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The Cataldo Mission

© Elizabeth Gibson

The Coeur d'Alene Indians were a peaceful tribe that lived in tepees and hunted, fished, and collected berries and roots along Coeur d'Alene Lake in Northern Idaho. The tribe was originally called the Schee-chu-umsh or Skitzsu. They were renamed by French trappers with a word that meant "heart of the awl," which meant the trappers thought they were shrewd bargainers. The average Coeur d'Alene man was about 5 foot 8 inches tall, and the women an inch or two shorter. Both men and women wore tunics with long loose sleeves made from deer, antelope, or mountain sheep skins. The men also were leggings up to mid-thigh tied to a belt. They wore buffalo or elk robes in the winter time. They ate fish, deer, elk, and bear, and went on an annual hunt for buffalo. They rarely went to war but were fierce when defending their homes and families when they did.

The Indians were very spiritual, having been already been introduced to Christianity about 1830. So when Father Pierre De Smet arrived on his way to Colville, Washington, they gave him a warm reception. They very much wanted him to stay and teach them. He stayed only two days, but promised to send someone back to them. Father Nicholas Point and Brother C. Huet arrived in Coeur d'Alene country in December 1842. Father Point selected a site for a new mission and drew up plans for it. By October of 1844, there were 100 Christian families living in the little village. In 1845, Father Point left with Father De Smet to establish a mission among the Blackfeet. Father Joseph Joset, who had arrived earlier, stayed to manage the mission at Cataldo. In 1846, after several floods of the St. Joe River, the site was abandoned for the present one and a temporary chapel was built in 1846.

In 1848, Father Anthony Ravalli came to this mission. In Italy, Ravalli had studied theology, philosophy, mathematics, natural science, medicine, art, and architecture. He would be responsible for erecting the new mission. For workmen he had two brothers and the Indians. Only those Indians with the best of behavior were allowed to assist in building the sacred house. The church would be 90 feet long, 40 feet wide, and 30 feet high made of pine. Planing and shaping were done by hand with a broad axe. Nails were not available so holes were bored in the upright and rafters, which were joined with wooden pegs. The roof and walls were made by boring holes in posts and rafters and interlacing willow saplings. They covered the saplings in the walls with woven wild grass, then covered it all with adobe.

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