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POIRIER PIONEERS
Rathdrum, Blanchard and Albeni Falls
By Fielden L. Poirier, Senior (written in approximately 1977)
 In
1883, the Northern Pacific Railway was built across the
Territory of Idaho,causing a trading center to grow up at
Rathdrum. This became headquarters for the stage lines
and freight lines serving the Kellogg-Wallace mines to the
south and later connecting with riverboats on the Pend Oreille
River, to the north. One of the Indian-Trapper trails led from
Rathdrum past Twin Lakes, Spirit Lake, into Spirit Valley and on
to the falls that were later named Albeni Falls for my uncle
Albeni Poirier. My father, Louis M. Poirier, age 18 and my
uncle Albeni, age 20, were French Canadians who could hardly
speak English when they followed the trail with packs on their
backs in 1883. Reaching Spirit Valley they decided to camp and
look around. They found large virgin yellow pine and fertile
soil covering the level areas plus many lakes, pure springs and
streams. My father chose a small valley about two miles south
of the present town of Blanchard, built a cabin and squatted on
his land until it was surveyed in 1892 and then filed claim
under the Homestead Act. Then he purchased an adjoining quarter
section of land from the Northern Pacific Railway for $2.50
an acre. In three generations this farm has grown to
five sections and is now operated by my son … Fielden L.
Poirier, Jr. (Sonny)
 My
father, Louis, and his brother, Albeni had arrived in
Rathdrum on the first Northern Pacific passenger train in
1883. His brother Joe previously arrived by way of the Mullen
Road in 1879. Another brother, Hector, and a sister, Mederise
came soon after. Thus,five of the thirteen children of the
Poirier family migrated to the wild west from St. John the
Baptist, Quebec, Canada. Louis and Albeni operated a cattle
ranch in partnership until 188, when Albeni married Mary McGuire
and moved to the land at Albeni falls. This included the falls,
the island in the Pend Oreille River and acreage along the east
bank. The Poirier brothers, with help of other pioneers, built
the wagon road from Rathdrum to Albeni falls, along the route
of the old Indian Trapper Trail. When the Great Northern
Railroad came through from upper Montana and Idaho in 1893 the
island was used as part of the bridge system to reach Newport
and Spokane.
Mike and Tom Kelly started the first trading post near Albeni
Falls in 1889, in a log cabin on the west bank of the river at
what is now Old Town, Idaho. The Kelly’s called a meeting of
settlers in 1890, to choose a name for a new post office.
Someone said that the steamboats starting to operate from Albeni
Falls would probably establish a new port at the site of the
Kelly Store. So the name “Newport” was agreed upon. The post
office was in Idaho at first but was moved over the line to
Washington. The town of Blanchard was named for Joe Blanchard,
my father’s brother-in-law, an early settler who moved away to
Kootenai Lake in Canada. The town of Tweedie was
named for Henry Tweedie, another settler.
R. C. Blackwell of the Panhandle Lumber Company, which operated
sawmills at Spirit Lake, Idaho and at Ione, Washington, promoted
the railroad, which came through Blanchard in 1908. This
increased the prosperity of the settlers and brought many new
people into the community. Soon all available homesteads on
both sides of Spirit Valley were taken. The original one-room
log schoolhouse was replaced by a larger one-room frame
building, and school was extended up to nine months each year.
 Then
in 1912, my father Louis M. Poirier, J.H. Presnell,
Frank Rusho and Elmer Boehm organized the Blanchard Trading
Company, Ltd. and started operating a general merchandise
store. As a boy, I was employed there as a clerk. Later, I
bought the store and operated until 1954. Then I sold it
to Claude Blanchard, grandson of the
man man for whom the town had been named. I was assistant
postmaster and then postmaster postmaster from 1912 to 1954.
Before the coming of the railroad in 1908 I never knew a house
in the valley to be locked. Homes were left
open, and generally a supply of food was food was available
for any traveler or neighbor who might pass that way.
This is in memory of a great pioneer, Louis M. Poirier, an
honest and determined determined man with a vision, who was not
afraid of work.
(editors note: We are thankful for each generation of Poiriers
who have continued to be dedicated pioneers for the good of
Blanchard and surrounding areas.)
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