Fort Sherman and early Cd'A history in the spotlight

COEUR d’ALENE — The Inland Northwest Milestones lecture series will take a look back this week at Fort Sherman and the early days of Coeur d’Alene.

Local historian Robert Singletary will cover this subject Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library.

The program will feature the first two chapters of a book by Singletary “Coeur d’Alene: Beautiful and Progressive,” an illustrated history of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. 1887-1987.

The book details the establishment of Fort Coeur d’Alene, later named Fort Sherman, and the birth of the town of Coeur d’Alene, during a dynamic time in the history of the Inland Northwest. That period saw the Sioux and Nez Perce wars, the region’s gold rush frenzy, the building of a transcontinental railroad and establishment of territories, states, counties and towns. There was the depression of 1893 and a major flood a year later.

Inland Northwest Milestones, presented by the Museum of North Idaho and Coeur d’Alene Public Library, is a series of lectures about the events, developments and people who shaped the history of the region.

These free lectures are open to the public.

Upcoming talk in the series:

- The Museum of North Idaho: May 24 — From its beginnings in the Fort Sherman Powder House on the campus of North Idaho College, the museum is celebrating 50 years of keeping regional history alive.