The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1916-12-01
Books OF Idaho History

DIR. Edward o. Sisson, commits.
sloner of education, initiated gooc
work when he urged that specia
attention be given to Idaho history.
80 much interest has heen shown in
the subject that the Boise Carnegie
library has established an Idaho
Shell for books relating to the
history OF Idaho. There would be
added interest in the subject il
people knew where to go for the
sources Of Information about Idaho S
early day history and perhaps it may
not be amiss TO give list of some Of
the books that have to do with it.
The account of the Lewis and
Clark expedition is perhaps the first
book that should be read. The
Lewis and Clark party entered the
eastern boundary of Idaho near the
southern end of Lemhi county. They
Travelled thence northwesterly along
the Lemhi river to its junction with
the Salmon; thence for some distance
down the Salmon, but finding this
I road too difficult to travel, they
turned back and went over the
mountains into Montana; down the
Bitter Root valley nearly to the city
of Missoula; then turning to the west
across the mountains again on to the
headwaters of the Clearwater river in
Idaho; thence down that river to
Lewiston. The story of the Indian
woman who piloted the party is one
Of remarkable interest.
The next account of travel in
Idaho was written by Washington
Irving and Idaho is fortunate indeed
in having that author lend his iacile
pen to an account of the travellers
who first made their way down the
Snake river valley.
The w. P. Hunt party entered
Idaho on its eastern border little to
the north of where the south fork of
the Snake river intersects the eastern
line of the state; thence they travelled
northwesterly to a place at that time
known as Fort Henry near the point
where the Teton river empties into
Henry fork or the north fork OF
the Snake river. 1t was during the
fall of 1911, that they travelled down
the Snake in boats until they reached
the head of the Snake river canyon
at the present town Of Miner. Here
they were obliged to abandon their
boats; thence they travelled overland
to the Hagerman valley through
Glenns Ferry to Hammett, thence
across the country to Boise; thence
down the Boise river and the Snake
river to Huntington and on through
to the coast.
Washington Irving's Astoria gives
MS an account of this trip.
An account of a later trip Of Cap
tain Bonneville of the United States
army is given in Irving's later book
Adventures of Captain Bonneville. .
Captain Bonneville spent a season III
eastern Idaho and thence travelled
westerly through the Snake river
valley. This was in 1884.
The period between 1911 and
1884 is best covered perhaps by
Chittenden's account of the fur
traders in Idaho and adjoining states,
a work noted for its completeness
and accuracy.
Fremont in his western travels
passed through Idaho in l843 and
from that time travelled onward, the
Oregon trail was an established line
of western travel.
Captain Mullan's Guide to the
Northwest gives most interesting
account of the early mining days in
Idaho and it contains interesting
accounts of the amount of money
/, taken out of the various mines in this
, section. 1t was published in 1908
2 & II Havs. Mavor OF Boise.