The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1903-11-06
HOW IDAHO WAS NAMED.


The last Issue of the Pacific Coast
Miner, published at San Francisco, As
devoted largely to Idaho. Many OF
the mining districts are described
faithfully, the articles being accom-
panied by fine illustrations. The
number is one that should be OF great
value to the mining industry Ia Ida
no, since there is nothing about 1t in
dicating that any of the matter has
been published for advertising pur-
poses.
Perhaps the most interesting feat
ure to Idaho readers Is contribution
to the literature of the subject OF the
naming Of the state On this point
the Miner says:
A considerable amount of cOntro-
versy has been INDUCED in regarding
the naming Of the state, and as the
question is interesting, and Is init
mately connected with the exploits OF
the early miners, we will cursorily
refer to it.
The first white men who visited
the country now embraced by Idaho
were the members Of the Lewis and
Clark exploring expedition, who cross
ed the mountains from the Horse
plains to the Lemhi valley on August
10. 1906. Five years later, the Mis-
souri, Fur company established trad
ing post on the Snake river. In 1871
Wilson p. Hunt, with 60 men engag-
ed by the Pacific Fur company, pass
ed through to the coast.
In lS43 Captain Bonneville with
100 men visited the Port Neuf river
and in the same year Nathaniel J.
Wythe established trading station
at Fort Hall, near the Snake river.
The missionaries were also busy at
this time, and formed number of
mission stations. But whenever they
referred to the scenes of their opera
tions and exploits they described
them as being at, or near. one Of the
rivers, or one of the trading or mis-
sionary stations. None of them ever
used the word Idaho.
1t has been said that the name was
first mentioned in Congress when it
was proposed for one of the neighbor-
ing states: but it seems probable that
the term was first used by be Indians
and afterwards by the early miners.
1t was apparently compounded of two
Indian words, Eda and Ho, which
meant gem Of the mountains, bright
mountain or shining mountain.
Joaquin Miller, the poet, was one
OF the pioneers, and he has given a
pleasing, ii not altogether trusiwor-
thy. account Of the origin of the word.
''The distinction Of naming Idaho,"
he said, "certainly belongs to my old
friend Colonel Craig, of Craig's noun
tam, Nez Perez county. AS to some
fellow naming it in Congressman!
The name was familiar in 5000 mems
mouths as they wallowed through the
snow in 1861 on their way to the Orc
Elmo diggings, long before congress
had ever heard of the discovery.
"The facts are these: was riding
poney express at the time rumurs
reached US through the Nez Perez In
dams that gold was to be found on
the headwaters and tributaries of the
Salmon river. l had lived with the
Indians, and Colonel Craig, who had
spent most of his life with them,
often talked with me about possible
discoveries of gold In the mountains
to the right. as we rode to Orc Elmo.
and of what the Indians had said of
the then unknown regions. Gallon
your horse, as have done hundred
tunes, against the rising sun. AS you
climb the Sweetwater mountains. far
away to your right, you will see a pc.
culiar and beautiful light at sunrise.
a sort of diadem on two grand clust-
ers of mountains that bear away un-
der the clouds fifty miles distant.
~ called Colonel Craig's attention
to this singular and beautiful arched
light. That, said he, sis what the
Indians call E-dah-hoe, which means
the light OR diadem, on the line of