Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Harrison Idaho

This is the Osprey Inn, the Bed and Breakfast we stayed in for the two nights we spent in Harrison. It was a pretty Inn overlooking Couer d'Alene Lake. It was built in 1915 and over the years it's had many uses. Originally it was a boarding house for lumberjacks, then in the 1930's and 40's the ground floor served as the local hospital. It was right on the trail so it was very convenient for us and apparently gets booked by lots of others who enjoy riding the different sections of the trail. While we were staying there we met two other couples who had also brought their bikes to ride the trail; one couple from Washington, the other from Montana.




We had breakfast every morning in this sunny little dining room. As we ate our breakfast we could watch the osprey outside the window. It was a pretty view and a nice way to start the day. I got kind of spoiled having someone else fix such delicious meals each morning and being in such beautiful surroundings. It's always so fun to go new places and meet interesting people from around the country. Over the years, we've had some great times staying in B&B's . . . it's a nice way to get a feel for an area, besides meeting some very nice people.

Here's a few photos of some of the buildings in Harrison. When it was founded in 1891, Harrison was a bustling town of 2000 people and 11 lumber mills. A big part of it's life and industry centered around a busy steamboat trade that traveled throughout the Couer d'Alene Lake region. But that era died out with the coming of the railroad when the steamboat buisness could no longer compete with the railroads. In 1917, a fire swept through Harrison destroying much of the town. Over the years, fewer trees to harvest meant less industry and the population has dwindled now to only 280 residents.


We walked around town and I took a few pictures of some of the quaint old buildings.

There are 3 churches in Harrison . I thought this one was pretty cute, besides I'd never seen a church with a blue roof and doors.


This big old red building on the corner houses at least 3 different business. A coffee shop, a restaurant and a tackle shop.








Several restaurants, a market, bike shop, a marina and a post office and a few other shops and buildings make up the rest of the town. Even though it's not a big place, it's ideal location near the lake attracts a lot of travelers who use the trail. It's also a scencic spot for families with trailers or campers to come enjoy the lake.



The Creamery is the local ice cream shop. Besides lots of ice cream choices, they made homemade fudge and other goodies. I loved it's stripped awnings and table and chairs on the sidewalk. It seemed to be a popular spot in this scenic little town.
After dinner Friday night at a local restaurant overlooking the lake, we stopped for an ice cream to eat on our way back to the Osprey Inn.


Our stay in Harrison was very pleasant. Sitting on the front porch at the Inn after our long ride, enjoying a cold drink and enjoying the scenery was so nice. The unhurried pace was just right for us . It's nice to be able to take it easy and discover new places. There's sure a lot of great things to see and do all over this great country. We feel so fortunate that occasionally we are able to enjoy some of them.


1 comment:

Celeste Adams said...

That looks like so much fun! I can't wait until we get back to the west.....hopefully in 6 more years...sigh.... I didn't realize how beautiful the west is, until it was gone!