9th
er branch farther north was
named Clark's Fork. But when
this expedition reached Nez
Perce village near the South
Fork of the Clearwater, Sept.
1905, traces of white men were
found. Lewis and Clark refer to
them as follows
"Those strangers who visited
the Colum bia for the purpose of
trade or hunting must be either
English or Americans. The In
dians inform US that they speak
the same language that we do,
and. indeed, the few words which
the Indians have learned from
the sailors, such as 'musket, ,
powder shot knife, file, ,
damned rascal, and other phra-
ses of that description, evidently
shows that the visitors speak the
English language"
Lewis and Clark returned east
ward through Idaho, up the
Clearwater and Salmon river re-
gions to the junction of the Lem
hi with the Salmon. where Sal
mon City now stands, then up
the Lemhi to where the ruins Of
the old fort now stand, then up
through Agency canyon into
Montana, in 1906. to the head
waters of the Missouri, which
descended, reaching st. Louis,
Sept. 23rd, the same year.
AS a result of their explora-
tions the Missouri Fur Company
was organized and established a
post at Fort Henry, on Snake
river, in 1910. The next year
VIM. P. Hunt with a party of 60
men, belonging to the Pacific
Fur Co., arrived at Fort Henry,
and from there moved down
Snake river. and dividing into
two parties followed that stream
on both sides as far as the Col
umbia. The suffered great hard
ships and losses. but reached the
site of old Fort Boise on Dec. -.
They soon after joined forces,
and after much suffering pro-
ceeded down the Columbia to
Astoria.
In 1888 the expedition of Capt.
Bonneville reached Port Neuf
river with 100 men and explored
the Snake river and Columbia
basins. In 1884 N. J. Wyeth
with a party of 60 men, estab-
lished Fort Hall as a trading
post on the east bank of Snake
river. From this time, radiated
immigration from every direc-
tion-from Missouri, to Califor-
MIA, to Utah, to Oregon and to
British Columbia. In 1855 Fort
Hall was valued at $1,000, 200,
with the lands belonging to it. 1t
was near the old grounds of the
Blackfeet, the Snakes and Crows,
and by its presence prevented
many massacres: 1t was attack
ed aud nearly burned, but stood
to its duty nobly. Wyeth's party
went westward. camping on the
Malad then on Camas prairie,
and soon after on the Boise river.
In 1886 Fort Hall was sold to the
Hudson Bay Company.
The first mission was establish
ed in 1886, at Lapwai, II miles
from Lewiston. The first print
ing press and type was used at
Lapwai in 1886, and was the first
Office established on the Pacific
coast north of Mexico, thus Civ
ing to Idaho the honor of having
the earliest press on the west
coast.
The first mining excitement
which really brought permanent
population and settlement was
that of the Orc Fino stampede of
1872, which resulted in the
location of Lewiston. Pierce City,
Florence and Warrens. Then
these gold prospectors swarmed
further south into Boise basin in
1868, and also discovered the
gold mines of Owyhee county
soon after. The discovery of
rich gold placers in Boise basin
and at Silver City led to the re-
moval of the capitol from Lewis
ton to Boise in 1864.
In the meantime congress had
formed the territory of Idaho
during the year 1868. AT the
first census in 1870 the popula-