Last month we spent an afternoon exploring the oldest building in the State of Idaho, the Old Mission at Cataldo.

This state park is located about twenty minutes east of Coeur d'Alene just off I-90. There's a per-car entry fee which you pay at the Visitor's Center (an honor system, I guess) of $3 or $4.





We started our visit by taking a dirt trail through the trees to the right of the the parking lot. It's not well-marked, and most people probably miss it. The path meanders through tall trees and thick bushes, leading to a pleasant pond before climbing up a hill past the West Cemetery and an old mill at the side of the mission. There are several benches outside the mission that feature audio history from people with personal connections to the mission's past. My kids liked pushing the buttons, but had no patience for sitting and listening so I didn't get to hear much.



To the mission building itself, it's a good time to remind yourself (and your kids) that this wooden structure is over 150 years old. It has aged well. The best place to get an idea of the uniqueness of the building is in one of the small rooms in back of the altar, where you can view a cut-away of the 18-inch thick walls. These walls were made with saplings that were woven with grass and caked with mud. My kids were respectful and quiet in the main hall, but they were itching to get outside again.



Back in the sun, we saw a path to the right that snaked down to a large teepee. This is an area where the Coeur d'Alene Indians would set up camp. Just beyond this is a heavily wooded historic cemetery, which turned out to be my kids' favorite spot (thanks to Scooby-Doo).





A good outing for families. Nothing too strenuous for the kids, and lots of things to see and do. Next year a new Visitors Center and Tribal Museum is set to begin construction. We'll definitely return for more exploration.