Saint Joseph Mission (St'uts'te'wes)

Saint Joseph Mission (St'uts'te'wes) is an Idaho historical marker in Benewah County, dedicated 2025.

SH-3, milepost 92.61

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For millennia, Schitsu’umsh (Coeur d’Alene Tribe) trapped fish at this location. In 1842, Jesuits established Idaho’s first Catholic mission here. To encourage Schitsu’umsh to farm, the Jesuits prohibited fish trapping. Ignoring Schitsu’umsh advice, the Jesuits constructed a small church and other buildings near the river. As tribal members had predicted, spring floods ravaged the structures and destroyed much of the farmland. After subsisting a winter on barley soup, the Jesuits relented, collaborating with Schitsu’umsh to build a new fish trap utilizing construction methods from both cultures. In 1846, Jesuits left this challenging location and established a new mission at today’s Cataldo.

TodayHistorical map

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USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection

Historical maps covering this location

1856 · Washington And Oregon. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1859 · Department of Oregon. Map of the state of Oregon and Washington Territory (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1861 · Rocky Mountains to Puget Sound. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1927 · Spokane, Seattle. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1981 · St Maries, Idaho (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)

St Maries, Idaho, 1981, covering the location of Saint Joseph Mission (St'uts'te'wes), with a pin at the marker's coordinates — St Maries, Idaho, 1981, covering this location. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

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