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Benewah County, Idaho

56 topographic sheets cover 35 settlements here, and 8 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

8 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Idaho within the United States
Benewah County within Idaho

What the record shows

  • 329 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 8 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 7 buildings and 1 site.
  • 2 of the 8 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 35 populated places in this county; 35 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

8

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Benewah County Courthousebuilding198787001580
Chatcolet CCC Picnic and Camping Areabuilding199594000632
Coeur d'Alene Mission of the Sacred Heartbuilding197575000623
Kootenai Innbuilding197979000774
Plummer Point CCC Picnic and Hiking Areabuilding199594001587
Rocky Point CCC Propertiesbuilding199594001588
St. Maries 1910 Fire Memorialsite198484001010
St. Maries Masonic Temple No. 63building201111000699

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

696 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 696 of them, burning about 3,846 acres. 246 started naturally and 28 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Natural246
Debris and open burning192
Missing data/not specified/undetermined78
Equipment and vehicle use61
Recreation and ceremony39
Arson/incendiarism28
Fireworks16
Misuse of fire by a minor16
Smoking13
Railroad operations and maintenance3
Power generation/transmission/distribution3
Firearms and explosives use1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
3 August 2007Equipment and vehicle use505 acresIdaho Department of LandsECHO SPRINGS
27 August 2016Equipment and vehicle use440 acresIdaho Department of LandsJOHN DOE
6 May 2019Debris and open burning305 acresIdaho Department of LandsPROSPECT
27 October 2008Debris and open burning180 acresIdaho Department of LandsHELLS GULCH CANYON
8 August 2008Natural132 acresIdaho Department of LandsHUME CREEK
12 September 2002Missing data/not specified/undetermined122 acresIdaho Department of LandsLOTUS POINT FIRE
22 August 1996Natural111 acresNorthern Idaho AgencyMOSES
14 September 2005Debris and open burning100 acresNorthern Idaho Agency4 CORNERS

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1964 to 2024

50 of 50 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 50 reports for this county, causing no deaths, no injuries and about $2,404,250 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Flood18
Thunderstorm Wind14
Hail13
Wildfire2
Flash Flood1
Heavy Rain1
Debris Flow1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
March 2017FloodPlummer$500,000Snow melt and periodic heavy rain during the month of March produced numerous debris flows and areal flooding issues across Benewah County. Numerous roads were damaged by flooding. Most notably debris flows and rock slides closed the road between Plummer and St. Maries, and flooding severely damaged State Highway 5 near Round Lake. Benewah County was included in an Idaho State State of Emergency Declaration as a result of this episode.
March 2014FloodTensed$500,000A lot of field flooding and some road washouts in the area. Deep Creek came up and washed out a culvert and the road above it. Water also surrounded some homes along Deep Creek. Damage costs were estimated.
March 2017FloodRamsdell$400,000The St. Joe River Gage at St. Maries recorded a rise above the Flood Stage of 32.5 feet at 6:15 AM PST on March 15th. The river continued to rise through the Moderate Flood Stage by March 16th and passed through the Major Flood Stage of 38.0 feet at 9:15 AM March 19th. The river crested at 10:45 PM on March 19th at 39.2 feet. The river receded to below Major Flood Stage at 11:30 PM March 24th and dropped through the Moderate Flood Stage by the morning of March 25th. The river remained in Minor Flood through the end of March and into April.
February 1999Flash FloodTensed$250,000Heavy rain caused Hangman Creek to flood.
March 2017FloodDesmet$200,000The Palouse River Gage at Potlach, ID recorded a rise above the Flood Stage of 15.0 feet at 10:00 PM PST March 14th, cresting at 17.5 feet at 10:30 AM March 16th. The river dropped below Flood Stage during the evening of the 17th but then rose again above Flood Stage during the afternoon of the 19th cresting 15.6 feet before receding below Flood Stage for the end of the event during the evening of March 19th.
March 2012FloodChatcolet$200,000There were numerous reports of water over roadways and washouts. Road closures included the south end of Sagle Road, Talache Road at Camp Stidwell, Blacktail Road near Little Blacktail Mountain Road, Cocolalla Loop Road near address 3900 and Sportsmans Access Road. Partial road washouts included Jewel Lake Road at mile marker 2.5, Schneider Road between mile marker 3 and 4, Nettleingham Road, Snow Valley Road, Petterson Road and Boyer Road near Vedelwood Road.
April 2017FloodRamsdell$100,000The USGS St. Joe River Gage at St. Maries recorded a Minor Flood on the St. Joe River during the first week of April. The river receded to below the Flood Stage of 32.5 feet at 6:15 AM PST on April 5th and continued to fall through the rest of the month.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindSt Maries$50,000numerous trees down along St. Joe River. tree down on pickup truck. high winds forced car off the road into a sewer pond.
May 2008FloodSt Maries$50,000no account filed
August 1998WildfireSt Joe$25,000Lightning sparked 25 small fires near St. Joe, each ranging 1-5 acres in size.
March 2012FloodSt Maries$23,000The Ridgeview Apartments located in Saint Maries had to be evacuated when Mutch Creek flooded its banks and began to seep into the building.
April 2012FloodSt Maries Muni Arpt$20,000Flood waters from the St. Joe River at St. Maries covered Lagoon Road and inundated some residential properties in this area. Some damage was observed to the levees. There was a rotational failure on the riverward side and slippage in a part of the one of the levees. Damage reported was estimated.
July 1998WildfireSt Maries$20,000a 2 acre wildfire threatened St. Maries High School.
January 2011FloodFerrell$15,000Significant flooding reported along the St. Joe River Road from St. Maries to Avery in Shoshone County as the St. Joe River spilled over its banks. The road to St. Joe City was completely under water and flooding reported five miles up St. Maries River Road at Kittle Loop. The St. Joe River at St. Maries went above its flood stage of 32.5 feet at 1023PST on the 17th; crested at 35.97 feet at 905PST on the 18th; and then went back below flood stage at 500PST on the 20th.
December 2011Thunderstorm WindSt Maries$10,750The St Maries COOP reported a tree had fallen onto power-lines in the Benewah Valley due to strong wind gusts associated with thunderstorms between 1230 AM PST and 100AM PST.
August 2014Thunderstorm WindSanders$10,000A section of a wall and roof was blown off a tribal maintenance shop in Tensed. Several large branches were blown down near a wastewater plant one mile south of Tensed. In northern sections of the county, numerous branches three to four inches in diameter were blown down at the Saint Joe Landing Campground.
May 2018FloodRamsdell$5,000The USGS River Gage on the St. Joe River at St. Maries recorded a rise above the Flood Stage of 32.5 feet at 2:15 PM PST on May 7th. The river crested at the Minor Flood level of 33.9 feet at 6:00 PM PST May 10th and remained at that level until beginning to recede on May 11th. The river receded below Flood Stage at 10:45 AM PST on May 19th.
February 2017FloodSt Maries Muni Arpt$5,000An ice jam on the St. Joe River flooded portions of the St. Joe River Road making it impassable for travel upstream from the jam. Minor field flooding was reported downstream as the as the ice jam broke up and released the dammed water.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindSanta$5,000A member of the public reported several 50 foot cottonwood trees blown over onto highway 3 between Fernwood and Emerald Creek along with dime sized hail not far from Santa, Idaho.
March 2014Thunderstorm WindSt Maries$5,000Tree toppled over onto power lines and across two lanes along Highway 5 near St. Maries. Damage costs estimated.
May 1997Thunderstorm WindSt Maries$5,000trees down by wind
April 2017Thunderstorm WindSt Maries$2,000Wind gusts from a thunderstorm resulted in roof and antenna damage to a business in St. Maries.
July 2014HailSanders$2,000A splitting supercell thunderstorm tracked southwest to northeast through Benewah county. The right mover produced hail ranging from a quarter to half dollar over southwestern reaches of the county. This included the community of Santa. The left moving cell produced nickel to quarter size hail across northwestern reaches of the county including Chatcolet Lake.
September 2024Debris FlowSanders$1,000Public report via social media stated rocks on Highway 12 within the Gwen Fire burn scar. This was confirmed by dispatch. Rocks were cleared and highway remained open. Nearby gauges reported 0.40 of an inch to 0.80 of an inch of rain over the last 18 hours.
September 2024Thunderstorm WindAlder Creek$500Multiple trees snapped and downed within the area. Time estimated by radar.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindSanders-A weather spotter near Sanders reported multiple trees snapped and uprooted in nearby yards and wooded areas due to thunderstorm wind gusts. The trees were 12 to 20 inches in diameter. No structure damage beyond a downed power line was reported.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindSt Maries-The Benewah County Sheriff reported two trees blown down by thunderstorm winds near St. Maries. Trees were blocking a road.
August 2019HailPlummer-Hail, with up to 1 inch diameter stones, covered the ground to a depth of 6 inches near Plummer.
December 2015FloodSanta-A federal agency reported water out of bank near Santa, Idaho on the St Maries river and an ice jam.
February 2014FloodPlummer-Several low lying areas experienced minor flooding. Sections of Lovell Valley Road near Plummer was covered in water in some sections.
August 2013HailSanta-A weather spotter in Fernwood reported hail one inch in diameter. Time was estimated based on radar.
April 2012FloodRiverdale-The Saint Joe River at Saint Maries rose above the flood stage of 32.5 feet at 0300 PDT on March 31st, crested at 33.9 feet at 0600 PDT on April 1st, and receded below flood stage 2100 PDT on April 3rd. Saint Joe City Road flooded. Minor flooding was observed throughout low lying areas of the Saint Joe Valley and of the Aqua Park in Saint Maries.
June 2012HailChatcolet-A severe thunderstorm developed northwest of the St. Joe National Forest. The thunderstorm intensified as it moved northeast between Heyburn State Park and St. Maries. The thunderstorm proceeded to head northward as a new updraft developed across Benewah County into Kootenai County.
March 2012FloodRiverdale-The Saint Joe River at Saint Maries rose above the flood stage of 32.5 feet at 0300 PDT on March 31st, crested at 33.9 feet at 0600 PDT on April 1st, and receded below flood stage 2100 PDT on April 3rd. Saint Joe City Road flooded. Minor flooding was observed throughout low lying areas of the Saint Joe Valley and of the Aqua Park in Saint Maries.
July 2012HailRamsdell-Hail sizes were generally between pea to dime but a few nickel to quarter size hailstones were observed.
April 2011FloodFernwood-The Coeur D Alene Press reported that the St Maries River flooded it banks at Fernwood covering a manhole in town, leaking wastewater into the river. There were no direct impacts to health or wildlife.
July 1998HailSanta-three quarter inch diameter hail
July 1998HailEmida-1 inch diameter hail.
June 2012HailPlummer Jct-no account filed
July 2012HailTensed-no account filed
June 2009Heavy RainTensed-no account filed
June 2008FloodSt Maries-no account filed
June 2006HailTensed-no account filed
May 2006HailSt Maries-no account filed
July 2006HailSt Maries-no account filed
July 2006HailSanta-no account filed
June 1992Thunderstorm Windnot stated-no account filed
August 1989Thunderstorm Windnot stated-no account filed
July 1975Thunderstorm Windnot stated-no account filed
July 1964Thunderstorm Windnot stated-no account filed

Mines and quarries

76 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 76 workings inside this county. 12 still produce and 64 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction18
Iron10
Stone, Crushed/Broken7
Gold5
Garnet5
Stone5
Copper4
Kaolin4
Lead3
Uranium3
Clay3
Stone, Dimension3
Zinc1
Lead, Zinc1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Big Five Group ProspectCopper, Zinc, Lead, Phosphorus-PhosphatesProspectChalcopyrite, Galena, Malachite, Pyromorphite
Butte Mining Company ProspectLead, ZincProspectGalena, Sphalerite
Chatcolet Lake Clay OccurrenceFire Clay (Refractory)OccurrenceClay
Decann Manganese ProspectManganeseOccurrence
Emerald Creek MillGemstoneProducer
Engle Mtn.Silver, Lead, Gold, CopperUnknown
Green Back Claim GroupZinc, Silver, LeadProspect
Hired Girl ProspectCopper, Lead, ZincPast ProducerChalcopyrite
Hyde RanchAluminumOccurrence
Monarch ProspectLead, Copper, ZincProspectChalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite, Tetrahedrite
Round Lake Peat OccurrencePeatOccurrencePeat
Silver Star ProspectGold, Lead, Zinc, Copper, SilverProspectChalcopyrite, Galena, Sphalerite
St. Maries Clay OccurrenceBrick ClayOccurrenceClay
Tyson PlacerGold, TelluriumProducerGold
Benewah Clay DepositClayProspectClay
Benewah Clay OccurrenceClayOccurrence
Benewah Lake Clay OccurrenceClayOccurrenceClay
Ellis PitStone, DimensionPast Producer
Ifi Fernwood PitStone, DimensionUnknown
Lenty Uranium ProspectUraniumOccurrenceVein
Lenty Uranium ProspectUraniumOccurrenceVein
Mountain View Min. Co. ProspectLeadOccurrence1927
State Pit Bw 84 5Stone, DimensionUnknown
Varney ProspectUraniumOccurrenceVein
Charlie Creek ProspectsGold, CopperOccurrence
St. Maries Clay OccurrenceKaolinOccurrence
St. Maries Clay OccurrenceKaolinOccurrence
Tensed MineKaolinProducer
Thorn Creek Hill Kaolinite OccurrenceKaolinOccurrence
Bw-1001 PitStoneProducer
Carpenter CreekGarnetProducer
Dement PitStoneProducer
Emerald Creek GarnetGarnetProspect
Emerald Creek PlacerGarnetProducerPlacer
Fernwood MillGarnetPast Producer
Fernwood PitStoneProducer
Garnet MineGarnetProducer
Mauro PitStoneProducer
QuarryStoneOccurrence
Unnamed LocationGoldPast Producer
White Elephant MineGoldPast ProducerVein
Joseph QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Stone QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
Stone QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
Stone QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
Stone QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
Stone QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
Stone QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
Atkinson ProspectIronOccurrence
Benewah Shoshone DepositIronOccurrence
EklundIronOccurrence
Greenback ProspectIronOccurrence
Iron ProspectIronProspect
LeforsIronPast Producer
Mccleary ButteIronPast Producer
Patterson ProspectIronOccurrence
Robert Hyde ProspectIronOccurrenceVein
Tensed ProspectIronOccurrence
Carmon PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Michaels PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Plummer Pit and PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
State Pit Pw 77-5Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

35

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.