True story behind Cemetary Ridge??? (Sandpoint, St. Maries: house, buy, schools)

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

I'm looking for a bit of local info that I've gotten conflicting stories on. I've spent quite a bit of time on the net searching and haven't come up with anything.

About 10-15 miles southwest of Wallace there is an area known as Cemetary Ridge. It's just south of Lake Elsie and runs primarily south towards the Joe. I've heard various stories as to how it got it's name. One story was that firefighters killed in the 1910 fire were burried there. Another was that a plane crashed there back in the day, I heard an early US mail plane. Still another was that it was because of the pet cemetary that exists there. I've seen one there, just a handful of little markers where I suppose locals burried their pets, but I doubt that this led to the name back when.

Does anyone know the real story? We've hunted, camped and ATVed this area for years, never been able to find out what was really behind it.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by Toyman at Jewel Lake

I'm looking for a bit of local info that I've gotten conflicting stories on. I've spent quite a bit of time on the net searching and haven't come up with anything.

About 10-15 miles southwest of Wallace there is an area known as Cemetary Ridge. It's just south of Lake Elsie and runs primarily south towards the Joe. I've heard various stories as to how it got it's name. One story was that firefighters killed in the 1910 fire were burried there. Another was that a plane crashed there back in the day, I heard an early US mail plane. Still another was that it was because of the pet cemetary that exists there. I've seen one there, just a handful of little markers where I suppose locals burried their pets, but I doubt that this led to the name back when.

Does anyone know the real story? We've hunted, camped and ATVed this area for years, never been able to find out what was really behind it.

I guess I just duplicated your web search, and didn't come up with anything, either. The Egan book (The Big Burn, about the fire in 1910, for those of you who didn't read that thread) doesn't mention it, but there were plenty of firefighters and locals who died on those ridges, so I'd say that's still a good guess. Who gets to the Wallace Visitor's Center first, and asks them in person? Nice assignment for somebody's next trip to Wallace! Could be me! Summer's coming!
Historic Wallace Schools (http://www.wallaceidahochamber.com/visitorcenter.htm - broken link) The link title is misleading--it'll take you to the Wallace Visitor's Center.

Toyman, a question for you. I think you actually answered it a long time ago, but I can't find it --is the road from Wallace to Thompson Falls (Burke Road, Route 4, turning into MT Highway 471) paved? I think you said it is. I hope so! We're going to go to Wallace and pay tribute to the firefighters and the members of the 25th Infantry, the Buffalo Soldiers, this summer, and I really want to do that trip across the mountain to Highway 200, but not in a Honda CRV if it isn't paved! We can do a great loop and come home to Clark Fork that way.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

I guess I just duplicated your web search, and didn't come up with anything, either. The Egan book (The Big Burn, about the fire in 1910, for those of you who didn't read that thread) doesn't mention it, but there were plenty of firefighters and locals who died on those ridges, so I'd say that's still a good guess. Who gets to the Wallace Visitor's Center first, and asks them in person? Nice assignment for somebody's next trip to Wallace! Could be me! Summer's coming!
Historic Wallace Schools (http://www.wallaceidahochamber.com/visitorcenter.htm - broken link) The link title is misleading--it'll take you to the Wallace Visitor's Center.

Toyman, a question for you. I think you actually answered it a long time ago, but I can't find it --is the road from Wallace to Thompson Falls (Burke Road, Route 4, turning into MT Highway 471) paved? I think you said it is. I hope so! We're going to go to Wallace and pay tribute to the firefighters and the members of the 25th Infantry, the Buffalo Soldiers, this summer, and I really want to do that trip across the mountain to Highway 200, but not in a Honda CRV if it isn't paved! We can do a great loop and come home to Clark Fork that way.

The museum of North Idaho (in CDA) just opened for the season yesterday, I'm planning on stopping by after work today and look at their display on the 1910 fire. And I am planning a trip to Wallace to the mining museum, I have tried the last 3 weekends but stuff keeps coming up. One of these days... I have a couple other books (both better than Egan's btw) on the fire, but none I have found have decently detailed maps with actual locations of some of the spots mentioned, at least not to the extent that you could find them. I want to find the Beauchamp cabin site and the "Lost Crew" (Setzer creek) site. I also need to hike into the Pulaski Tunnel, I do know where that is.

The road up through Burke Canyon turns to gravel after a few miles, IIRC about half way between Burke and Glidden Lakes. From what I recall it gets a little rough up towards the lakes, I did it in the pickup a few years ago. It might be better now, we were most of the way to the lakes last year on quads, that part was smooth. Still, I don't think your CRV would have any issue. Once you get out here it doesn't take long to get over the whole gravel road issue .

The road from Thompson Falls through Murry and Pritchard ties into the N. Fork of the CDA river, it's all paved and a nice ride. If you try this one, it's a short hike into Rivett Lake at the pass, and a stop at the Spragepole Inn (and museum) in Murry is worthwhile. I like the history of the little towns in this area, I'm just starting with my efforts to get some books and get edumacated.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Toyman, forgot to comment on this! The road you described in an earlier thread was the Murry-Pritchard road, I remember it now. And we'll do it!
And you're right--the gravel road phobia (GRP! ) is one of the things we SoCal newcomers bring to Idaho, and get over fairly quickly. We discovered last year that we'd been traveling a whole day exploring the little roads around our property, and hadn't even given it a thought that we were on dirt roads.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

Toyman, forgot to comment on this! The road you described in an earlier thread was the Murry-Pritchard road, I remember it now. And we'll do it!
And you're right--the gravel road phobia (GRP! ) is one of the things we SoCal newcomers bring to Idaho, and get over fairly quickly. We discovered last year that we'd been traveling a whole day exploring the little roads around our property, and hadn't even given it a thought that we were on dirt roads.

I was the same way when I moved here, I rarely drove off pavement in western NY. Didn't realize I'd buy out where I have several miles of gravel just to get to my house . One change, I buy vehicles to match my mud now!

One of our favorite drives is from Sandpoint, east across hwy 200 (through Clark Fork) and to Noxon. Then south to Thompson falls, across Thompson pass, to Murry, Pritchard and the N. Fork of the CDA river. If you like your vehicle, head south to I 90 and back, or if you can tolerate some cool dirt roads, back via forest service roads to Bunco road and 95.

Hey, I forgot to mention it. I stopped by the Museum of NID in CDA last week. The person I talked with there confirmed that firefighters killed in the 1910 fire were burried on Cemetary Ridge. The bodies were later moved, I believe to St. Maries. I'm planning on heading to Wallace this Friday and stop in at the mining museum and see if I can get more info on specific locations related to the fire.

[TMA]

If I remember right, it was from the fire. Many of the firefighters now buried in the ring in the St.Maries cemetery were once buried at cemetery ridge and then moved to St.Maries. I believe there will be memorials this summer in St.Maries that will tell the story.
I also seem to remember reading books by Burt Russell having this information in it. At any rate they do cover quite a bit of local history.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by TMA

If I remember right, it was from the fire. Many of the firefighters now buried in the ring in the St.Maries cemetery were once buried at cemetery ridge and then moved to St.Maries. I believe there will be memorials this summer in St.Maries that will tell the story.
I also seem to remember reading books by Burt Russell having this information in it. At any rate they do cover quite a bit of local history.

TMA, if you can come up with a title or two of Burt Russell books, could you post them over on the Books and DVDs thread? Thanks!

[TMA]

I'm not really sure where the book section is so I'll just put them here.

The titles are Swiftwater People and Hardships and Happy Times. I believe they were written in the seventies or early 80s.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by TMA

I'm not really sure where the book section is so I'll just put them here.

The titles are Swiftwater People and Hardships and Happy Times. I believe they were written in the seventies or early 80s.

Thanks, TMA! I'll add them to the Book Thread, and then when you see the thread, you can add more titles if you like.