Bonner's Ferry on Kootenai River in Northern Idaho

 

July 1, 2007.

We are staying in Hi De Ho RV Park, in Sandpoint/Ponderay, Idaho $32.40 gravel interior roads, FHU including cable and wifi. This is an OK RV Park.

 

US-95 near Bonner's Ferry on Kootenai River in Northern Idaho

 

 

 

 

The view heading south on US 95 near Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

 

 

 

 

Bonner's Ferry on Kootenai River in northern Idaho

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Horse Trail Kiosk in Bonner's Ferry

 

 

 

 

The Wild Horse Trail led into the gold fields of Canada. There was a large movement of men and pack animals along the Wild Horse Trail until the gold rush ceased around 1880.

The Wild Horse Trail originated around Hope, Idaho east of Sandpoint passing through Bonner's Ferry and on into the Gold Mines around Wild Horse Creek in Canada.

In 1864 the Kootenay Gold Rush began. Gold was discovered on Wild Horse Creek, a small stream which flows into the Kootenay River just south of present-day Fort Steele. The creek quickly became the centre of the Kootenay Gold Rush. The makeshift town of Fisherville was started on the west bank, and by the end of the season it boasted six general stores, four saloons, a brewery, two butcher shops, a blacksmith’s shop, and a large number of miners’ cabins. John Galbraith began a ferry service across the Kootenay River just north of the confluence of Wild Horse Creek and the Kootenay River, on the site of the current town of Fort Steele.

By 1865 the Kootenay Gold Rush had reached its peak, the decline of the diggings soon became apparent. At Wild Horse Creek, the Victoria Ditch was completed and supplied water to placer claims located high off the creek bed (this ditch can still be seen today). Hydraulic mining was introduced in an attempt to recover deeply buried deposits more efficiently. Peter O’Reilly replaced Haynes as the Gold Commissioner and the Dewdney Trail, extending from Hope-just east of Vancouver to Wild Horse Creek, was completed, providing a direct link with the colonial capital at New Westminster. Fisherville was demolished because it sat on some of the richest claims, and the community of Wild Horse was established further up the bank.

The Wild Horse Trail led from the gold mines near Wild Horse Creek to around Hope, Idaho east of Sandpoint. Wild Horse Trail crossed the Kootenay River at Bonner's Ferry, Idaho.

 

David Thompson explorer extraordinair kiosk in Bonners Ferry

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trading post this kiosk is referring to is the Kullyspell House in Hope, Idaho that we visited a few days ago while staying on Lake Pend Oreille in Sandpoint, Idaho.

 

 

 

 

 

Old Barn south of Bonners Ferry, Idaho

 

 

South of Bonners Ferry on US 95 wonderful old barns dot the landscape.

 

 

 

 

 

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