Spalding’s Gristmill Canals - Idaho Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

NPS interpretive sign about the Spalding’s Gristmill Canals. The sign is located northwest of the Lapwai Mission Cemetery in the Nez Perce National Historic Park at Spalding.

Marker Name: Spalding’s Gristmill Canals Marker Type: Roadside Marker Text: “Father had a small grist mill near the house -- a great improvement over their [the Nez Perce] mortars and pestles.” --- Eliza Spalding Warren To power the gristmill that stood at this site, Henry Spalding directed some Nez Perce to dig a network of canals, dikes, and flumes. The gristmill and the nearby sawmill were part of a larger plan. Realizing that the Nez Perce life of moving with the seasons did not make them good candidates for full-time religious conversion, Spalding determined to make them permanent farmers. A year after arrival, the Spaldings had 100 families -- out of a population of 5,000 people -- cultivating the land around the mission. A few historic ditches are still evident on theis landscape -- humble indicators of a cultural transformation. County: Nez Perce City: Spalding Group Responsible for Placement: National Park Service Marker Number: None Date Dedicated: Not listed Web link(s) for additional information: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark. If possible please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location. Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Idaho history please include that in your log.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/29/2009 Volcanoguy visited it