Cataldo Travel Guide

 atufft Says:  There's a new 3,000 sq. ft. visitors center due to open in Spring of 2009. This will be the new home for many fragile mission relics that are perhaps in need of a better climate controlled atmosphere. Outside nearby a display of the type of dug out canoe typical for the... 

 atufft Says:  Here are more images. It pays to attend closely to some tombstones as they may report in some detail about the remarkable life of the person buried there.... 

 atufft Says:  Several Coeur d'Alene chiefs and many tribe members, along with priests and others who came to the mission, are buried in this cemetary. Apparently, more than 300 bodies are estimated to be buried here although only a few are marked with a tombstone. I like the Autumn colors... 

 atufft Says:  Naturally, the Parish priests had a place of their own for meditation and prayer--away from the heathen missionary flock. Many of the better paintings and artwork created by the priests are on display in this darkened room. 

 atufft Says:  The parish residence upstairs is still used as management offices, but downstairs is given over to displays of furniture and trappings of 19th century parish daily life. Many items appear authentic heirlooms from the priests, while a few odd pieces of furniture appear to... 

 atufft Says:  Several parish residences burned down before the one nearby the Old Mission was built. This building dates back to 1888, and was constructed under the direction of veteran carpenter Br. Achilles Carfagno. Much of the lumber was brought from mills in Spokane Falls. During... 

 atufft Says:  The carved ceiling is painted blue to satisfy the needs of the Coeur D' Alene Indians who had previously worshiped outside on this knoll. Inside, the entire altar and two wooden statues (Blessed Virgin and St. John the Evangelist) on either side, painted white to resemble... 

 atufft Says:  The flooring is solid pine, but the walls are wattle and dab clad in pine paneling. The ceiling is also pine paneling, each a differenent design with applied pinewood ornamentation that completed by Br. Francis Huybrechts. Huybrechts also carved the frames for 14 lithographs... 

 atufft Says:  FR. Antonio Ravalli, with help of assistant Br. V. Magri, a Maltese joiner, supervised the efforts of the Native American labor in construction of this fine building. The architectural style includes elements of Gothic in the front entrance row of columns, but also more... 

 atufft Says:  Beginning in 1842, black robed priests, Fr. Nicholis Point and Br. Huet, were invited into the land of the Coeur D' Alenes by the enterprising Native Americans themselves, and so the knoll above the landing on the Coeur D' Alene River, formerly known at the St. Joe River.... 

 atufft Says:  Follow a trail to the west of the mission building, down a hill into rather unkept brush and you will find hidden away a small cemetary. The number of bodies buried here remains uncertain, but it is clear that at least a few graves are provided flowers from time to time....