Palouse Divide Lodge, Near Princeton, Idaho
Princeton, Benewah County
- Technical Assistance: 2018 – Identifying, documenting, and digitizing photo records.
Location: Highway 6 Milepost 23-Palouse Divide Rd, Princeton, ID 83857
Located on Route 6 near Emida, the Civilian Conservation Corps ski lodge was constructed in 1939 from nearby stone and pine trees. The lodge was built by CCC members from Camp Willow Springs, F-168, and was part of a joint venture between the CCC, Forest Service, and Washington State University. The site was primarily used for downhill ski and ski-jumping training, and it continued to be operated by WSU in this capacity until 1980.
In 1999, the ski lodge and the surrounding 60 acres were purchased and turned into a private conference/retreat center. The site is open to the public upon request and routinely hosts open events showcasing local artists, often around the holidays. You can learn more about the current state of the site and book a visit here: My Idaho Lodge called Palouse Divide Lodge, Idaho.
Palouse Divide Lodge is home to an impressive number of CCC-era documents. The collection includes more than 4,000 photographs, over 1,000 articles and governmental reports, 41 theses and scholarly articles, 281 personal interviews, and much more.
