Stopping At The Cataldo Mission

 Every time I drive to my hometown of Kellogg, Idaho I pass the Old Mission State Park and look at the oldest standing building in all of Idaho perched on a hill of I-90. My first real tour of the mission was when I took a field trip to the location in 4th grade. It has since been renovated and the Parish house next door has been restored. Here is some information from the Idaho Parks site:

"The oldest standing building in all of Idaho is found here, in the Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park. The Mission of the Sacred Heart or Sacred Heart Mission was constructed between 1850 and 1853 by Catholic missionaries and members of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Sacred Heart Mission and the Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park provide an educational experience not found anywhere else, giving visitors an opportunity to examine the dynamics and complexities between Jesuit missionaries and the tribal people among whom they settled. The park features the Sacred Heart Mission building, a restored Parish House and an historic cemetery. The visitor center includes an interpretive exhibit about the Mission and the Coeur d'Alene Indians. A walking audio tour tape is available."

On a cold December morning I caught a series of photos with the gray clouds as a background. It is worth the stop if you are traveling along I-90 between the Washington and Montana borders.