Historical Sites
Weippe and the surrounding Clearwater County region are dense with historical markers, ranging from ancient Nez Perce sites, to Corp of Discovery landmarks, as well as the birthplace of Idaho’s 1860 gold rush.
National & Cultural Landmarks
Weippe Prairie (National Historic Landmark)
Located south of town along Idaho Highway 11, this level meadow is where the Nez Perce and the Lewis and Clark Expedition first met in September 1805. It is also a significant site in the Nez Perce National Historical Park, as it remains a traditional root-gathering place for harvesting camas bulbs.
Location: Highway 11, Weippe
Learn More: National Parks Service
Lolo Trail
This ancient Nez Perce route runs parallel to US Route 12, extending from Lolo Pass to the Weippe Prairie. It was famously used by Lewis and Clark in 1805 and 1806 and later by the Nez Perce during the Flight of 1877.
Learn More: US Forest Service Brochure (PDF)
Musselshell Meadow
Located east of Weippe, this was a multi-generational gathering site for the Nez Perce and served as a campsite for General Howard during his 1877 pursuit of the tribe.
Location: Forest Road 100, Weippe
Learn More: National Parks Service
Local History & Preservation
Weippe Discovery Center
The Weippe Discovery Center, an interpretive facility in the center of town, features hand-painted murals depicting Lewis and Clark’s journals, Nez Perce artifacts, and replicas of expedition tools.
Location: 204 Wood St, Weippe
Phone: (208) 435-4058
Hours:
• Monday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Tuesday & Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Thursday & Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Weippe Hilltop Heritage Museum
The museum is housed in the 1933 Brown’s Creek Civilian Conservation Corp Camp Barracks, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
After being relocated to its current location in 1947, the historic building served as the Weippe Public Library, and it now houses the Weippe Hilltop Heritage Museum.
Location: 105 S 1st St E, Weippe
Phone: (208) 435-4200 (Museum)
or (208) 435-9331 or (208) 435-4568 (for Appointment)
Hours: Open Wednesday or by Appointment.
Schmidt Brothers Mill Site (Deyo Reservoir)
Now the site of the Deyo Reservoir and Campground, this area formerly housed a massive sawmill operation that supported 20 families and ran continuously for 50 years starting in 1922.
Location: 803 Schmidt Mill Rd, Weippe
Mining & Frontier History in Pierce
Canal Gulch (Pierce)
Located roughly 12 miles from Weippe, this is the site where Elias Davidson Pierce first discovered gold in Idaho in 1860, triggering the region’s gold rush.
Location: Highway 11, Pierce
Learn More: Historical Marker Database
J. Howard Bradbury Logging Museum
This museum serves as a vital preservation of the region’s rugged timber heritage. Housed in a 1928 log cabin that once acted as a community center, the museum showcases a significant collection of authentic tools and machinery from the early 20th-century logging boom, including massive crosscut saws and vintage equipment used by local crews.
Location: 103 S Main St, Pierce
Phone: (208) 464-2677 (Museum)
or (208) 435-4121 (for Appointment)
Website: Facebook
Hours: Open mid-June through mid-October (Friday & Saturday) or by Appointment
Pierce Courthouse
Located behind the logging museum is the oldest public building and courthouse in Idaho. Built in 1862 for $3,500, It stands as a prime example of early frontier architecture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is maintained in joint partnership between the J. Howard Bradbury Logging Museum and the Idaho State Historical Society.
Location: 110 1st Ave S, Pierce
Learn More: National Parks Service
Nearby Historic Waypoints
Gold Rush Historic Byway (Highway 11)
This 42-mile route connects Greer to Headquarters, passing through Weippe and Pierce, and offers various interpretive pullouts highlighting the transition from mining to the timber industry.
Location: Idaho Highway 11 (beginning in Greer)
Learn More: Visit Idaho
Canoe Camp (Orofino)
Located on the Clearwater River, this is where the Nez Perce taught the Corps of Discovery how to burn out logs to create the five canoes that eventually took them to the Pacific.
Location: 14224 US 12, Orofino
Learn More: National Parks Service