Lewiston Orchard Gates
Lewiston, Nez Perce County
- Grant: 2006, 2021 (stabilization, repair, and preservation of the stone towers)
Location: Modie Park Conservancy, Lewiston Orchards, Lewiston, Idaho 83501
The Lewiston Gates are three remaining stone towers that once led into the Lewiston Orchards, which has since been turned into a greenbelt and outdoor classroom under the name of the Ruth Rowell Modie Park. Lewiston-Sweetwater Irrigation Company built the gates in 1909 as part of their founders’ plan to develop a garden spot on 9,000 acres of arid land south of Lewiston. The lavish real estate development they envisioned never came to fruition, but the two 20-foot stone towers and the shorter connecting tower still stand to this day. Thousands of Lewiston residents and visitors pass between the mostly-basalt towers that watch over 8th Street on their way to work or to their homes in Lewiston Orchards. The untreated Colombia River Basalt, as well as the mortar and sandstone have shown their age recently, and deterioration has threatened their structural integrity. Grants were awarded to the Modie Park Conservancy, who oversee the upkeep of this and one other set of gates on their property, to repair damage, seal the surfaces, and ensure these impressive pillars stand for at least another decade.
