GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
Idaho: ID-2

Catholic Church. Diocese of Boise. Chancery
303 Federal Way
Boise, ID 83705

Phone: 208-342-1311
Email: See website (Offices: Chancery)

 

Hours: See website (Offices: Chancery)

Access: Some restrictions apply

Copying facilities: Yes 

 

History: The Vicariate Apostolate of Idaho and Montana was erected for Idaho south of the 46th parallel and Montana west of the Cascade Mountains, 1858; it was renamed the Vicariate Apostolate of Idaho, 1868; and it was reconfigured to correspond with the entire present-day State of Idaho, 1884. The Diocese of Boise City succeeded the vicariate, 1893, which was renamed the Diocese of Boise, 1895. The Boise Diocese reported 1,000 baptized Native American Catholics, 1900, and 3,000, 1999. Boise and its predecessors have administered the following Indian missions, parishes, and schools in Idaho and Montana:

1841-1858, 1865-1891 (no longer Native) (Boise, 1858-1883)	St. Mary’s Mission and Academy (Salish), Stevensville/ Bitterroot Valley, Montana
1848-present	Sacred Heart Mission (Coeur d’Alene), Cataldo/ DeSmet, Coeur d’Alene Reservation, Idaho
1854-present (Boise, 1858-1883)	St. Ignatius Mission (Kootenai, Salish), St. Ignatius, Flathead Reservation, Montana
1865-1866 (closed) (Boise, 1865-1866)	Cootenay/ Courtenay’s Mission (Kootenai), Montana
1865-1919 (Boise, 1865-1883)	Providence of the Holy Family and St. Ignatius School (Kootenai, Salish), St. Ignatius, Flathead Reservation, Montana
1873-present	St. Kateri Tekakwitha/ Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Mission (Bannock, Shoshoni), Fort Hall, Fort Hall Reservation, Idaho
1874-1965 (closed)	St. Joseph Mission (Nez Perce), Culdesac/ Slickpoo, Nez Perce Reservation, Idaho
1877-present	Sacred Heart/ Nez Perce Mission (Nez Perce), Lapwai, Nez Perce Reservation, Idaho
1878-1974 (closed)	Providence of Mary Immaculate School (Coeur d’Alene), De Smet, Coeur d’Alene Reservation, Idaho
1890-present	St. Stanislaus Church (Nez Perce), Lewiston, Nez Perce Reservation, Idaho
1900-present	St. Therese of the Little Flower Church (Nez Perce), Orofino, Nez Perce Reservation, Idaho
1902-1907 (closed)	St. James Mission, Kootenai Reservation, Idaho
1902-1969 (closed)	St. Joseph Mission School (Nez Perce), Culdesac/ Slickpoo, Nez Perce Reservation, Idaho
1902-1990 (closed)	Kootenai Mission (Kootenai), Kootenai Reservation, Idaho
1920-present	Our Lady of Lourdes Church (Nez Perce), Lewiston, Nez Perce Reservation, Idaho
ca. 1945-unknown (closed)	St. Joseph Children’s Home, (Nez Perce), Culdesac/ Slickpoo, Nez Perce Reservation, Idaho
1950-present	St. Michael Mission (Coeur d’Alene), Worley, Coeur d’Alene Reservation, Idaho
1970-present	Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (Coeur d’Alene), Plummer, Coeur d’Alene Reservation, Idaho

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans: 

Inclusive dates: 1848-ongoing

Volume: At least 1.0 cubic foot 

Description: 5 series include Native Catholic records: 

 

/1 Bishops’ Papers

Inclusive dates: 1962-present 

Volume: At least .5 cubic foot

Description: Correspondence; re: Sacred Heart Mission, De Smet and annual celebrations at Sacred Heart Mission, Old Mission State Park, Cataldo 

A. Bishop Sylvester William Treinen (1917-1996), ca. 1962-ca. 1988, less than 1% of 25 cubic feet

B. Bishop Tod David Brown (1936- ), ca. 1988-ca. 1998, less than 1% of 20 cubic feet

C. Bishop Michael Patrick Driscoll (1939- ), ca. 1999-present, less than 1% of 15 cubic feet

 

/2 Sacramental Records

Inclusive dates: 1848-present

Volume: Portions of at least 29 volumes and few reels of microfilm

Description: Arranged alphabetically by location of parishes and there under by name; includes baptisms, first communions, confirmations, marriages, and burials for parishes and their attended missions and stations; microfilmed by Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

A. Blackfoot, St. Bernard Church, 1893-ongoing, 5 volumes; includes St. Kateri Tekakwitha Chapel, Fort Hall

B. Bonners Ferry, St. Ann Church, 1903-1990, few volumes; believed to include Kootenai Reservation station

C. Culdesac, St. Joseph Church, 1874-ongoing, 4 volumes

D. De Smet, Sacred Heart Mission, 1848-present, 5 volumes; includes Kootenai Reservation station, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission, Plummer, and St. Michael Mission, Worley

E. Lewiston, All Saints Church, 2009-ongoing, unknown

E. Lewiston, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 1920-2009, 5 volumes; includes Sacred Heart Mission

F. Lewiston, St. Stanislaus Church, 1890-2009, 8 volumes

G. Orofino, St. Therese’s Church, 1900-present, 2 volumes

H. Post Falls, St. George Church, 1902-1909; believed to include St. James Mission and Kootenai School, Kootenai Reservation, which were attended from St. Stanislaus Kostka, Rathdrum

 

/3 Parish Files

Inclusive dates: 1960s-ongoing

Volume: At least .5 cubic foot

Description: Arranged alphabetically by location of parishes and there under by name; includes clippings, correspondence, histories and notes, pamphlets, and photographs for parishes and their attended missions and stations.

A. Blackfoot, St. Bernard Church, ca. 1960s-ongoing, approximately 2-10 folders; includes St. Kateri Tekakwitha Chapel, Fort Hall

B. Culdesac, St. Joseph Church, ca. 1960s-ongoing, approximately 2-10 folders

C. De Smet, Sacred Heart Mission, ca. 1960s-ongoing, approximately 2-10 folders; includes Kootenai station, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission, Plummer, and St. Michael Mission, Worley

D. Lewiston, All Saints Church, 2009-ongoing, 1 folder

E. Lewiston, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, ca. 1960s-2009, approximately 2-10 folders; includes Sacred Heart Mission

F. Lewiston, St. Stanislaus Church, ca. 1960s-2009, approximately 2-10 folders

G. Orofino, St. Therese Church, ca. 1960s-ongoing, approximately 2-10 folders

 

/4 Priest Personnel Files 

Inclusive dates: 1893-ongoing

Volume: Several folders

Description: Most include 1 folder/person; re: approximately 90% before 1900, 30% between 1900-1950, and 2% thereafter pertain to diocesan and religious priests serving missions and parishes with Native Americans. 

 

/5 Diocesan Newspaper

Inclusive dates: 1958-ongoing

Volume: Few articles

Description: Catholic Idaho is believed to have included at least a few articles on Native Americans and their evangelization in the diocese.    

 

Unless otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the Marquette University Archives.

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