From the Archives - June 8, 2023

David Thompson’s goals were to map the mountains, rivers and lakes of the Kootenai Indian’s “homeland” territory and to establish trade with them.

In late April 1808, Thompson and his men navigated a river he named McGillivray’s River (Kootenai River), arriving at a bend in the river he called “point of rocks” (present site of Bonners Ferry) on May 8. They came upon a camp of 10 Kootenai lodges. The camp had been surviving on dried fish and moss bread, which Thompson and his men were grateful to receive.

The river had risen from the spring run-off and flooded the valley. Thompson and his party camped close to the river bank; he described the river as being “300 yards wide and very deep.”

The next day, Thompson’s party left by canoe, drifting downstream to Kootenai Lake. He spent time with the Lake Indians, and returned guided by two Kootenai members. Traveling upstream, in the main channel of the river, the current was strong. Thus the canoes made passage by way of waters covering meadow land. Back with the Kootenai people (Bonners Ferry), Thompson traded for horses. He and his group of men traveled over land to Moyie Lakes and arrived at Fort Steele on June 5, 1808.

The following year, Thompson returned to the previous year’s camp (three miles downriver from Bonners Ferry); arriving on Aug. 29, 1809. His party camped for a week trading with the Kootenai people. When they left, the men headed south crossing a “deep creek” (Deep Creek) three times. They crossed a “fine brook” (Pack River) and eventually reached “the lake” (Lake Pend Oreille).

Thompson’s party reached the Saleesh River (Clark Fork) and camped with 80 men and their families from several tribes — Saleesh, Pend d’Oreille, Flathead, Skeetshoo, Coeur d’Alene and Kootenai. Thompson established the Kullyspell House near the present site of Hope.

In mapping these areas and looping around toward Jennings, Mont., Thompson portaged around the falls and arrived back at the Bonners Ferry site by Oct. 28, 1809. Here he established a small “N.W.Co” post at the confluence of Deep Creek and the Kootenai River. He continued to survey the valley and Lake Indian Road moving furs and fish between the posts.

Thompson returned to his home in Montreal in 1810. He never returned to the Northwest.

The museum was honored to host an Idaho State Historical Society traveling exhibit on May 2-16, 2008. It was the first traveling exhibit on display in the Boundary County Museum.

The Boundary County Historical Society and Museum, 7229 Main, Bonners Ferry, sponsors this column.

Visit the museum Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and you can visit the website at www.boundarycountymuseum.org or the museum’s Facebook page for historical photos and stories, and to see upcoming events. Or we can be reached at doyouremember@meadowcrk.com or by telephone at 208-267-7720. Thank you for your continued support.