Distortion of American history needs to stop
That David Thompson built Saleesh House on the north side of the river he referred to as the Saleesh is supported by his own journal notations, by the journals of other travelers through the area during the first half of the 19th century and by period maps.
The ancient Road to the Buffalo used by Thompson (later called the Kootenai Trail) appears on maps as late as the 1840-50 period.
No map during that period that I am aware of shows any major trails on the south side of the river through Sanders County. Joseph Rocheleau’s continuing argument that it could have been on the south side of the river will no doubt continue.
Despite our major disagreement on this issue, there is one point on which he and I appear to agree, and that is, Thompson left us with enough information in his journal to make an educated guess about where the little trading post most likely was located.
Based on my research and evaluation of that evidence, it was not on the south side of the river. Sanders County history is far too important to be changed based on the unproved theory argued by Mr. Rocheleau.
During the past few weeks, he has continued to evade the questions I have raised.
It appears to me that his theory is based on (1) getting Thompson to the south side of the river on May 27, 1811, and (2) the use of Thompson’s observations for latitude and longitude from Saleesh House as absolutes, an erroneous assumption which can easily lead one astray primarily because of Thompson’s surveying limitations and accuracy.
One can not simply take a GPS and locate the site of Saleesh House.
Members of the Sanders County Historical Society can, and should, take another close, hard look at this important historical issue before they reprint their brochure for distribution to interested, but generally uninformed tourists and area residents, anxious to learn about the exciting history of Sanders County.
They should also consider redrafting the site maps displayed in area kiosks. The answers for the location of Saleesh House are there for the members of the Historical Society Board to find by carefully reading Thompson’s journal entries written while he was here between 1809 and 1812.
More can be found in the narrative of his travels which he wrote more than two decades after he left this area for good.
When mistakes are made, they should be corrected. It is the right and responsible thing to do. At least one rather large error has been made here — the Sanders County Historical Society published and displayed information locating Saleesh House on the south side of the river. Correcting this error is a great place to start making things right.
Carl Haywood
Thompson Falls