Pigeon Hollow - Indian
Pathway
"Indians made well defined trails
in their many journeys. Sometimes by choice they went
'over' and not 'around'. The higher ground provided dryer
footing as well as advantages in seeing what was going
on. The trail had to be chosen to divide into daily lots
from one spring to another spring or creek. After the
best route was found the Indians traveled the same path
over and over again. All the pounding of moccasined feet
and cayuse hoofs deepened the trail. Pioneer explorers
often followed these thoroughfares finding them the best
way to go. (One such trail traversed the area between
Farmington and Skyline Drive.) 
The surveyor made very plain the direction of the trail
in Pigeon Hollow. He wrote in his notes, "Between
ranges 5 and 6 W., T. 44N, between sections 31 and 36
Indian trail bears southwest and northeast. Sandy hill
slopes to the southwest." It was an excellent trail.
A long, easy walking, easy riding slope took the traveler
from the valley floor to the summit of the mountains.
Traffic over the trail was heavy and gave to Pigeon Hollow
a rich and colorful history long before white men invaded
the land."
"Nez Perce Indians were the most frequent travelers
over the trail. It was one of their routes for going to
Montana to hunt buffalo...Nez Perce often went north to
visit the Sacred Heart Mission...Both the Coeur d'Alene
and Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) people traveled north or south
just to get together for fun and games."
"New boundaries were established
for the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation and the northern,
eastern borders of Pigeon Hollow became the southern,
western borders of the Reservation. Thereafter Indians
regularly rode over the mountain and through Pigeon Hollow
on their way to town. Farmington (Pine Creek) became their
trading post. The Indians often rode home at night...The
Coeur d'Alenes were friendly but sometimes their ways
and their great curiosity disturbed the pioneers, especially
the women."
"How frustrated the Indians must
have been when their trails were blocked by fences!"
(Excerpts from the book, Fields & Pine Trees by Opal
Lambert Ross).
The terrain has changed from bunch grass
to cultivated fields and the Indian trails have disappeared.
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