The Coeur D'Alenes Gold Rush and Its Lasting Legacy

Book excerpt: A history of the 1883-84 gold rush to what became the Eagle City and Murray area, situated along Prichard Creek in the remote Coeur d'Alene National Forest of northern Idaho. The gold rush drew thousands of fortune seekers and marked the beginning of the internationally renowned Coeur d'Alene Mining District. The book provides a detailed documentation of the gold rush activity, including the hastily built towns and the people involved. Following the gold rush, in what had become the North Side region of the Coeur d'Alene Mining District, active hard-rock mining of primarily lead and zinc commenced. In addition to capturing that aspect of the history, the book discusses the remarkable roles the region played in the formation and preservation of the U.S. Forest Service, the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps, and a burgeoning logging industry that harvested the largest remaining stands of the coveted white pine.