TR Visits Bonners Ferry
by Howard Kent December 2012
With the recent presidential election over, it was thought appropriate to reflect on a U.S. President who briefly passed through our neck of the woods.
In September of 1888, a then 28 year old Theodore Roosevelt and two companions were
camped on the west side of Kootenay Lake. His plan was to hike into the Selkirk Mountains and shoot a caribou.
Weeks earlier, Roosevelt traveled to Idaho territory by way of the Northern Pacific Railroad. They arrived at Kootenai Station, planning to spend the night. They soon discovered that the rustic little community lacked available sleeping quarters. While his friend did find a spot, Teddy was not so lucky. Finally a rooming house proprietor rented a cabin to Teddy that belonged to a friend who was out of town at the time. Later that night, the cabin owner unexpectedly returned. Not wishing to awaken his friend to get the key, he instead crawled through a cabin window. What took place in that dark room can only be humorously imagined. No injuries were reported.
The next day they boarded Sam Smith’s stagecoach for the 32 mile ride to Fry, also known as Bonners Ferry. Roosevelt didn’t make mention of the trip in his book, The Wilderness Hunter, but I’m sure he and his partner were thankful when it ended. The road followed much of the old Wildhorse Trail and it was rough as a cob. Sam’s reputation as a “hell bent for leather” stage driver probably did little to improve their situation.
At Fry, they acquired their supplies and a boat and headed down river. Somewhere along the way, a member of the Kootenai Tribe joined the hunting expedition. In his book, Roosevelt described the Kootenai Valley and its meandering river. Upon reaching Kootenay Lake, they established their camp along the shore. After several days of hunting in the high mountains, TR managed to shoot his caribou. On his return trip, he stopped at the Canadian Customs office manned by J.C. Rykert, to whom he gave his caribou head.
His trip back to Bonners Ferry was aboard the steamer Galena, which was carrying sacks of ore bound for the smelter. According to Canadian sources, Teddy had earlier helped the crew load the sacks of ore aboard the Galena.
Many years later, Roosevelt’s caribou head was given to the Canadian Legion Post in Creston. In 1959, they in turn donated it to the Bonners Ferry Legion Post #55, where it continues to greet visitors to the American Legion building.
Teddy’s Caribou UPDATE 2013
Today’s Tale ~ While looking for a photo in the Museum’s archives, I found this photo taken May 1, 2013. This is the day we went over to Kootenai Street to the Legion building to get the Teddy Roosevelt Caribou mount.
Howard carried it down the steps, loaded into the back of his pick-up (as every hunter knows you do), drove us around to Main Street, stopped in front of the newspaper office, and tried to get his photo taken so he could ‘maybe’ win a rifle!!
What a great day, and a great artifact to add to the Museum Collection. – Sue Kemmis Jan 14, 2021
