Forest Cemetery in Coeur d'Alene

Such history lies within the fences of this cemetery, located near our cottage.

This 20.7 acre cemetery was originally owned by the U.S. Army at Fort Sherman during its operation from 1878 to 1901. When the Fort was abandoned in 1901, the remains of one hundred soldiers and their families that were buried here were relocated.

I appreciated the definition of a cemetery, which greeted us upon our entry, "THIS IS A CEMETERY. Lives are commemorated deaths are recorded - families are reunited memories are made tangible - and love is undisguised. This is a Cemetery. Communities accord respect, families bestow reverence, historians seek information and our heritage is thereby enriched. Testimonies of Devotion, pride and remembrance are carved in stone to pay warm tribute to accomplishments and to the life - not death of a loved one. The cemetery is homeland for family memorials that are the sustaining source of comfort to the living. A cemetery is a history of people - a perpetual record of yesterday and a sanctuary of peace and quiet today. A cemetery exists because every life is worth loving and remembering always."

We decided to follow the guided Historical Tour map in order to learn as much as possible in the time we had. So interesting.

Marion Gutches, the oldest burial here, was born June 22, 1858, and only lived until age 23.

Peter C. Sorenson, born in 1833 in Norway, learned the art of boatbuilding there and eventually found his way to Coeur d'Alene. In November 1879, the quartermaster of the newly opened Fort proclaimed that the U.S. Army was in need of a “competent” boat builder. Long successful story, short, Peter built the first steamboat on the lake, becoming its captain. He mapped Lake Coeur d’Alene and its rivers, giving names to many of the bays and prominent landmarks. Many of these names are still in use today. He would go on to build at least 17 steamers.

The era of Coeur d’Alene steamboats lasted for about 50 years (1880s-1930s), with the peak activity being from 1908-1913. During this time there were more steamboats on Lake Coeur d’Alene than any other lake west of the Great Lakes. Increasing competition from the railroads eventually made transportation via steamboats unprofitable and put them out of business.

There’s also a mysterious monument to Betsy Ross, but the flag lady’s first name is incorrectly inscribed as Betsey. It makes reference to a son of Ross, B.M. Ross, whose birthday is listed as 1834. This would mean Mother Betsy Ross was in her 80s when she had him but it is a monument to THAT Betsy Ross.

This life-sized statue of a union soldier in uniform was erected here in 1907 to honor the veterans of the Civil War. This statue is referred to as the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Statue, and stands twelve feet tall, including the base. Headstones of many union veterans from many different companies and regiments across the United States surround the GAR statue.

Many are buried here who served in the Spanish American War. With soldiers from Fort Sherman stationed in Cuba for the push on San Juan Hill with Theodore Roosevelt in 1898, the Fort officially became abandoned just after the Spanish-American war on March 5, 1900.

Here lies Edward C. Pulaski, a local man famous for inventing the ingenious tool that combines an ax and hoe for fighting wildland fires. Pulaski served in the U.S. Forest Service in Wallace, Idaho as Forest Ranger from 1908 until 1930. Well known in forest fire history, Pulaski helped save forty men during the Big Blowup in August 1910 when gale force winds swept through Idaho, Montana, and Washington consuming three million acres in two days. When fires trapped the crews, Pulaski led forty five men to an abandoned mineshaft and positioned himself at the entranceway fighting the encroaching flames with wetted blankets. He and forty men survived from his leadership efforts. In the aftermath, Congress decided to spend federal money on forest fires for the first time, and the Forest Service policy of fighting fires emerged.

I love looking at the various types of gravestone. This one is that of a Woodmen of the World.

This unique monument belongs to Amos (1846-1928) and Clara (1848-1911) Black.

The sculpture on Emma's grave is pretty precious.

My favorite tribute was this fleur de lis for Etienne Dubrana who was born in France in 1854. After arriving to America via Ellis Island in 1923, Monsieur Dubrana found his way to Coeur d'Alene where he passed away just three years later.

Christopher Wren said it best, "My walk through the cemetery was an acquaintance with local history."

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HAERR TRIPPIN'

Forest Cemetery in Coeur d'Alene

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