Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Encyclopedia
Coeur d'Alene ˌ is the largest city and county seat
of Kootenai
(ˈkuːtniː ) County, Idaho
, United States
. It is the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area. Coeur d'Alene has the second largest metropolitan area in the state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census the population of Coeur d'Alene was 44,137. The city is located about 30 mi (48.3 km) east of the larger Spokane, Washington
, which combined with Coeur d'Alene and northern Idaho has population of 590,617. Coeur d'Alene is the largest city in the northern Idaho Panhandle
. The city is located on the north shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene
, 25 miles (40.2 km) in length. Locally, Coeur d'Alene is known as the "Lake City," or simply called by its initials: "CDA".
The city of Coeur d'Alene has grown significantly in recent years, in part because of a substantial increase in tourism
, encouraged by several resorts in the area. Barbara Walters
called the city "a little slice of Heaven" and included it in her list of most fascinating places to visit. On November 28, 2007, Good Morning America
broadcast the city's Christmas lighting
ceremony because its display is among the largest in the United States. Coeur d'Alene is also located near two major ski resorts, with Silver Mountain Resort to the east in Kellogg
, and Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort
to the north in Sandpoint
.
The city is named after the Coeur d'Alene People, a tribe of Native Americans who lived along the rivers and lakes of the region when discovered by French Canadian
fur traders in the late 18th and early 19th century. The name Coeur d'Alene translated into English
means Heart of an Awl
.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 21.8 sq mi (56.5 km²). 21.1 sq mi (54.6 km²) of it is land and 0.745 sq mi (1.9 km²) of it (3.46%) is water.
Coeur d'Alene sits on the western edge of the Coeur d'Alene National Forest
. The city is surrounded by forest, which contains several lakes and campgrounds.
Dsb), characterized by a cold, moist climate in winter, and very warm, dry conditions in summer. The monthly daily mean temperature for January is 28.4 °F (-2 °C), while the same figure for August is 69.2 °F (20.7 °C); the annual mean is 48.2 °F (9 °C). Temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on 22 days per year, occasionally reaching 100 °F (38 °C), while conversely, there may be several nights below 0 °F (-18 °C). Snowfall averages 46 inches (117 cm) per year; precipitation is generally lowest in summer. The frost-free season runs about 120 days from mid-May to mid-September.
of 2000, there were 34,514 people, 13,985 households, and 8,852 families residing in the city. However, the 2006 estimate is that Coeur d'Alene is home to nearly 50,000 residents. The population density
was 1,014.9/km2. There were 14,929 housing units at an average density of 439.0/km2. Coeur d'Alene's racial makeup was:
Hispanic or of any race were 2.70% of the population.
There were 13,985 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with:
The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,001, and the median income for a family was $39,491. Males had a median income of $31,915 versus $21,092 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,454. About 9.3% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.5% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
French Canadian fur traders allegedly named the local Indian tribe the Coeur d'Alene
out of respect for their tough trading practices. Translated from French
Cœur d'Alêne literally means "heart of the awl" which might mean "sharp-hearted" or "shrewd." Others interpret "Heart of the Awl" to translate to "Eye of the Needle", perhaps referring to the narrow passage through which the lake empties into the Spokane River
on its way to the Columbia.
The area was extensively explored by David Thompson
of the North West Company
starting in 1807. The Oregon boundary dispute
(or Oregon question) arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of North America in the first half of the 19th century.
The Oregon Treaty
ended disputed joint occupation of the area when Britain ceded all rights to land south of the 49th parallel
in 1846. When General William T. Sherman ordered a fort constructed on the lake in the 1870s, he gave it the name Fort Coeur d'Alene; hence the name of the city that grew around it. The name of the fort was later changed to Fort Sherman to honor the general. North Idaho College
, a junior college
, now occupies the site.
In the 1890s, the Coeur d'Alene district experienced two significant miners' uprisings. In 1892, the union's discovery of a labor spy
in their midst, in the person of sometime cowboy and Pinkerton
agent Charlie Siringo
, resulted in a shooting war between miners and the company
. Years later Harry Orchard
, who owned a share of the Hercules Mine in the nearby mountains
before it began producing, and who later confessed to dynamiting a $250,000 mill belonging to the Bunker Hill Mining Company
near Wardner
during another miners' uprising
in 1899, would also confess to a secret, brutal and little understood role in the Colorado Labor Wars
before returning to Idaho to assassinate former Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg
.
The U.S. headquarters of The Pita Pit is located in Coeur d'Alene.
, a park, restaurants, and local retailers. The North Idaho Centennial Trail
bike path cuts through the Riverstone complex alongside an abandoned railroad right of way. The Citylink transit system adjoins the northwest entrance of the Riverstone complex. Giant statues of bird feathers line Northwest Boulevard celebrating the rich native American heritage of Coeur d'Alene. Several art galleries and cafes sit along Sherman Avenue, Coeur d'Alene's main street. During summer, artists and musicians frequent Sherman Square.
In addition to Honors and Advanced Placement courses, Coeur d'Alene and Lake City High Schools began offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, and two of the elementary schools are implementing the IB Primary Years Program. Coeur d'Alene High School no longer offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program because of a lack of funding.
District 271 students who qualify are also eligible for dual enrollment with North Idaho College
and advanced technical and specialized courses at Riverbend Professional Technical Academy in Post Falls.
A partnership with the City of Coeur d'Alene Police Department provides five School Resource Officers. Through an alliance with Kootenai Medical Center, the District is served by seven school nurses.
Coeur d'Alene also has a Charter school. Its teaching curriculum focus heavily on setting higher college-preparatory standards then many other schools, with a strong emphasis on teaching the Latin language. The school also enforces a strict dress code policy on all enrolled students to maintain a professional academic atmosphere. Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy is a regular middle–high school publicly funded with open admission to any students residing in the state of Idaho, not just those restricted to a particular district of the county. However, public transportation is not provided to the school. The Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy is currently undergoing expanding into neighboring lots for the purpose of adding additional classrooms.
at Exits 11 through 15. The greater Coeur d'Alene area is almost entirely dependent upon private automobiles for transportation. Combined with the city's rapid growth since 1990, relative congestion now occurs on a significant portion of the area highways, notably U.S. 95
between Northwest Blvd. north to Hayden
, and on several under-developed arterial streets such as Atlas, Ramsey, and Government Way. Before the construction of I-90, the city was served by U.S. Route 10
, which runs through downtown. This route is Northwest Boulevard and Sherman Avenue. The former US 10, between I-90 exits 11 and 15, is now designated as Interstate 90 Business
.
which is served by nine airlines and is located 40 miles (64.4 km) to the west in Spokane, Washington
. Coeur d'Alene also has Coeur d'Alene Airport – Pappy Boyington Field (KCOE), which is a general aviation airport located in Hayden
, north of the city near U.S. 95
.
A local airport is the Coeur d'Alene Airport. It is a public use general aviation airport, which is open to the public. In 1941, the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce promoted the purchase of 720 acres of land on the Rathdrum Prairie for the Coeur d’Alene Airport. The Coeur d’Alene Airport was built in 1942 by the Army Engineers at a cost of over $400,000. It was designated as an alternate to Weeks Field (now, Kootenai County Fairgrounds) when a war training program was in operation.
provides cable television. Avista Utilities
provides natural gas and electricity to the area.
, British Columbia
(Canada
)
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Kootenai
Kootenai County, Idaho
Kootenai County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county was established in 1864, named after Kootenai tribe. The entire county comprises the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 138,494 at the 2010 census...
(ˈkuːtniː ) County, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area. Coeur d'Alene has the second largest metropolitan area in the state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census the population of Coeur d'Alene was 44,137. The city is located about 30 mi (48.3 km) east of the larger Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, which combined with Coeur d'Alene and northern Idaho has population of 590,617. Coeur d'Alene is the largest city in the northern Idaho Panhandle
Idaho Panhandle
The Idaho Panhandle is the northern region of the U.S. State of Idaho that encompasses the ten northernmost counties of Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, Shoshone. Residents of the panhandle refer to the region as North Idaho...
. The city is located on the north shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene
Lake Coeur d'Alene
Lake Coeur d'Alene is a natural lake in the Idaho Panhandle, located in the vicinity of the city of the same name. It spans long, ranges from 1 to wide and has over of shoreline for boaters and vacationers to explore and enjoy.-Geology and geography:...
, 25 miles (40.2 km) in length. Locally, Coeur d'Alene is known as the "Lake City," or simply called by its initials: "CDA".
The city of Coeur d'Alene has grown significantly in recent years, in part because of a substantial increase in tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, encouraged by several resorts in the area. Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters
Barbara Jill Walters is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. She has hosted morning television shows , the television newsmagazine , former co-anchor of the ABC Evening News, and current contributor to ABC News.Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news...
called the city "a little slice of Heaven" and included it in her list of most fascinating places to visit. On November 28, 2007, Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
broadcast the city's Christmas lighting
Christmas lights
Christmas lights are lights used for decoration around Christmas. The use of decorative, festive lighting during the Christmas holiday season is a long standing tradition in many Christian cultures, and has been adopted as a secular practice in a number of other non-Christian, or predominantly...
ceremony because its display is among the largest in the United States. Coeur d'Alene is also located near two major ski resorts, with Silver Mountain Resort to the east in Kellogg
Kellogg, Idaho
Kellogg is a city in the Silver Valley of Shoshone County, Idaho, United States, in the Idaho Panhandle region. The city lies near the Coeur d'Alene National Forest and about east-southeast of Coeur d'Alene along Interstate 90...
, and Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort
Schweitzer Mountain
Schweitzer Mountain Resort is a ski resort in northern Idaho, 11 miles northwest of Sandpoint in Bonner County. Located in the Selkirk Mountains, it overlooks Lake Pend Oreille to the southeast with views of the Bitterroot and Cabinet mountain ranges...
to the north in Sandpoint
Sandpoint, Idaho
Sandpoint is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Bonner County, Idaho, United States. Its population was 7,365 at the 2010 census.Sandpoint's major economic contributors include forest products and light manufacturing, tourism and recreation and government services...
.
The city is named after the Coeur d'Alene People, a tribe of Native Americans who lived along the rivers and lakes of the region when discovered by French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
fur traders in the late 18th and early 19th century. The name Coeur d'Alene translated into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
means Heart of an Awl
Stitching awl
A stitching awl is a simple tool with which holes can be punctured in a variety of materials, or existing holes can be enlarged. It is also used for sewing heavy materials, such as leather or canvas. It is a thin, tapered metal shaft, coming to a sharp point, either straight or slightly bent....
.
Geography
Coeur d'Alene is located at 47°41′34"N 116°46′48"W (47.692845, −116.779910), at an elevation of 2180 ft (664.5 m) above sea level.According to the U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 21.8 sq mi (56.5 km²). 21.1 sq mi (54.6 km²) of it is land and 0.745 sq mi (1.9 km²) of it (3.46%) is water.
Coeur d'Alene sits on the western edge of the Coeur d'Alene National Forest
Coeur d'Alene National Forest
The Coeur d'Alene is a U.S. National Forest located in the Idaho panhandle and is one of three forests that are aggregated into the Idaho Panhandle National Forest . Coeur d'Alene National Forest is located in Shoshone, Kootenai, and Bonner counties in northern Idaho...
. The city is surrounded by forest, which contains several lakes and campgrounds.
Climate
Coeur d'Alene has a continental Mediterranean climate (KöppenKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dsb), characterized by a cold, moist climate in winter, and very warm, dry conditions in summer. The monthly daily mean temperature for January is 28.4 °F (-2 °C), while the same figure for August is 69.2 °F (20.7 °C); the annual mean is 48.2 °F (9 °C). Temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on 22 days per year, occasionally reaching 100 °F (38 °C), while conversely, there may be several nights below 0 °F (-18 °C). Snowfall averages 46 inches (117 cm) per year; precipitation is generally lowest in summer. The frost-free season runs about 120 days from mid-May to mid-September.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 34,514 people, 13,985 households, and 8,852 families residing in the city. However, the 2006 estimate is that Coeur d'Alene is home to nearly 50,000 residents. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,014.9/km2. There were 14,929 housing units at an average density of 439.0/km2. Coeur d'Alene's racial makeup was:
- 95.80% White
- 0.22% Black
- 0.77% American Indian
- 0.61% Asian
- 0.09% Pacific Islander
- 0.63% from other racesRace (United States Census)Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
- 1.88% from two or more races
Hispanic or of any race were 2.70% of the population.
There were 13,985 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with:
- 24.9% under the age of 18,
- 11.7% from 18 to 24
- 27.9% from 25 to 44
- 20.7% from 45 to 64
- 14.8% 65 years of age or older
The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,001, and the median income for a family was $39,491. Males had a median income of $31,915 versus $21,092 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,454. About 9.3% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.5% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
History
Coeur d'Alene Tribe
The Coeur d'Alene are a Native American people who lived in villages along the Coeur d'Alene, St. Joe, Clark Fork and Spokane Rivers; as well as sites on the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene, Lake Pend Oreille and Hayden Lake, in what is now northern Idaho, eastern Washington and western Montana.In...
out of respect for their tough trading practices. Translated from French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
Cœur d'Alêne literally means "heart of the awl" which might mean "sharp-hearted" or "shrewd." Others interpret "Heart of the Awl" to translate to "Eye of the Needle", perhaps referring to the narrow passage through which the lake empties into the Spokane River
Spokane River
The Spokane River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northern Idaho and eastern Washington in the United States. It drains a low mountainous area east of the Columbia, passing through the city of Spokane, Washington.-Description:...
on its way to the Columbia.
The area was extensively explored by David Thompson
David Thompson (explorer)
David Thompson was an English-Canadian fur trader, surveyor, and map-maker, known to some native peoples as "Koo-Koo-Sint" or "the Stargazer"...
of the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
starting in 1807. The Oregon boundary dispute
Oregon boundary dispute
The Oregon boundary dispute, or the Oregon Question, arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of North America in the first half of the 19th century. Both the United Kingdom and the United States had territorial and commercial aspirations in the region...
(or Oregon question) arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of North America in the first half of the 19th century.
The Oregon Treaty
Oregon Treaty
The Oregon Treaty is a treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States that was signed on June 15, 1846, in Washington, D.C. The treaty brought an end to the Oregon boundary dispute by settling competing American and British claims to the Oregon Country, which had been jointly occupied by...
ended disputed joint occupation of the area when Britain ceded all rights to land south of the 49th parallel
49th parallel north
The 49th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 49 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
in 1846. When General William T. Sherman ordered a fort constructed on the lake in the 1870s, he gave it the name Fort Coeur d'Alene; hence the name of the city that grew around it. The name of the fort was later changed to Fort Sherman to honor the general. North Idaho College
North Idaho College
North Idaho College is a community college with over 6,000 students in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, situated at the north end of Lake Coeur d'Alene.-History:The school was established during the Great Depression in 1933 as Coeur d'Alene Junior College...
, a junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
, now occupies the site.
In the 1890s, the Coeur d'Alene district experienced two significant miners' uprisings. In 1892, the union's discovery of a labor spy
Labor spies
Labor spies are persons recruited or employed for the purpose of gathering intelligence, committing sabotage, sowing dissent, or engaging in other similar activities, typically within the context of an employer/labor organization relationship....
in their midst, in the person of sometime cowboy and Pinkerton
Pinkerton National Detective Agency
The Pinkerton National Detective Agency, usually shortened to the Pinkertons, is a private U.S. security guard and detective agency established by Allan Pinkerton in 1850. Pinkerton became famous when he claimed to have foiled a plot to assassinate president-elect Abraham Lincoln, who later hired...
agent Charlie Siringo
Charlie Siringo
Charles Angelo Siringo , was an American lawman, detective, and agent for the Pinkerton National Detective Agency during the late 19th century and early 20th century.-Early life:...
, resulted in a shooting war between miners and the company
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho labor strike of 1892
There were two related incidents between miners and mine owners in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho: the labor strike of 1892, and the labor confrontation of 1899....
. Years later Harry Orchard
Albert Horsley
Albert Edward Horsley , best known by the pseudonym Harry Orchard, was a miner convicted of the 1905 political assassination of former Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg...
, who owned a share of the Hercules Mine in the nearby mountains
Coeur d'Alene Mountains
The Coeur d'Alene Mountains are the northwestern-most portion of the Bitterroot Range, part of the Rocky Mountains, located in the northern Idaho and westernmost Montana in the Western United States....
before it began producing, and who later confessed to dynamiting a $250,000 mill belonging to the Bunker Hill Mining Company
Bunker Hill Mining Company
The Bunker Hill Mining Company was a mining company with facilities in Wardner, Idaho and surrounding areas.-History:When the mining boom began in the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho mining district, the area was lightly inhabited...
near Wardner
Wardner, Idaho
Wardner is a city in Shoshone County, Idaho, United States. The population was 188 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Wardner is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all the land....
during another miners' uprising
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho labor confrontation of 1899
There were two related incidents between miners and mine owners in Coeur d'Alene: the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho labor strike of 1892, and the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho labor confrontation of 1899....
in 1899, would also confess to a secret, brutal and little understood role in the Colorado Labor Wars
Colorado Labor Wars
Colorado's most significant battles between labor and capital occurred primarily between miners and mine operators. In these battles the state government, with one clear exception, always took the side of the mine operators....
before returning to Idaho to assassinate former Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg
Frank Steunenberg
Frank Steunenberg was the fourth Governor of the State of Idaho, serving from 1897 until 1901. He is perhaps best known for his 1905 assassination by one-time union member Harry Orchard, who was also a paid informant for the Cripple Creek Mine Owners' Association...
.
Economy
The city is the healthcare, educational, media, manufacturing, retail and recreation center for northern Idaho. Several mining firms are headquartered in the city, among them Coeur (NYSE: CDE) and Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL). The Coeur d'Alene resort is a major employer.The U.S. headquarters of The Pita Pit is located in Coeur d'Alene.
Commercial
Coeur d'Alene's retail has expanded greatly in recent years with the opening of new stores and entertainment venues. Coeur d'Alene's Riverstone development houses a 14 theater Regal Cinemas, condominiums, a Hampton InnHampton Inn
'Hampton Hotels, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Hampton by Hilton are the names of a brand of hotels trademarked by Hilton Worldwide. Most Hampton hotels are independently owned and operated by franchisees, though a few are owned and/or managed by the Hilton Hotels Corporation...
, a park, restaurants, and local retailers. The North Idaho Centennial Trail
North Idaho Centennial Trail
The North Idaho Centennial Trail is a paved trail in Idaho used for transportation and recreational activities. Extending from Higgens Point on the northeast side of Lake Coeur d'Alene, a popular place for bald eagle watchers in early winter, the trail follows the lake's north shoreline to the...
bike path cuts through the Riverstone complex alongside an abandoned railroad right of way. The Citylink transit system adjoins the northwest entrance of the Riverstone complex. Giant statues of bird feathers line Northwest Boulevard celebrating the rich native American heritage of Coeur d'Alene. Several art galleries and cafes sit along Sherman Avenue, Coeur d'Alene's main street. During summer, artists and musicians frequent Sherman Square.
Infrastructure
Healthcare
Kootenai Health is the primary medical center serving the Coeur d'Alene and north Idaho area. With over 1700 employees, is also the largest employer in Kootenai County.Coeur d'Alene School District 271
The Coeur d'Alene School District 271 serves 10,300 students with its two high schools, three middle schools, an alternative high/middle school, a dropout retrieval school and 10 elementary schools. The district has a staff of 550 teachers, 47 administrators and 552 support personnel to provide education for the Coeur d'Alene, Hayden and Dalton communities.In addition to Honors and Advanced Placement courses, Coeur d'Alene and Lake City High Schools began offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, and two of the elementary schools are implementing the IB Primary Years Program. Coeur d'Alene High School no longer offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program because of a lack of funding.
District 271 students who qualify are also eligible for dual enrollment with North Idaho College
North Idaho College
North Idaho College is a community college with over 6,000 students in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, situated at the north end of Lake Coeur d'Alene.-History:The school was established during the Great Depression in 1933 as Coeur d'Alene Junior College...
and advanced technical and specialized courses at Riverbend Professional Technical Academy in Post Falls.
A partnership with the City of Coeur d'Alene Police Department provides five School Resource Officers. Through an alliance with Kootenai Medical Center, the District is served by seven school nurses.
Coeur d'Alene also has a Charter school. Its teaching curriculum focus heavily on setting higher college-preparatory standards then many other schools, with a strong emphasis on teaching the Latin language. The school also enforces a strict dress code policy on all enrolled students to maintain a professional academic atmosphere. Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy is a regular middle–high school publicly funded with open admission to any students residing in the state of Idaho, not just those restricted to a particular district of the county. However, public transportation is not provided to the school. The Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy is currently undergoing expanding into neighboring lots for the purpose of adding additional classrooms.
Roads and highways
Coeur d'Alene is accessed from Interstate 90Interstate 90 in Idaho
In the U.S. state of Idaho, Interstate 90 has a small routing in the panhandle, just under 74 miles . Traveling east from Spokane, Washington, I-90 passes through Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene, over Fourth of July Summit, and through the Silver Valley before entering Montana at Lookout Pass.I-90 is...
at Exits 11 through 15. The greater Coeur d'Alene area is almost entirely dependent upon private automobiles for transportation. Combined with the city's rapid growth since 1990, relative congestion now occurs on a significant portion of the area highways, notably U.S. 95
U.S. Route 95 in Idaho
In the U.S. state of Idaho, U.S. Route 95 is a north–south highway near the western border of the state, stretching from Oregon to British Columbia for over .-Route description:...
between Northwest Blvd. north to Hayden
Hayden, Idaho
Hayden is a city in Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. The population was 9,159 at the 2000 census.- History :Hayden was once called "Hayden village." In 1955, it was incorporated as Hayden City...
, and on several under-developed arterial streets such as Atlas, Ramsey, and Government Way. Before the construction of I-90, the city was served by U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10 is an east–west United States highway formed in 1926. Though it never became the cross-country highway suggested by the "0" as the last digit of its route number, U.S...
, which runs through downtown. This route is Northwest Boulevard and Sherman Avenue. The former US 10, between I-90 exits 11 and 15, is now designated as Interstate 90 Business
Interstate 90 Business (Coeur D'Alene, Idaho)
Interstate 90 Business is a Business loop of Interstate 90 in Coeur D'Alene. The route links I-90, which bypasses downtown Coeur D'Alene to the north, and downtown Coeur D'Alene. As its Business Loop designation implies, I-90 Business terminates at I-90 at each end.- Route description :I-90...
.
Public transportation
Free public bus service is available to area residents. Called Citylink Transit all buses are wheelchair accessible, and can transport up to four bicycles. The buses operating in the urbanized area of Kootenai County leave the Riverstone Transfer Station every eighty five minutes, seven days a week, including holidays. The bus system comprises five separate routes.- Urban Route A – Serves State LineState Line, IdahoState Line is a city in Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. The population was 28 at the 2000 census. The city is known for the adult services it provides which attracts business from nearby Spokane, Washington and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.-Geography:...
, Post FallsPost Falls, IdahoPost Falls is a city in Kootenai County, Idaho, United States near the Idaho state line between Spokane, Washington, and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The population was 17,247 at the 2000 census, and grew to 27,574 people by the 2010 census, making it Idaho's tenth largest city.-History:Post Falls is...
and Coeur d'Alene. - Urban Route B – Serves Post Falls, HaydenHayden, IdahoHayden is a city in Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. The population was 9,159 at the 2000 census.- History :Hayden was once called "Hayden village." In 1955, it was incorporated as Hayden City...
and West Coeur d'Alene. - Urban Route C – Serves Downtown Coeur d'Alene, FernanFernan Lake Village, IdahoFernan Lake Village is a city in Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. The population was 186 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Fernan Lake Village is located at ....
and Hayden. - Rural Route – Serves the towns of WorleyWorley, IdahoWorley is a city in southwestern Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. The population was 223 at the 2000 census. The city is within the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation.-Geography:...
, PlummerPlummer, IdahoPlummer is a city in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 990 at the 2000 census. It is the largest city within the Coeur d'Alene Reservation.-Geography:Plummer is located at ....
, TensedTensed, IdahoTensed is a city in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 126 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Tensed is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
and DeSmet. - Link Route – Connects the two transfer stations at Riverstone and Worley.
Airports
The closest major airport serving Coeur d'Alene and North Idaho is the Spokane International AirportSpokane International Airport
Spokane International Airport is a commercial airport located about west of downtown Spokane in Spokane County, Washington. It is the primary airport for Spokane, eastern Washington, Coeur d'Alene, and northern Idaho...
which is served by nine airlines and is located 40 miles (64.4 km) to the west in Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. Coeur d'Alene also has Coeur d'Alene Airport – Pappy Boyington Field (KCOE), which is a general aviation airport located in Hayden
Hayden, Idaho
Hayden is a city in Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. The population was 9,159 at the 2000 census.- History :Hayden was once called "Hayden village." In 1955, it was incorporated as Hayden City...
, north of the city near U.S. 95
U.S. Route 95 in Idaho
In the U.S. state of Idaho, U.S. Route 95 is a north–south highway near the western border of the state, stretching from Oregon to British Columbia for over .-Route description:...
.
A local airport is the Coeur d'Alene Airport. It is a public use general aviation airport, which is open to the public. In 1941, the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce promoted the purchase of 720 acres of land on the Rathdrum Prairie for the Coeur d’Alene Airport. The Coeur d’Alene Airport was built in 1942 by the Army Engineers at a cost of over $400,000. It was designated as an alternate to Weeks Field (now, Kootenai County Fairgrounds) when a war training program was in operation.
Utilities
The city of Coeur d'Alene provides for municipal water, sewer & stormwater management, street lighting, and garbage collection. Frontier Communications provides local phone service, while Time Warner CableTime Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
provides cable television. Avista Utilities
Avista Utilities
Avista Utilities is an energy company with its headquarters in Spokane, Washington in the United States. It employs nearly 2,000 people who work in five western states...
provides natural gas and electricity to the area.
Events and attractions
- Coeur d'Alene is the home of Ironman Coeur d'Alene, which started in 2003. This Ironman TriathlonIronman TriathlonAn Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
is held each year on the fourth Sunday in June and starts at the Coeur d'Alene resort as triathletes start their day with a 2.4 miles (3.9 km) swim in Lake Coeur d'Alene, followed by a 112 miles (180.2 km) bike, finishing with a 26.2 miles (42.2 km) run. - Coeur d'Alene holds the Christian Youth TheaterChristian Youth TheaterChristian Youth Theater is an American-Canadian after-school theater arts program for children ages 4–18. CYT offers classes in areas such as drama, dance, and singing and performs 3 productions a year...
(CYT) North Idaho headquarters. - Annually in June, CdA hosts "Car d' Alene," where all the hot cars both new and old, come out to display themselves for admiration and bragging rights.
- The local college art program had a campaign called "Moose on the Loose," where local artists and college art students painted and decorated a dozen or so life size moose statues with various colors and accessories. After their beautification, they were auctioned off to local businesses as a fundraiser. Their locations range from downtown near Sherman Ave. to Government Way on the CdA/Hayden boundary. The moose have become both a town landmark and a popular scavenger hunt item.
- Coeur d'Alene has become a destination for golfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
enthusiasts. The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf CourseCoeur d'Alene ResortThe Coeur d'Alene Resort is a luxury resort hotel in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Located on the north shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene, the Coeur d Alene Resort features a marina, convention facilities, spa, as well as a notable 18-hole golf course. The hotel has 338 rooms and suites...
is considered one of the best in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its 14th hole features the world's only movable floating green. - Coeur d'Alene is a shortlisted town, for when APEC next meet in the U.S.
- The North Idaho Centennial TrailNorth Idaho Centennial TrailThe North Idaho Centennial Trail is a paved trail in Idaho used for transportation and recreational activities. Extending from Higgens Point on the northeast side of Lake Coeur d'Alene, a popular place for bald eagle watchers in early winter, the trail follows the lake's north shoreline to the...
passes through Coeur d'Alene.
- Coeur d'Alene and the surrounding area also provides many outdoor recreational opportunities, such as: mountain biking, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, etc. The Mountain Air Resort is just to the north of town and provides natural style camping,hiking,biking,fishing. Visitors can stay and enjoy the "Real" North Idaho. A naturalist style forest experience.
- Coeur d'Alene is home of Snake Pit Derby Dames; an all-female flat track roller derby league. The competitive season is March–November and Bouts (matches) draw large crowds.
- Every year in November, the Friday after Thanksgiving marks the start of Coeur d'Alene's Christmas Lighting Ceremony including a parade, fireworks and special holiday candles given out by the local downtown businesses.
In popular culture
- Singer-Songwriter Ben Arnold recorded "Coeur d'Alene", which appears on his The Best of Ben Arnold album.
- The twelfth track of Alter BridgeAlter BridgeAlter Bridge is an American rock band that was formed in 2004 in Orlando, Florida by lead guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips, who are all also members of Creed. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Myles Kennedy, formerly of The Mayfield Four and the frontman...
's third album AB III is named after the city. - Coeur d'Alene is mentioned repeatedly in the Northwest Trilogy of novels by Harold CovingtonHarold CovingtonHarold Armstead Covington is an American white supremacist, political activist and novelist. He advocates the creation of an "Aryan homeland" in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States....
as the place where the Northwest revolt began. - In the book Walk Two MoonsWalk Two MoonsWalk Two Moons is a novel written by Sharon Creech and published in 1994. It won the 1995 Newbery Medal. It was originally intended as a follow-up to Creech's previous novel Absolutely Normal Chaos, however, the idea was changed after Creech began writing.-Plot summary:The novel is narrated by a 13...
, Coeur d'Alene is a stop on the main character Salamanca Tree Hiddle's trip. - In Tom ClancyTom ClancyThomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science, and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, along with video games on which he did not work, but which bear his name for licensing and...
's 4th book in the Net ForceNet forceIn physics, net force is the total force acting on an object. It is calculated by vector addition of all forces that are actually acting on that object. Net force has the same effect on the translational motion of the object as all actual forces taken together...
Series, Breaking Point (ISBN 0-425-17693-2) a character hides in the Aryan NationsAryan NationsAryan Nations is a white supremacist religious organization originally based in Hayden Lake, Idaho. Richard Girnt Butler founded the group in the 1970s, as an arm of the Christian Identity organization Church of Jesus Christ–Christian...
compound (now destroyed) in Hayden Lake (mentioned as Coeur d'Alene). - Coeur d'Alene was mentioned in Sam BourneSam BourneSam Bourne is the pseudonym of the British journalist, Jonathan Freedland intended to distinguish his work in fiction from his journalism. Freedland is credited on the copyright page as the author of the thrillers The Righteous Men , The Last Testament , The Final Reckoning and The Chosen One .His...
's novel: The Righteous MenThe Righteous MenThe Righteous Men is a novel written by Sam Bourne, a pseudonym of English journalist Jonathan Freedland. The story is about a half-British news reporter, Will Monroe , Jewish Occult Mysticism, Kabbalah, Hasidic Judaism, and the nefarious Christian sect known as Church of the Reborn Jesus.It has...
as a spot that the main character quickly drove past. It is stated that Coeur d' Alene is the home of the Aryan NationsAryan NationsAryan Nations is a white supremacist religious organization originally based in Hayden Lake, Idaho. Richard Girnt Butler founded the group in the 1970s, as an arm of the Christian Identity organization Church of Jesus Christ–Christian...
. However, the Aryan Nations' home was in nearby Hayden Lake, not Coeur d'Alene specifically. The compound is no longer in Hayden Lake because of a heated lawsuit and the bankruptcy of the Aryan Nations. - Coeur d'Alene is the fictional home of Lisa Kimmel Fisher (character played by actress Lily Taylor) from the HBO series Six Feet Under.
- Coeur d'Alene is mentioned in the first season episode of BonesBones (TV series)Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
, titled "The Woman at the AirportThe Woman at the Airport"The Woman at the Airport" is the tenth episode of the first season of the television series, Bones. Originally aired on January 25, 2006 on Fox network, the episode is written by Teresa Lin and directed by Greg Yaitanes. While the series takes place mostly in Washington, D.C., this episode is also...
". - Coeur d'Alene is mentioned in the lyrics "Everything is frozen north of Wichita, I'm standing in this truck stop in Coeur d'Alene" in the Gary Jules song "Wichita."
- Coeur d'Alene is mentioned in the song Wings by Josh Ritter.
- Iris DeMentIris DeMentIris DeMent is an American singer and songwriter. DeMent's musical style encompasses the genres country and folk music.-Early life:...
's song, "Easy's Gettin' Harder Every Day", from her 1994 album, My Life, features a protagonist who laments that she will "never make it to Coeur d'Alene". - Listed as one of the places to visit in Patricia Schultz's book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die1,000 Places to See Before You Die1,000 Places to See Before You Die is a 2003 travel book by Patricia Schultz.Among the "1,000 places" in the book are historic ones such as Robert Louis Stevenson's home in Western Samoa and the trail of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the United States, cultural ones such as the Oregon...
. - The main character of Neil LaBute's play Wrecks is originally from Coeur d'Alene.
- The main characters in the film "Smoke SignalsSmoke Signals (film)Smoke Signals is an independent film directed and co-produced by Chris Eyre and with a screenplay by Sherman Alexie, based on the short story "This is what it means to say Phoenix, Arizona" from his book Lone Ranger and Tonto: Fistfight in Heaven. It won several awards and accolades, and was...
", based on the Sherman Alexie story, are Indians of the Coeur d'Alene tribe. - The setting for the children's book "Mudgy & Millie," by Susan Nipp. Illustrated by Charles Reasoner. http://www.mudgyandmillie.com/
- Coeur d'Alene is the second track on the self released full length debut album of Seattle based band The Head and the Heart (album of the same name) released January 1, 2010 on Sub Pop Records
- Coeur d'Alene is the setting for the film "Teenage DirtbagTeenage Dirtbag (film)Teenage Dirtbag is a 2009 drama starring Scott Michael Foster, Noa Hegesh and written and directed by Regina Crosby. The film is distributed by Vivendi Entertainment and Lightyear Entertainment.-Plot:...
", written and directed by Regina Crosby. Regina Crosby grew up in Coeur d'Alene and the movie is inspired by true events she experienced while attending High School there. - The documentary film "Pappy Boyington Field", tells the story of the grass-roots effort to honor the WWII Fighter Pilot in the town of his birth, with a commemorative airfield name. http://www.PappyBoyingtonField.com
Notable people
- World War II flying ace Colonel Gregory "Pappy" Boyington was born in Coeur d'Alene on December 4, 1912, and was a member of the AVG (Flying Tigers) and later the commander of the famous Black Sheep Squadron. The local airport is now named in his honor.
- Dorthea DahlDorthea DahlDorthea Dahl was a Norwegian-born American writer. She wrote numerous short stories for magazines, wrote and published collections of short stories and wrote a novel. Dahl has been recognized for her great contributions to Norwegian-American literature.-Biography:Dahl was born in Osen in...
, Norwegian-born American writer, wrote and published her collections of short stories and her novel while residing near Coeur d'Alene. - Academy Award winning actress Patty DukePatty DukeAnna Marie "Patty" Duke is an American actress of stage, film, and television. First becoming famous as a child star, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at age 16, and later starring in her eponymous sitcom for three years, she progressed to more mature roles upon playing Neely...
has lived in Coeur d'Alene since the mid-1990s with her husband, Michael Pearce. - Trevor PrangleyTrevor PrangleyTrevor Prangley is a South African mixed martial artist who currently fights for Strikeforce. He has previously fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and competes in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions...
, pro Mixed Martial Artist with a background in wrestling and a former fighter in the UFC. His current fight record is 23 wins, 6 losses, 1 draw. He was born in South Africa and now resides in Coeur d'Alene. - Rollin PutzierRollin PutzierRollin Putzier is a former defensive tackle in the National Football League. Putzier was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 1988 NFL Draft and played that season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He would play the following season with the San Francisco 49ers....
, NFL player. - Luke RidnourLuke RidnourLucas Robin "Luke" Ridnour is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was born in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho and grew up in Blaine, Washington.- High school career :...
– birthplace of Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
point guard . - Charles SellierCharles SellierCharles Edward Sellier, Jr. was an American television producer, screenwriter, novelist and director, best known for creating the American book and television series, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams...
– television producer and director. His credits included The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams. - Ellen TravoltaEllen TravoltaEllen Travolta is an American actress, the eldest sibling of John Travolta. She is probably best known for her portrayal of Louisa Arcola Delvecchio, the mother of Chachi Arcola in the 1950s-based sitcom Happy Days, and its unsuccessful spinoff, Joanie Loves Chachi...
, oldest sibling of John TravoltaJohn TravoltaJohn Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
currently resides in Coeur d'Alene. - Bruce ReedBruce ReedBruce Reed was the CEO of the Democratic Leadership Council and currently serves as the Chief of Staff to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, having been appointed on January 14, 2011 to succeed Ron Klain.-Early life and education:...
, previous CEO of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) and current Chief of Staff to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.
Sister cities
Coeur d'Alene has one sister city: – CranbrookCranbrook, British Columbia
Cranbrook, British Columbia is a city in southeast British Columbia, located on the west side of the Kootenay River at its confluence with the St. Mary's River, It is the largest urban centre in the region known as the East Kootenay. As of 2006, Cranbrook's population is 18,267, and the...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
(Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
)