Kootenai Indian Tribe
The Lower Kootenai Tribe has lived in the area since prehistoric times, and is one of six bands of the Kootenai Nation, an area that later was drawn as North Idaho, northwest Montana and southeastern British Columbia. Their lifestyle was semi-nomadic, sustained through hunting, fishing and gathering. Anthropologists classify the Kootenai Tribe as belonging to the “basin culture.” The Kootenai were affiliated socially with the neighboring Flathead, Kalispel and Pend Oreilles. In the 1855 Hellgate Treaty, these Tribes ceded to the United States all the land they occupied or claimed in exchange for reservations. However, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho was not represented at the Treaty and, so, they did not acquire any land.
Now known as the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, they were the original inhabitants of Boundary County. There are 120 enrolled members and about 75 of them live in a modern village at the 18-acre mission three miles northwest of Bonners Ferry. The Tribe gained international attention on Sept. 20, 1975 when it formally declared war on the United States. As a result, they gained the small reservation.

The Tribe strongly maintains its native language, religion and other cultural elements. However, they developed a plan to improve their economic situation. In 1986 the Tribe built the Kootenai River Inn, a 52-unit waterfront, luxury motel in Bonners Ferry. In 1993, they expanded the motel and added bingo and gaming machines. In 1991 the Tribe built the Kootenai Tribal Sturgeon Hatchery to help enhance the endangered population of this ancient fish that plays a large role in tribal heritage

Nurseries
The climate of Boundary County is the most ideal in the United States for the commercial growth of conifer and deciduous trees. As a result, a thriving nursery industry has evolved which employs approximately 500 people – one of the largest agricultural segments in the county. The Selkirk Mountains to the west and the Cabinet Mountains on the east provide a sheltered highland valley setting ideal for several commercial nurseries.

Critical to the development of trees is the requirement for 150 days of cold temperatures for their root growth. This, in turn, promotes tree strength to enhance above surface growth in the spring.

University of Idaho studies demonstrate that trees planted in Boundary County for five weeks exhibit root growth 400 percent greater than in Portland, Seattle and other areas in the Northwest that grow conifer and deciduous trees. Boundary County has developed special interest in the Christmas tree industry because, to quote a local nursery owner, “The trees develop a cold hardiness and retain their needles longer after harvesting.” Another owner says, “The cold root period here is the best in the nation,” making it the number one place to grow and buy trees.

In addition, visitors and residents alike enjoy the rich variety of natural forest trees that dress our beautiful mountains and valleys.

Forest Service

The Bonners Ferry Ranger District covers more than 400,000 acres in Boundary County. The Forest Service is responsible for managing the lands, providing fire protection, managing recreational opportunities and helping to support the local economy. The Forest Service operates fee-campgrounds at Robinson Lake, Meadow Creek and Copper Creek, as well as informal campgrounds at Smith Lake, Brush Lake and Boulder Meadows. The district maintains more than 300 miles of trails open to foot, stock, bicycle and some motorized traffic, including snowmobiling. There are many high country lakes, spectacular peaks, waterfalls and other beautiful places to visit. There are also more than 1,000 miles of roads available in the area.

The district has about 45 permanent employees and hires more than 50 temporary employees each summer, including youth and senior citizen crews from within the local community. Contracts and supply purchases also contribute several hundred thousand dollars to the economy each year, and 25 percent of all money made by the district is returned to the county to fund schools and roads. For more information, contact the Forest Service at 208-267-5561, or stop by the office on Highway 95 on the south edge of Bonners Ferry.