OLDEST - Church, School, Library, Meeting Hall in Coeur D'Alene, ID - Superlatives on Waymarking.com

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OLDEST - Church, School, Library, Meeting Hall in Coeur D'Alene, ID

in Superlatives

Posted by:  T0SHEA

11T E 515407 N 5280327

Possibly the oldest standing building in the city of Coeur D'Alene, the Fort Sherman Chapel will, in the near future, be 140 years old.

We must say that it certainly doesn't look its age, primarily the result of a lot of TLC, beginning in 1942 by the Athletic Round Table and continued more recently by the Museum of North Idaho.

A small wood framed building with clapboard siding, the sanctuary is a simple rectangle. Side walls, however, are heavily buttressed; whether this is functional or decorative we can't say. At the front is a small portico with a gable roof matching that of the sanctuary. Over the entrance is a small wooden bell tower with a hipped roof and a cross at the peak. The open belfry reveals a single bell inside. Doors, windows and belfry vents are all Roman arched. Windows down the sides of the sanctuary are double while a triple window graces the end wall over the entrance portico.

The chapel is one of four buildings of the original fort which remain, all contributing to the historic district. A fifth, a 20' x 60' barn, has been lost since the original nomination was submitted in 1974.

COEUR d’ALENE — It’s 136 years old and it still looks good.

The Fort Sherman Chapel has stood the test of time as Coeur d’Alene’s oldest church, school, library and meeting hall.

The Fort Sherman Chapel is one of the three remaining original buildings from Fort Sherman. It still has its original old organ pipes in it, though all the interior has been replaced, such as the pews and the alter.

The building is still used today. Many weddings have been held there, as well as Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and other events and meetings. Money from these events goes to the maintenance and preservation of the chapel.
From the Coeur d'Alene Press

Fort Sherman Chapel
Constructed 1880
Built on this site in 1880 by the U.S. Army, the Fort Sherman Chapel is Coeur d'Alene's oldest church, school, library, and meeting hall. Fort Sherman was decommissioned in 1900, and the buildings and property were sold at public auction in 1905. Over the years many denominations have used the Chapel for church services. After several attempts to preserve the Chapel, the Athletic Round Table acquired the building and began repairs in 1942. To ensure the preservation of Coeur d'Alene's oldest standing building, the Athletic Round Table donated the chapel to the Museum of North Idaho in 1984.
From the plaque at the building