Lochsa River Neighborhood - Idaho Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

One of a group of three Forest Service signs near the mouth of Fish Creek, about a mile below the Lochsa Historical Ranger Station.

Marker Name: Lochsa River Neighborhood Marker Type: Roadside Marker Text: The Lochsa River is one of the few remaining river systems where Chinook salmon and steelhead trout still spawn. These anadromous (ocean going) fish fight long and hard to return to this very place from the Pacific Ocean. During the treacherous 1200-mile roundtrip to the ocean, fish battle against the water’s current, predators, fishermen and dams. Fish Creek, just to your right, empties into the Lochsa and is a perfect fish nursery. The cool clean waters and high quality gravel beds make this pristine creek a top producer of steelhead trout in the Pacific Northwest. “The salmon was a gift to the people. If we take care of the salmon, the salmon will take care of us.” From earliest time to today, the naco’x (Nez Perce for salmon) shaped the culture and economy of the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) and other plateau peoples. Ceremonies, customs and the role of men and women revolved around fish and fishing. Even after they abandoned permanent villages in the Lochsa region in 18th century, the Nimiipuu and Salish continued to set up fishing camps at traditional sites along the Lochsa and Selway Rivers. Salmon was to the plateau people just as the buffalo was to the plains Indians. “Our traditional relationship with the earth was more than just reverence for the land, it was knowing that every living thing had been placed here by the Creator and that we were part of a sacred relationship . . . entrusted with the care and protection of our Mother Earth. We could not stand apart from our environment.” -- Elsie Maynard (1914-1998, Nez Perce) “The salmon created a bond between ourselves and our ancestors. The salmon was a big part of their lives and the salmon should be an important component of our lives. I think it is important to restore salmon to a lot of the streams where they formerly lived.” -- David Miles Jr. (Nez Perce) County: Idaho Group Responsible for Placement: U.S. Forest Service City: Not listed Date Dedicated: Not listed Marker Number: Not listed Web link(s) for additional information: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
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Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   10/09/2010 Volcanoguy visited it