Saturday, September 1, 2018

Day 63 of 117 on our “Go West, Young Man” Two Lane Adventure – Tuesday 8/28/18


When in a town with a name like Coeur d’Alene … you have to research some history! The first white people to encounter the Coeur d'Alene's were French trappers and traders. The first recorded European to see the area was explorer David Thompson in 1807. French-speaking fur traders named the lake in the mid-1800s. Legend says the traders believed the local Indians to be sharp traders and they called the lake Coeur d’Alene meaning “their hearts were sharp as an awl." The nickname stuck.

Coeur d’Alene’s first year as an official city was in 1887, and only around 40 people took residence within city limits. This same year Coeur d’Alene constructed some important new buildings. Coeur d’Alene’s first church was the Fort Sherman Chapel, which still stands today and is used for historical tours.  In the back of the first chapel was Coeur d’Alene’s first school.

The cities first sawmill was also constructed in 1887 called Saginaw Mill, where the Coeur d’Alene Resort is located today. The Saginaw Mill burned down after just two years and was soon replaced by the Coeur d’Alene Mill, which also burned down after two years, and was replaced by another mill which also went up in flames.

Coeur d’Alene’s steamboat history started in 1880’s when an 85-foot sternwheeler, Amelia Wheaton, was built for Fort Sherman. At one time there was upwards of 50 steamships working the lake. When new modes of transportation arrived, some of the steamers were set afire and burned in the center of the lake on a 4th of July holiday. Today, several of them can be found at the bottom of the lake and some parts can still be seen on the surface. Including this piece at Kidd Island. Until the 1890’s Coeur d’Alene served as the railroad and steamboat transfer point for transportation between the mines in nearby Silver Valley to the smelters they fed in eastern states.

In the early 1900’s a major timber boom caused the populations to increase 16-fold in just 10-years. At the same time, excursion boats became popular. Sightseeing boats carrying as many as 1,000 people featured moonlight cruises, dining and dancing on the lake. Some of them were so popular, they resorted to towing “dance barges” behind the boats while bands played and the water glistened under the full moon. The “Idaho” made its first trip from Coeur d’Alene to Harrison in 1903, at 147-feet long it was the largest steamboat ever to move in the waters of this lake. It could accommodate 1,000 passengers plus freight. Each side wheel was over 21-feet in diameter.

Lake Coeur d’Alene is a major draw, with almost 110-miles of shoreline and crystal blue waters perfect for sailing, swimming, jet-skiing, and relaxed cruising tours. The lake is known as the “Playground of the Pacific Northwest.” Lake Coeur d’Alene is a natural lake fed by two rivers, the Coeur d’Alene River and the St. Joe River. The single outlet is the Spokane River, which flows to the west to join the Columbia River all the way to the Pacific Ocean.



We took a Coeur d’Alene Lake Cruise on a double decker climate controlled boat with ample picture windows and a full service bar, we probably did not need that part for a 9 am boat tour!


Most of the homes built here along Casco Bay were made from materials that had to be hauled across the lake by boat or barge. These homes are still only accessible by boat. You’ll notice some of the docks sport a mailbox. Lake Coeur d’Alene does have an official U.S. Postal route which delivers mail by boat six days a week during the summer months.

We saw many awesome homes on the lake, but I could find no references to any “famous” people owning them. Whomever owns them, has some serious dough … or big mortgages! We were told, by our tour guide, this is a single family home …. WOW!

This land was populated by homesteaders beginning with the Enlarged Homestead Act of 1909, and today is the location for many fine homes. Many of these lake homes have rail systems running up the hill. These are for trams that are used to transport people and materials from their homes down to the water level. It sure beats hiking up and down all those stairs.

Not sure how this truck got here, but not a bad parking job … but getting out will be a bear!

Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course is home to a lake front practice tee and the world’s only floating, movable golf green. It began with a sudden flash of inspiration – a man walking his dog, gazing out at a tugboat towing a raft of logs on Lake Coeur d’Alene. In 1991, the first ball was struck onto the floating green on the 14th, and Duane Hagadone’s vision was on its way to becoming one of the best-loved icons in golf. The most memorable challenge, one of the best-known in golf, is the famous 14th Hole, The Floating Green, a technological island marvel. 

Recognized as one of the most unique and recognizable golf holes in the world, the engineering of the first and only floating, movable golf green, allows the 22,000 ton island to move along an intricate underwater cable system to varied distances from the tee. Each day, the par 3, 14th Hole, distance changes to play anywhere from 90 yards from the ladies tee, all the way up to 220 yards from the championship tees. After the tee shot from shore, the golfers board a small boat called The Putter for a short ride to the green to putt out. Every golfer is allowed two shots to the green. If both miss, then they can drop a ball on the green to putt out. Each year there are an incredible 3 or 4 holes-in-one recorded on the green. About 24,000 balls per year miss the target and end up on the lake bottom, and are then recovered weekly by divers.

On the way back to the dock, the cruise passed Tubbs Hill, a 120-acre natural preserve. The park is named for a German immigrant, Tony Tubbs, who was Coeur d’Alene’s first justice of the peace. This is the perfect place to take a hike on trails around the hill, with great views of the lake, a swinging bridge to navigate and access to secluded beaches. You can reach the three-mile loop trail at the Tubbs Hill entrance just east of The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

In the 1960s, Coeur d’Alene hosted the world’s fastest boats with the annual Diamond Cup hydroplane races, which recently returned to town. The city also hosts the Ford Ironman Triathlon, with 2,500 competitors from around the world plunging into the lake in June to begin their arduous day of racing. The Coeur d’Alene Resort, an 18-story lakefront tower, is owned and operated by Hagadone Hospitality, with world-class accommodations in 337 rooms, three restaurants and three lounges. The tower rooms have private balconies, fireplaces, elegant furnishings, and, of course, amazing views. On the top floor are the Hagadone and Jaeger suites, named in honor of the Resort’s owners. One of the suites features a glass-bottom swimming pool and Jacuzzi tub suspended out from the 18th floor.

Before we rounded the bend and headed back to the Blackwell RV Marina docks, we watched a sea plane land! Awesome, just awesome! We watched them land the night we ate at Cedars Floating restaurant, but that was behind glass. This was out in the open to get great pictures! Making his approach.

Getting closer …..

and closer.

Touchdown ... 

Coasting in!

Long before there were bike paths and boats, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe would gather where Lake Coeur d'Alene met with the Spokane River. The area was a historical gathering place for the tribe. Meetings here were overseen by Chief Morris Antelope. Chief Morris was a strong advocate for the rights of the Coeur d'Alene Indians. To honor the tribe's legacy, the city of Coeur d'Alene erected a piece of public art to grace the area near the Centennial trail by North Idaho College. The statue was created by a local artist as well. The statue is visible from the trail as well as the river.

 The perfect weather for friends, food, fellowship and cocktails!




Our Yankee supper tonight, it was purchased by Yankee RV Tours and prepared by Charlie Ragland and Helen Coe. It was a homemade stuffed pork chop, scalloped potatoes, green beans, gravy, roll and birthday cake!

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