Powell Barn near Lolo Hot Springs
Rural Idaho County
- Grant: 1996
Location: Highway 12, 13 miles west of Idaho/Montana border.
Powell is west of the Lolo Pass Visitor Center.
The earliest recorded history of this site is contained in the Lewis and Clark journals. The area was used as a campsite and staging area for their trek to the coast. The location was first formally developed by Charles Powell in 1901 and was designated for government use in 1911. Construction of the Lewis and Clark Highway in 1926 made the station more accessible. The station expanded to include a number of stock handling facilities needed to support the extensive system of backcountry lookouts and cabins. The barn itself was built in 1934 and is one of the few remaining log barns from the 1930s. Lookouts and backcountry administrative cabins are still accessed by foot or horse in this area and the horse barn continues to be an integral part of life at Powell.
