St. Joe River

Father Nicolas Point and Brother Charles Huet arrived in the Lake Coeur D’Alene area on November 4, 1842. In order to be as fair as possible to the tribal inhabitants, three sites were considered. After choosing the largest, a location along the St. Joe River, Point established a rough chapel at the tribe’s winter fishing ground. That winter, Huet oversaw construction of a small settlement at the St. Joe site. In the spring, a 50’ by 24’ log chapel was built at St. Joe’s. Improvements such as roads, fields, and water sources were made to the surrounding area. This location was only in use for a few years before the mission was moved to a hill near the Coeur d’Alene River.