Noxon launches Road to the Buffalo Festival
Carl Haywood displays his book, “Sometimes Only Horses to Eat” at the Road to the Buffalo Festival held in Noxon
Linda Haywood shows the map from David Thompson’s Journal that outlilned the’ Saleesh Road to the Buffalo’ upon which the road signs and the new festival are based. (Marla Hall/Clark Fork Valley Press)
The highly desired ‘Taste of Sanders County’ basket at the Silent Auction
Drivers on Highways 200 or 28 have likely noticed the brown and white road signs indicating the “Road to the Buffalo.” In total, there are 12 signs that mark what fur trader, David Thompson, who was the first documented fur trader to come to the Thompson Falls area, referred to as the “Saleesh (phonetic spelling) Road to the Buffalo” in his numerous journals.
The project to place those signs began in 2010 with an application to the Community Transportation Enhancement Project, which is funded by gas taxes given back to counties, and culminated in 2015 after gaining State approval and being sponsored and promoted by Sanders County. The signs have piqued the interest of both residents and tourists as they have driven the roads and this has led to a plan to add four interpretive signs at turnouts along what is also known as the Kootenai Trail.
According to Peg Johnson of Women for a Better Sanders County, and Donna Anderson, the President of the Noxon Senior Citizens Center, those two groups have partnered to raise the funds necessary to make and place the interpretive signs. With the goal of raising funds for that purpose, the “Road to the Buffalo Festival” was launched with the hope of making the festival an annual event. The groups are working to raise enough money at this year’s festival to make and place at least one of the four planned signs, each of which will cost approximately $3,500.
This year’s inaugural Road to the Buffalo Festival was held in Noxon Saturday, where a highlight was a silent auction. Among many donations, one featured item was a huge “Taste of Sanders County” basket with gift certificates from restaurants from all over the county. Another highlight was being able to meet and talk with local author Carl Haywood, who studied the journals of David Thompson as research for his book, “Sometimes Only Horses to Eat,” which disputes some of the local historical lore. Additionally, several vendors sold everything from cookies to beaver furs and local musicians provided entertainment in the park. Organizers are hoping to not only make the festival an annual event, but also to grow it to include more activities for both kids and adults.