Visit Our Historic Properties
Fort Sherman Chapel
On April 16, 1878, an order from the headquarters of the U.S. Army District of the Clearwater officially established Fort Sherman at the present-day site of North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Construction of the military post began that summer, with barracks, officer quarters, and family cottages among the first buildings completed. The historic Fort Sherman Chapel was constructed in 1880 along with the commissary, hospital, post hall, powder magazine, and stables.
The Fort Sherman Chapel became Coeur d’Alene’s oldest church, school, library, and community meeting hall, serving both soldiers and early residents of North Idaho. After Fort Sherman closed in 1900, the property and remaining buildings were sold at public auction in 1905 as part of the Sherman Park Addition. Over the years, multiple religious denominations continued using the chapel for services and gatherings.
Efforts to preserve the historic chapel began in 1934, and in 1942 the Athletic Round Table accepted the building in trust and began restoration work. In 1984, the chapel was donated to the Museum of North Idaho to ensure the preservation of Coeur d’Alene’s oldest standing building. Today, the Fort Sherman Chapel remains one of North Idaho’s most treasured historic landmarks and serves as a venue for history programs, weddings, meetings, and community events.
Intertest in renting the Fort Sherman Chapel for your wedding or event?
Big Hank Cabin
This smoke chaser cabin was moved from its original location along the Coeur d'Alene River in the Coeur d'Alene National Forest as a part of the Nation's 1976 Bicentennial celebration. It was built in 1924 by Bill Guernsey and Pete Jackson. The cabin was dismantled and donated to the Museum of North Idaho before being moved to its current location on the North Idaho College campus.
The Big Hank Cabin was one of many cabins used by seasonal fire crews called "Smoke Chasers." During fire season, the Forest Service manned a system of fire lookouts and cabins linked together by pack trails and telephone lines. Lookout spotters would dispatch fire crews when needed. When not fighting fires, the fire crews did trail maintenance. Supplies were packed by mule to lookouts and crews working fire suppression. The use of pack mules was critical during fire season to get supplies and equipment to crews in areas where vehicles could not pass.