Wander the West

Old Mission State Park - Idaho

	The Cataldo Mission

2006

The Old Mission State Park in Northern Idaho is the site of the oldest still-standing building in Idaho. The park is located 20 miles East of Coeur d'Alene on Interstate 90 (exit 39) From the Idaho State Parks website:

Old Mission State Park features the oldest standing building in Idaho, The Mission of the Sacred Heart, which became a state park in 1975. Also known as Cataldo Mission, it was built between 1848 and 1853 by members of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and Catholic missionaries. This unique building has walls one-foot thick and was built entirely without nails. The park also has a restored parish house next door to the mission, and an historic cemetary. The visitor center includes an interpretive exhibit on the area and the Coeur d'Alene Indians. A walking audio tour tape is available.

The mission building is beautiful both inside and out. The hand-hewn giant beams and wood floors testify to the labor that went into the construction. The ceilings are decorated with hand carved wood. Rooms in the back of the structure do not have wood paneling and the exposed inner wall reveal straw and plaster as primary wall materials.

- Aaron Walton