10/03/2025
MUSEUM OF NORTH IDAHO, CDA, ID
I recently made a brief visit with a fellow paranormal investigator Eric Crabtree[ Spookan Spirit Seekers} to the Museum of North Idaho, located at the base of Tubbs Hill in Coeur d' Alene, ID.
The newly renovated building, built in 1903, was once a home for a prominent businessman J.C. White {1865-1953} , who owned most of the steamboats on Lake Coeur D' Alene.
The museum has 3 levels that one can explore with great exhibits telling you about the history and culture of the regions, artifacts, lots of information to listen and read, wonderful gift shop on the main level and on the 3rd floor one will also find archives with thousands of digital images in photo collections, that are also available online at history@museumni.org.
As Eric and I were on our way to the basement, we got a voice response on the voice recorder.
Psychic Medium Jennifer Von Behren saw a male spirit at the base of the staircase, who said that he was drowned over a gambling debt.
As we walked towards the Fort Sherman exhibit, there was a sword in a case on the left.
Jennifer Von Behren felt that it was not a Sherman sword. She could see a Native American male spirit standing next to the case, who was saying that "it was ridiculous how much Indian blood was spilled with that sword." We don't know if he had been one of the victims. The sword was found at the Ft. Sherman dump site.
Jennifer could hear someone making noise in the basement, but couldn't see who. It was most likely residual energy.
By the sword exhibit, there is a tree stump. It is the last surviving route marker, that John Mullan marked when constructing the military road. He would mark trees with MR every 2 miles.
Jennifer Von Behren can see several Native Americans standing around the tree, when it was still at its original location, on the top of the 4th of July pass.
Once the military road was finished, many Native Americans moved elsewhere from the area due to heavy traffic.
At the other end of the basement there is a replica of a fire look out shack. Someone kept playing Jennifer a song "Love Shack" and kept calling the replica a love shack.
Life of a fire watcher could get lonely so they each had their own entertainment to pass time .
Some of the old fire shacks were also rented out to people to stay the night in.
On the main level you will find a beautiful fire place, that came from the original F.A. Blackwell [1852-1922] house, that was next to the J.C. White house on 8th street.
Jennifer Von Behren feels that something is hidden in it and the front feels to her like there should be a mirror there.
When the fireplace was donated to the museum in 2002, some of the detail pieces were either missing or broken according to Dorothy Dahlgren, a volunteer collections manager.
The house itself doesn't have much activity. The energy is good. We did get 2 other voice responses in the basement area.
There are no tours inside the museum, but you can check out their website for Cemetery Walking Tours, that go thru November 1.
For more history information, please read under the pictures.
The Museum has still more renovation to do including adding another wing in order to display more exhibits.
The work they do is important in keeping the history of the region alive and not forgotten for the generations to come.
If you can, please help the museum by donating for a great cause.
Donations can be done online at museumni.org, by mail to P.O.BOX 812 or in person at 720 E. Young Ave, CDA.
I want to thank Deborah Mitchell at the archives and Dorothy Dahlgren at the collections for all their research help.
