Coeur d'Alene's "HEART LIKE AN AWL"™ Pendant

History of Coeur d'Alene - Heart of the Awl

Coeur d'Alene is a French name that was given to the
Schee-Schu-Umsh Indians of northern Idaho during the
early fur trading days. The name Coeur d'Alene may have
been an attempt by the Iroquios guides to describe the
sharp trading practices of the Schee-Schu-Umsh.
They were known to have hearts (coeur) as sharp as
the point of an awl (alene), a sharp hand tool used to punch
holes in leather for sewing. Thus the name "Coeur d'Alene."

The beautiful body of water that was the center of the Coeur d'Alene's traditional homeland became
know as Lake Coeur d'Alene. In 1878, an army fort , first named Fort Coeur d'Alene, was built on the
northern shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene and a village, called Coeur d'Alene, grew up near the fort.

Robert Singletary
Inland Northwest Historian

See more of Cheryl Burchell's
custom jewelry designs at:

Cheryl Burchell Gallery
413 1/2 Sherman Avenue
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

click here for directions