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99-551: Coeur d'Alene is the largest city within the Idaho panhandle. Spokane is around 30 miles (50 km) west of Coeur d'Alene, and its Spokane International Airport is the region's main air hub. Other important cities in the region include Lewiston , Moscow , Post Falls , Hayden , Sandpoint , and the smaller towns of St. Maries and Bonners Ferry . East of Coeur d'Alene is the Silver Valley , which follows Interstate 90 to

198-460: A U.S. Geological Survey done in the 1890s, it became widely known that there were large quantities of white pine , a highly prized softwood , in the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. The lumber industry from the eastern US began to inventory the timberlands, acquire land, and invest in facilities across much of northern Idaho. This was welcome relief to the town of Coeur d'Alene, which had been reeling from

297-525: A fort town. The Fourth of July Festival usually includes a parade down Sherman Avenue, food and craft vendors, carnival rides, and live music and entertainment. Many watch the fireworks by the waterfront and beach; the Coeur d'Alene resort offers fireworks cruises that depart from Independence Point. In the winter, the Holiday Light Show festivities begin at the end of November and the lights are on display until January 1. The event also begins with

396-518: A fort town; General William Tecumseh Sherman sited what became known as Fort Sherman on the north shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene in 1878. Peopling of the town came when miners and prospectors came to the region after gold and silver deposits were found in what would become the Silver Valley and after the Northern Pacific Railroad reached the town in 1883. In the 1890s, two significant miners' uprisings over wages took place in

495-514: A fourth term. The Democratic nominee for Governor outperformed their statewide result in Northern Idaho in all elections from 1982 through 2006 ; Keith Allred received 30.9% in Northern Idaho vs. 32.9% statewide in 2010 , A.J. Balukoff received 36.5% in Northern Idaho vs. 38.6% statewide in 2014 , and Paulette Jordan received 34.6% in Northern Idaho vs. 38.2% statewide in 2018 . The Idaho panhandle observes Pacific Time north of

594-531: A parade down Sherman Avenue and ends with a fireworks show; the resort's light show features over 1.5 million bulbs, and the resort offers "Journey to the North Pole" cruises. Another event in the winter months that often gets media attention is the Polar Bear Plunge every year on January 1 at noon, where event participants run into the cold waters of Lake Coeur d'Alene at Sanders Beach. One of

693-521: A precursor to a land-grab by the United States. These talks and increasing settler encroachment sparked armed hostilities between the native Coeur d'Alene, Spokane and Palouse and the settler populations that resulted in an initial victory for the tribes at the Battle of Steptoe Butte but were followed up with George Wright 's campaign that subdued the natives. The Coeur d'Alene Reservation

792-435: A revival of conservative values in the region, while others express concerns about the influence of far-right ideologies. These tensions have played out across various aspects of community life, including education, gun culture, and local events. Coeur d'Alene has a deeply rooted gun culture, with strong support for Second Amendment rights and open carry. In June 2020, during nationwide protests over racial justice following

891-491: A shooting war between miners and the company in Burke Canyon . When the mine owners planned to reduce wages of some workers to offset increased operating costs, the miners declared a strike against the reduction of wages and the increase in work hours and demanded a " living wage " be paid to every man working underground – the common laborer as well as the skilled in a stand for industrial unionism . To restore order to

990-683: A short driving distance, Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg , Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area at Lookout Pass near Mullan , and Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort in Sandpoint . Tourism and hospitality related jobs employed over 10,000 people in north Idaho in 2010. Coeur d'Alene is the healthcare, educational, media, manufacturing, retail and recreation center for north Idaho. Coeur d'Alene's retail has expanded greatly in recent years with

1089-492: A symphony and theater productions from professional and community groups. The city has several art galleries, almost all displaying art located in the walkable downtown area along Sherman Avenue, Coeur d'Alene's main street. Among the most prominent of these galleries is The Art Spirit Gallery. Art can also be seen outside for free. Since 1999, the City of Coeur d'Alene has had a funding mechanism for public art where 1.33 percent of

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1188-454: Is 18.5 minutes. Commuting across the state line into Washington is not uncommon. A concern for the city is that the rising minimum wage and salary differential between Washington and Idaho will cause local personnel shortages. In 2011, the Idaho state median hourly wage was $ 14.51 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Coeur d'Alene area has a growing arts scene. The community has

1287-466: Is a city and the county seat of Kootenai County, Idaho , United States. It is the most populous city in North Idaho and the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area . The population was 54,628 at the 2020 census . Coeur d'Alene is a satellite city of Spokane , which is located about thirty miles (50 km) to the west in the state of Washington . The two cities are

1386-732: Is about 60,000 people. Other notable events include Brewfest and the North Idaho State Fair. 2010 Idaho gubernatorial election Butch Otter Republican Butch Otter Republican The 2010 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the Governor of Idaho . Incumbent Republican Governor Butch Otter won re-election, defeating his Democratic opponent Keith G. Allred. A former Lieutenant Governor and U.S. Representative , Otter won an open seat race in 2006 against Democratic Party nominee Jerry Brady with 52.67% of

1485-490: Is based in Hayden. In 2017, the Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area had a gross metropolitan product of $ 5.93 billion. The Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area has a workforce of 80,000 people and an unemployment rate of 6.8% (as of June 2020); the largest sectors for non-farm employment are trade, transportation, and utilities, government, and education and health services as well as leisure and hospitality. The average commute to work

1584-506: Is considered a bedroom community of Spokane. The historic Post Falls Dam and surrounding Falls Park on the Spokane River is a local landmark. Hayden is the third largest city in the Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area, and it is known for the eponymous Hayden Lake that was once the historic center of the community. The shores of the lake are filled with summer cabins and large mansions. The historic Hayden Lake Country Club, which lies at

1683-531: Is land and 0.51 square miles (1.32 km ) is water. Coeur d'Alene is 30 miles (48 km) east of downtown Spokane, Washington , and 259 miles (415 km) east of Seattle . The city is part of the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area and the Inland Northwest region, consisting of eastern Washington, northern Idaho , northwestern Montana , and northeastern Oregon . The city

1782-542: Is likely that "pointed heart" has its origins in the French transliteration of Cœur or "heart", d ' or "in the middle of" and Alêne or "awl", meaning the tribal traders had hearts as sharp as the tip of an awl – or that they were sharp businessmen. The Oregon boundary dispute (or Oregon question) arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of North America in

1881-458: Is located approximately twenty miles (30 km) north. There are also several ski resorts and other recreation areas nearby. The city is home to the Museum of North Idaho and North Idaho College , and it has become known for having one of the largest holiday light shows in the United States and hosting a popular Ironman Triathlon event. Coeur d'Alene is located on the route of Interstate 90 and

1980-540: Is located in Benewah and Kootenai counties south of Coeur d'Alene in communities focused around Worley and Plummer. In 1859, with U.S. funding in place, Governor Stevens appointed John Mullan to survey the interior of the Northwestern United States for possible railroad routes and oversee the construction of the 611-mile (983 km) Mullan Road that bears his name, from Fort Walla Walla on

2079-657: Is located on the north shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene , near the outlet of the Spokane River , and is in the Northern Rockies ecoregion . Lake Coeur d'Alene is a natural dam-controlled lake that is 25 miles (40 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) to 3 miles (4.8 km) wide and fed by the Coeur d'Alene and Saint Joe rivers. Although the Post Falls Dam on the Spokane River near Post Falls controls

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2178-432: Is lower than the Idaho state average of 14.61 and 2.27 respectively. According to NeighborhoodScout 's methodology, the city has a crime index of 24, meaning it is safer than 24 percent of US cities, and has a property and violent crime rate slightly above the Idaho state average but still below the national median in both categories. Historically, the economy of Coeur d'Alene was built and based on mining and logging and

2277-919: Is most noted for silvaculture , the growing of trees and the production of lumber through the region's 12 lumber mills. The production of grass seeds and hops for beer production are also significant in the region. Nine microbreweries have operations in the area, making North Idaho highly characteristic of the Pacific Northwest . There are also many cattle ranches. Notable crops from the Palouse region include wheat, lentils, peas, and canola . 47°N 116°W  /  47°N 116°W  / 47; -116 Coeur d%27Alene, Idaho Coeur d'Alene ( / ˌ k ɔːr d ə ˈ l eɪ n / KOR də- LAYN ; French : Cœur d'Alène , lit.   'Heart of Awl ' French pronunciation: [kœʁ d a.lɛn] )

2376-463: Is named after the Coeur d'Alene people , a federally recognized tribe of Native Americans who live along the rivers and lakes of the region, in a territory of 4,000,000 acres (16,000 km ) from eastern Washington to Montana . The native peoples were hunter-gatherers who located their villages and camps near food gathering or processing sites and followed the seasonal cycles, practicing subsistence hunting, fishing, and foraging. The city began as

2475-525: Is polluted with heavy metals such as lead and was designated a superfund site in 1983 that spans 1,500 square miles (3,884.98 km ) and 166 miles (267 km) of the Coeur d'Alene River. The majority of the lake bed is covered in a layer of contaminated sediment and local health officials at the Panhandle Health District advise the lake's visitors to wash anything that has come into contact with potentially lead-laced soil or dust in

2574-584: Is served by the Coeur d'Alene Airport as well as the Brooks Seaplane Base by air. In print media, local issues are covered by the Coeur d'Alene Press daily newspaper. The Coeur d'Alene people called themselves Schitsu'umsh in Coeur d'Alene , one of the Salishan languages , meaning "those who are found here" or "the found ones". These Native Americans lived along the rivers and lakes of

2673-558: The Battle of Little Big Horn , he erected several forts in the west. During a tour of the Inland Northwest on his way to Fort Walla Walla on the Mullan Road, he was impressed by the scenery of the area and ordered a fort constructed on the lake in 1877 and gave it the name Fort Coeur d'Alene. The fort which gave the city its name was established in 1878 and the name of the fort was later changed to Fort Sherman to honor

2772-526: The Bitterroot Range , producing the narrow northern border. No resident of North Idaho has been elected governor since the re-election of Cecil Andrus (D) in 1974 . An Oregon native raised in Eugene , Andrus had lived at Orofino and was a resident of Lewiston when first elected in 1970 . ( Boise was his residence during his later campaigns of 1986 and 1990 ). The most recent member of

2871-579: The Corkscrew roller coaster in 1990 that it purchased from Knott's Berry Farm . Additional rides such as the Timber Terror and Tremors roller coasters in the 1990s and the 20-acre (0.081 km ) Boulder Beach water park in 2003 made Silverwood into a regional theme park, which attracts visitors primarily from the Spokane, Tri-Cities , and Seattle areas of Washington as well as some from

2970-494: The Farragut Naval Training Station , established in 1942 on the south end of Lake Pend Oreille , which employed 22,000 people and needed 98 million board feet of lumber to build 650 buildings. Due to the scenic lake, tourism has always been a factor in the local economy. In the early 1900s, it had become popular in Spokane to travel and picnic in the park, shop in town, and take steamboat cruises on

3069-626: The Great Depression , the lumber industry demand began to wane and by the mid-1930s about half the woodworkers in North Idaho were laid off and the surviving mills were producing only 160 million board feet of lumber per year. Although it was a tough time, accomplishments during the Depression years included the establishment of Coeur d'Alene Junior College (North Idaho College) in 1933, the construction of Northwest Boulevard through

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3168-463: The Great Plains contribute to dry summer months. Coeur d'Alene can have noticeably milder nights and cooler days due to the moderating effect on the climate of large bodies of water such as Lake Coeur d'Alene. As Coeur d'Alene has grown from a fort town, different neighborhoods and suburbs have grown around it. The downtown city center of Coeur d'Alene is in the southeast of the urban area as

3267-563: The Idaho Department of Labor . According to the National Incident-Based Reporting System , the Coeur d'Alene metro area (Kootenai County) crime rate per 100,000 population was 4,864 in 2018, which was lower than the Idaho state average of 5,032. The county has a property crime rate of 12.88 and a violent crime rate of 1.59 per 1,000 people in the 2018 Uniform Crime Reports summary, which

3366-581: The Idaho Panhandle National Forests . These thick forests include groves of ancient western redcedar and host over 300 wildlife species including woodland caribou , Canada lynx , grizzly bear , and wolves . The large lakes in the Idaho panhandle attract birds on the Pacific Flyway , and bird watching is popular on Lake Coeur d'Alene, especially from November to February when bald eagles come annually to feed on

3465-575: The Lucky Friday mine in Mullan, Hecla Mining and the U.S. operations of Canada-based restaurant Pita Pit . A knife manufacturer, Buck Knives , is the most recognizable brand name in the area, where they relocated the head office and factory from San Diego to the Coeur d'Alene suburb of Post Falls in 2005. Construction company and roller coaster manufacturer, Rocky Mountain Construction

3564-473: The Panic of 1893 , a flood in 1894, and the closure of Fort Sherman. The city experienced significant growth from the timber boom and the development of the railroads, steamboats, and tourism that accompanied it; Coeur d'Alene incorporated as a city on September 4, 1906, and by 1908 it had become the county seat. From 1900 to 1915, there were hundreds of homes constructed across 70 newly platted additions. With

3663-532: The Spokane Valley and Rathdrum Prairie , were formed by the Missoula Floods , which ended 12,000 to 15,000 years ago. The Coeur d'Alene Mountains of the Bitterroot Range rise to the east of the city to a maximum elevation of 7,352 feet (2,241 m) at Cherry Peak. The wooded lands east of the city, the Coeur d'Alene National Forest , have been designated for protection and management by

3762-520: The U.S. Congress from the panhandle is Compton I. White Jr. (D) of Clark Fork , last elected 60 years ago in 1964 . North Idaho leans Republican , as does the state as a whole . Latah County , home of the University of Idaho in Moscow , is the only one of the region's 10 counties that does not. While Bonner County is also strongly Republican, the tourist town of Sandpoint located in

3861-573: The University of Idaho ); and Clarkston with Lewiston. The panhandle is isolated from southern Idaho by distance and the east–west mountain ranges that divide the state. The passage by vehicle was arduous until significant highway improvements were made on U.S. Route 95 in North Central Idaho, specifically at Lapwai Canyon (1960), White Bird Hill (1975), the Lewiston grade (1977), and Lawyer's Canyon (1991). The North Idaho region

3960-564: The Works Progress Administration program in 1937, and the building of the popular Playfair Pier amusement park on the lake in the early 1940s. The Playfair Pier opened on July 4, 1942 (and existed until 1974) in City Park and included a variety of rides and attractions such as a miniature roller coaster, a Ferris wheel, a carousel, and some of the usual carnival games . Coeur d'Alene benefited from its proximity to

4059-530: The census of 2010 , there were 44,137 people, 18,395 households, and 10,813 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,834.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,094.5/km ). There were 20,219 housing units at an average density of 1,298.6 per square mile (501.4/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 93.8% White , 0.4% African American , 1.2% Native American , 0.8% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 0.9% from other races , and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 4.3% of

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4158-426: The murder of George Floyd , armed civilians patrolled the streets of downtown Coeur d'Alene, citing a desire to protect businesses from potential looting, although no violent incidents occurred. In 2022, tensions again rose when a Pride event in the city was disrupted by a group of armed protesters, many of whom were associated with the far-right group Patriot Front . Local law enforcement arrested several members of

4257-603: The salmon runs , and then foraging for berries and other edibles along the shores of the region's numerous lakes and rivers. The introduction of the horse c. 1760 made hunting and transportation more efficient. The area was extensively explored by fur trader David Thompson of the North West Company starting in 1807 and in 1809 he established the Kullyspell House trading post on Lake Pend Oreille . Thompson, who usually used native names to describe

4356-620: The 1892 strike, martial law was declared by Governor Frank Steunenberg and wholesale arrests and mass incarcerations were done to bring back order. Harry Orchard , who owned a share of the Hercules Mine at one point and played a significant role in the Colorado Labor Wars , returned to Idaho to assassinate former governor Steunenberg in 1905. The bombing assassination led to a nationally publicized trial in Boise . After

4455-460: The 1990s, in part because of a substantial increase in tourism, encouraged by resorts and recreational activities in the area and outmigration predominantly from other western states. The Coeur d'Alene Resort and its 0.75-mile (1.21 km) floating boardwalk and a 165-acre (0.67 km ) natural area called Tubbs Hill take up a prominent portion of the city's downtown. Popular parks such as City Park and Beach and McEuen Park are also fixtures of

4554-494: The Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta . I In 2014, McEuen Park on the downtown waterfront reopened to the public after undergoing a major $ 20 million renovation that transformed it from a park with baseball diamonds into a multi-use park with a variety of athletic facilities, a playground, and a dog park. The state of Idaho is the fastest-growing state in the country and according to Census Bureau data in 2018,

4653-537: The Coeur d'Alene Mining District has been one of the world's most productive mining districts. However, after mining and logging diminished in importance in the 1940s, tourism has come to be the main influence in the local economy ever since. The city has become a major tourist attraction, being at the heart of north Idaho's Lake Country where people partake in water sports and activities such as wake boarding , paddleboarding , sailing, parasailing , jet skiing , kayaking , fishing and other lake recreation. In addition to

4752-425: The Coeur d'Alene Mining District leading to the declaration of martial law , with the latter providing a motive for the assassination of a former Idaho governor and subsequently a nationally publicized trial. The late 19th century discovery of highly prized white pine in the forests of northern Idaho resulted in a timber boom that peaked in the late 1920s and was accompanied by the rapid population growth which led to

4851-737: The Coeur d'Alene River basin. Coeur d'Alene has, depending on the definition, a dry-summer continental climate ( Köppen Dsb ) or a warm-summer Mediterranean climate ( Csb ), characterized by a cold, moist climate in winter, and very warm, dry conditions in summer. The daily mean temperature ranges from 31.2 °F (−0.4 °C) in January and December to 70.1 °F (21.2 °C) in July. Temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on 18.3 days per year, only occasionally reaching 100 °F (38 °C), and there may be several nights below 10 °F (−12 °C). The average first and last freezes of

4950-663: The Columbia River through the Rocky Mountains to Fort Benton on the Missouri River . With the discovery of gold in the western United States and the establishment of Idaho Territory in 1863, there was an increase in settlers to the region. When General William Tecumseh Sherman was commander of the U.S. Army during the Indian Wars and following the defeat of General George Armstrong Custer at

5049-473: The Diamond Cup organizers. The race was held at Lake Coeur d'Alene for the next eight years; it was discontinued due to persistent difficulties in raising funds for the event. After decades of heavy reliance on logging, in the 1980s, the city featured a more balanced economy with manufacturing, retail, and service sectors. Tourism has taken on even more prominence and has become one of the main drivers of

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5148-540: The Fort Sherman chapel, the oldest building in the city as a wedding venue. Many of the community events and activities in Coeur d'Alene occur during the warm summer months and they often take place by the lake. Annual events include the Fourth of July Festival and the Holiday Light Show that begins at the end of November. Coeur d'Alene has been known for hosting big Fourth of July celebrations since its early days as

5247-669: The Montana border at Lookout Pass . The region has a land area of 21,012.64 square miles (54,422 km), around 25.4% of the state's total land area; there is also 323.95 square miles (839 km) of water area. As of the 2020 Census , the population of the Idaho panhandle was 363,642, around 19.8% of the state's total population of 1,839,106. The town of Bonners Ferry has two Canada–US border crossings : Porthill-Rykerts Border Crossing connects with Creston, British Columbia ; Eastport–Kingsgate Border Crossing connects with Yahk, British Columbia . The eastern border of Idaho follows

5346-739: The Pacific Ocean because it is on the windward side of the Rocky Mountains . Average annual rainfall is 25 inches (64 cm) and the average annual snowfall is 46 inches (120 cm). Northern Idaho weather is influenced by both maritime and continental weather systems. Moist air masses from the coast are released as precipitation over the North Central Rockies forests , creating the North American inland temperate rainforest , and dry air masses from Canada and

5445-406: The U.S. government through Washington Territory Governor Isaac Stevens began to negotiate treaties that would begin to move the various tribes of the region onto reservation lands to make way for American settlement. This angered the Coeur d'Alene, as several treaty re-negotiations continually reduced their tribal lands. The tribe also perceived the planned construction a military wagon road as

5544-399: The advent of the automobile and the internal combustion engine, trucks and chainsaws, the felling and transporting of trees became more productive and efficient and lumber production reached its height in the late 1910s and 1920s; in 1925 there were seven lumber mills operating in the area and they were producing 500 million board feet of lumber. After the 1929 stock market crash and during

5643-561: The center of the Hayden Lake community, was built in 1907 along with a rail connection with the Spokane and Inland Empire Railroad that same year, which brought in many tourists to the resort and Honeysuckle Beach. With the rising use of the automobile, the center of town shifted away from the lake and railroad and reoriented toward Government Way. As of the census of 2020 , there were 54,628 people and 22,699 households residing in

5742-423: The city and county were among the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the nation with a net migration of about 3,200 residents from 2015 to 2016. The newest transplants are still mainly from other western states and are moving for economic as well as political reasons, seeking a lower cost of living, more affordable housing, an outdoor lifestyle, and a place that is more conservative. In March 2024, Coeur d'Alene

5841-511: The city has many neighborhoods, the largest being Coeur d'Alene city center, Post Falls and Hayden . The Coeur d'Alene city center has several parks and attractions and as a community gathering place, it has heavy foot traffic on fair weather summer weekends. The largest building in the city, the 216-foot (66 m) Coeur d'Alene Resort Lake Tower, is in the city center. The downtown area is of increasing interest to higher density multifamily apartment and condominium-type developments to cope with

5940-596: The city. Coeur d'Alene and its Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which consists of Kootenai County, have been combined by the Census Bureau into the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene Combined Statistical Area (CSA) where it is the third-largest polity after Spokane and its largest suburb, Spokane Valley . The population of the CSA was 745,213 in 2020. The principal cities in the CSA are separated by suburbs that largely follow

6039-572: The closure of their Hayden compound. In the 1990s, the Coeur d'Alene area starting experiencing substantial population growth; many of these initial transplants came from California, citing earthquakes, crime, and overcrowding as reasons for their move. This northward migration coincided with watershed events such as the 1992 Los Angeles riots and the 1994 Northridge earthquake . The surrounding area got increased tourist attention when Silverwood Theme Park , which opened in 1988 on an airstrip with an authentic steam train and carnival rides, installed

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6138-399: The county is somewhat more centrist. The panhandle has traditionally been one of the strongest areas for Democrats in statewide elections, largely because of its unionized miners and a smaller Mormon population than Southern Idaho. However, it largely changed in the 1980s with the drop in silver prices, slump of metal markets, mine closures and passage of a right-to-work law . Additionally,

6237-491: The denominational affiliations of the Coeur d'Alene MSA (Kootenai County) are 60,657 Evangelical Protestant , 3,064 Mainline Protestant , 7,597 Catholic , 162 Orthodox , 8,492 Other, and 58,522 Unclaimed. Idaho is part of a region called the Unchurched Belt , a region in the Northwestern United States that has historically low rates of religious participation. The evangelical Christian community has been growing with

6336-409: The downtown waterfront. The city has become somewhat of a destination for golfers; there are five courses in the city, including the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course and its unique 14th hole floating green. The Coeur d'Alene Casino and its Circling Raven Golf Club is located approximately 27 miles (43 km) south and the largest theme park in the Northwestern United States, Silverwood Theme Park ,

6435-411: The engineer, Levi "Al" Hutton. At each stop through Burke Canyon, more miners climbed aboard what was dubbed the "Dynamite Express" toward the site of the $ 250,000 Bunker Hill mine near Wardner ; the miners then carried 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) of dynamite into the mill and completely destroyed it. The crowd also burned down the company office, the boarding house, and the home of the mine manager. Like in

6534-556: The first half of the 19th century. The British had trading ties extending from Canada and had started settlements at Fort Vancouver and at Fort Astoria on the Pacific coast near the mouth of the Columbia River . The Oregon Treaty of 1846 ended the disputed joint occupation of the area in present-day Idaho when Britain ceded all rights to land south of the 49th parallel to the United States. In another territorial dispute,

6633-483: The general. Miners and prospectors came to the region after gold and silver deposits were found in the Coeur d'Alene Mountains and the Northern Pacific Railroad came to the village in 1883. The village became the location where ore from the mining district was ferried and transferred to the rail lines from steamboats that traveled down from the Coeur d'Alene River from the Cataldo Mission . The township

6732-501: The group, charging them with conspiracy to riot, though the arrests were not directly related to firearm use. The presence of armed protesters at public events continues to spark debate about the balance between gun rights and public safety in Coeur d'Alene. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 16.08 square miles (41.65 km ), of which 15.57 square miles (40.33 km )

6831-533: The growth in housing demand and due to a lack of space and concerns about urban sprawl . Investment in residential and retail development has been intensive along the Interstate 90 corridor and has made Post Falls near the Washington state line become Kootenai County's second largest city. Due to its central location between Spokane and Coeur d'Alene, the city is host to a growing list of retail stores and

6930-494: The impression of a park-like environment and attracted the attention of publications nationwide. The actions of the Aryan Nations , a white supremacist group founded by Richard Butler in 1974, also attracted media attention. Butler's acolytes, many of whom were transplants like him, were linked to several robberies, murders, and three bombings, including the bombing of a Spokesman-Review office. In 1986, Coeur d'Alene

7029-416: The incorporation of the city on September 4, 1906. After the Great Depression , tourism started to become a major source of development in the area. By the 1980s, tourism became the major driver in the local economy, and, after decades of heavy reliance on logging, the city featured a more balanced economy with manufacturing, retail, and service sectors. The city of Coeur d'Alene has grown significantly since

7128-410: The influx of conservatives from Southern California beginning in the 1970s, many of whom were retired LAPD officers who chose to move to Coeur d'Alene, also shifted the politics of the region. This intensified during the 2010s, with Democrats nationwide being perceived as too liberal. In the 1990 gubernatorial election , all counties were won by the incumbent Andrus, a popular moderate who easily won

7227-431: The key components of the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene Combined Statistical Area , of which Coeur d'Alene is the third-largest city (after Spokane and its largest suburb, Spokane Valley ). The city is situated on the north shore of the 25-mile (40 km) long Lake Coeur d'Alene and to the west of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains . Locally, Coeur d'Alene is known as the "Lake City", or simply called by its initials, "CDA". The city

7326-564: The lake and up the Saint Joe River . Coeur d'Alene had also received national publicity in magazines, where it had been called a "wonderland" and "the Lucerne of America". However, tourism began to become a mainstay of the economy with the completion of highway infrastructure projects in the 1950s and 1960s, and the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce began to promote the city as a tourist destination as well. As tourism increased, there

7425-464: The lake levels, the lake is usually kept at natural levels from January to June. To the immediate southeast is Fernan Lake and to the northeast of the city is Hayden Lake and even further northeast in northern Kootenai County is Lake Pend Oreille , which is among the largest and deepest natural lakes in the western United States with a surface area of 85,960 acres (347.9 km ) and maximum depth of 1,152 feet (351 m). These lakes, like others in

7524-509: The lives of the Coeur d'Alene people; "The Mullan Road", which commemorates Idaho's first road through the Fourth of July Pass ; "The Scandinavians Settled Here", which examines the Nordic influences on Coeur d'Alene; and "Steamboats", which displays artifacts and photographs of the steamboats that used to cruise the lake. The museum does walking tours of the Fort Sherman grounds and also rents out

7623-439: The local economy since the start of the 1980s, when there was new investment into recreational tourism in the area. In 1982, a $ 2 million Wild Waters aquatic theme park was built, and in the spring of 1986 there was the opening of the $ 60 million ($ 167 million in 2023 dollars), 18-story Coeur d'alene Resort. The waterfront resort featured a well-manicured frontage and a publicly accessible floating boardwalk that gave visitors

7722-707: The most well-attended events in the region combines Art on the Green, the Street Fair, and Taste of Coeur d'Alene, which are all held on the first weekend in August on the North Idaho College campus, downtown Coeur d'Alene, and City Park. Art on the Green is an outdoor arts and crafts festival , Street Fair is a shopping festival, and the Taste of Coeur d'Alene is a food festival ; the combined annual attendance

7821-726: The natural attractions and parks, the Coeur d'Alene area has two major resorts on the lake, the Coeur d'Alene Resort and the WorldMark Arrow Point resort directly across the lake in Harrison near the community of Eddyville as well as the Coeur d'Alene Casino in Worley , and the Northwestern United States' largest theme park in the Silverwood Theme Park in Athol . There are three major ski resorts within

7920-517: The next decade. A similar labor confrontation in 1899 took place after the union was launching an organizing drive of the few mines not yet fully unionized, where miners working in the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mines were receiving fifty cents to a dollar less per day than other miners. With no success in the effort, on April 29, 250 union members seized a train in Burke at gunpoint, according to

8019-490: The opening of new stores and entertainment venues; the Silver Lake Mall , which is the largest in North Idaho, was opened in 1989. Coeur d'Alene's Village at Riverstone development along Northwest Boulevard houses a park, amphitheater, 14-theater Regal Cinemas, a Hampton Inn , condominiums, restaurants, and local retailers. Companies that have their head offices in Coeur d'Alene include mining company and owner of

8118-474: The overall population and there have been instances of whole congregations moving to the area from out of state. The evangelical Christian Real Life Ministries church located in Post Falls was the 13th fastest growing church in the nation in 2007. Many new residents are retirees seeking lower cost of living and traffic; the number of residents aged 65 years and older doubled from 2001 to 2019 according to

8217-555: The path of Spokane Valley and Rathdrum Prairie. The City of Coeur d'Alene has opted not to voluntarily merge with the Spokane MSA and to remain a distinct metropolitan area. According to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidelines, the two MSAs will automatically be combined by the OMB when the employment interchange exceeds 25 percent; in 2011, 18 percent of residents commuted between Spokane and Kootenai counties for work. As of

8316-468: The places and people he came across, ascribed the name of 'Pointed Hearts' to one of the tribes he traded with and "Pointed Heart Lake" for the lake they lived near. Since Thompson traveled with French-speaking Iroquois guides and scouts, it has been speculated that they may have been the first to refer to the tribe as the Coeur d'Alene. As French was the spoken language of the Canadian fur traders , it

8415-441: The population. There were 18,395 households, of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.2% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

8514-415: The presence of Hayden Lake and Lake Fernan and the Coeur d'Alene mountains inhibit development to the east and Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Spokane River limit development to the south and southwest. Historic additions from the early 1900s were added close to the city center a few blocks from downtown, such as on East Sherman Avenue, East Lakeshore Drive near Sanders Beach, and near present-day City Park. Today,

8613-704: The professional Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre group and the community theater company, Lake City Playhouse. The city's primary performing arts venues are the Schuler Performing Arts Center within Boswell Hall at North Idaho College and the Kroc Center . The Museum of North Idaho located in downtown Coeur d'Alene chronicles the history of the region. The museum was established in July 1973 and permanent exhibits include "Schitsu'umsh, 'The People Who Were Discovered Here'", which explores

8712-428: The region, in a territory of 4,000,000 acres (16,000 km ) extending from eastern Washington to Montana; these tribes primarily located their villages and camps near food gathering or processing sites. The camps featured conical lodges constructed from poles and mats sewn from tule or animal hides. The Coeur d'Alene people were hunter-gatherers who practiced subsistence hunting of wild game and fishing during

8811-601: The season are October 17 and April 28, respectively. The city straddles the border between USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6B and 7A. The Spokane–Coeur d'Alene area has many microclimates that can have different weather patterns and observations from the nearby official reporting stations used by the National Weather Service due to the diversity of the topography and other factors. For instance, northern Idaho experiences more precipitation in rain and snow than eastern Washington from weather systems originating from

8910-480: The spawning kokanee . The Cougar Bay Nature Preserve on the northeast portion of Lake Coeur d'Alene is the closest and most accessible nature preserve for wildlife viewing, as it is located a few minutes from downtown Coeur d'Alene. Environmental concerns have come as a result of upstream hardrock mining and smelting operations in the Silver Valley . The Coeur d'Alene Basin, including Lake Coeur d'Alene,

9009-537: The state of rebellion in Shoshone County , Governor N. B. Willey declared martial law and sent federal troops to arrest and detain the union miners, but not before dozens of casualties including six deaths and the destruction of the Frisco Mill. Six hundred miners were put into " bullpens " without any hearings or formal charges. Labor disputes between some company mines and the union continued into

9108-489: The total cost of all eligible above-ground capital improvement projects is earmarked to fund art in public places. In the musical arts, the Coeur d'Alene Symphony traces its roots to the late 1970s as a class at North Idaho College. The symphony performs an annual free concert for the community on Labor Day in Coeur d'Alene City Park and also performs during the summer. Street artists and musicians frequent Sherman Square performing for pedestrians . Theater arts are provided by

9207-571: The vote. Both Rammell and Ullman sought support from followers of the Tea Party movement by criticizing Otter's 2009 attempt to raise Idaho's gas tax . In August 2009, Rammell drew criticism for joking about buying a license to hunt President Barack Obama . Between January 1 and May 9, 2010, Allred led Otter in fundraising, having raised $ 241,000 to Otter's $ 193,000. Allred said, "We are picking up momentum and are right where we want to be." However, Otter limited his fundraising activity while

9306-598: The western-flowing Salmon River in the southern part of Idaho County . The rest of the state to the south observes Mountain Time , which begins at Riggins . Though the Idaho panhandle is at the same longitude as southwestern Idaho , they have different time zones because (1) Spokane is the commercial and transportation center for the region, and (2) there are many cross-border towns and cities that are connected, including Spokane with Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls; Pullman (home of Washington State University ) with Moscow (home of

9405-490: Was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age in the city was 35.4 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.7% were from 25 to 44; 24% were from 45 to 64; and 14.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female. According to the 2010 Metro Area Membership Report of the Association of Religion Data Archives ,

9504-522: Was at the center of a racial incident. During the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball tournament , local residents hurled racial insults at players of the University of Utah Women's Basketball team on multiple occasions. Coeur d'Alene has experienced notable changes in its political and social dynamics in recent years, driven in part by an influx of residents aligned with the Make America Great Again movement. Supporters argue this reflects

9603-410: Was more demand for lodging facilities, convention space, restaurants, and cultural activities. By 1976, the city had over 30 motels with about 1,500 rooms. On June 14, 1958, the city hosted the first Diamond Cup Hydroplane race, which was one of the largest events in its history and garnered national publicity and media coverage. The event was attended by 30,000 people, and it was considered a success by

9702-409: Was officially incorporated by petition on August 22, 1887. In the 1890s, two significant miners' uprisings took place in the Coeur d'Alene Mining District , where the workers struggled with high risk and low pay. In 1892, the union's discovery of a labor spy in their midst, in the person of Charlie Siringo , a sometime cowboy and Pinkerton agent, resulted in a labor strike that developed into

9801-652: Was presented the Raoul Wallenberg Award for its stand in peacefully countering the message of the white supremacists that moved into the area. Coeur d'Alene also won the All-America City Award in 1990. The Aryan Nations went bankrupt and ceased operations in 2000 when the Southern Poverty Law Center filed a lawsuit after the assault of a Native American woman. The lawsuit resulted in a $ 6.3 million judgment and

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