Chautauqua brought attention to Spirit Lake
Editor’s note: This is the 10th in a series of articles exploring the history of Spirit Lake and its environs as the community nears its centennial in August. Spirit Lake native Keith Spencer became interested in local history when he came across some old photographs while remodeling his home. He and his wife, Janette, researched the photos’ origins, began collecting old documents for posterity and now can’t seem to stop.
The newly incorporated village of Spirit Lake seemed to be blessed from the start, and great things were predicted for this eager and rapidly growing community.
Backed by the brilliance of Frederick Blackwell and his wealthy Pennsylvania associates, the town was actually born with a silver spoon in its mouth, which no doubt opened many doors not usually accorded to a new town.
First, within a few months, the new little city was awarded the honor of hosting the Kootenai County Republican Convention. Only a short time later, Spirit Lake was approached about becoming the permanent site of the North Idaho Chautauqua, which actually became the Inland Empire’s Chautauqua. After several very successful Chautauquas in the Boise area, Mr. F. A. Shaw, director of The Idaho State Chautauqua Association decided it was time to expand to the north and in 1911 named Spirit Lake as the new northern site. The choice was obviously influenced by the beauty of the area, including the lovely mountains and pristine lake.
Since the Chautauqua movement died a long time ago (during the Great Depression), it is helpful to remind us all as to what a Chautauqua was. According to Webster, chautauqua is a Senica Indian name meaning “one has taken fish out of there.” This is as close to the Indians as the Chautauqua movement ever came. Chautauqua was founded in 1874 at Lake Chautauqua, N.Y., as a summer school to train Sunday school teachers. It was soon apparent that all work and no play would make Jack/ Jackie dull people.
Thus, music, sports, boating and such were added to the program, for spare-time enjoyment. Soon the enjoyment tail was wagging the learning dog and, as Webster puts it, Chautauqua had become “an educational and recreational assembly with a program of lectures, concerts, etc.” In short, a glorified camp meeting.
Since transportation was limited, people liked the idea of entertainers coming to them in pretty locations and the Chautauqua movement spread like wildfire. By 1904 the concept had become so popular that traveling circuits had formed to provide people with all manner of lyceum (both religious and secular) events. The great orator, William Jennings Bryan, and evangelist Billy Sunday were giants within the movement. People were thrilled to attend the two- and three-week events.
Meanwhile back at Spirit Lake, where the town had quickly grown to 2,000 people, little grass was growing under anyone’s feet. Led by the indomitable Blackwell, the Spirit Lake Chautauqua Association was being formed with W. C. Smith (chief engineer of the Idaho and Washington Northern Railroad) named chairman of the board. In addition to Blackwell, other directors included: T. H. Brewer (president of the Fidelity National Bank of Spokane), C. M. Fassett (Spokane city commissioner), W. M. Burns (Shaw and Borden Co.), W. H. Shields (Mutual Life Insurance Co.), C. L. Heitman general counsel for the I&WN Railroad and T. J. Coleman (Spirit Lake furniture and hardware merchant).
While there was a decided Spokane influence among this powerful group, all either owned Spirit Lake businesses or homes around the lake. To get things started, public spirited Henry Krech donated 10 acres of prime lakefront (600 feet of frontage) on the west side of the narrows. The directors first cleared brush, leveled the area and planted grass. They next installed lines for potable water, power and telephone and then began constructing all necessary facilities, which included: an assembly/dance hall, mess hall, bathhouses, tennis courts, tent platforms and sanitary facilities. At the same time, construction started on the 918-foot Chautauqua Bridge which separated the Narrows from the millpond and opened up both the Chautauqua grounds and the north side of the lake to auto traffic. The bridge opened in July of 1912, just before the start of the first Chautauqua. To pull all of this off, the Chautauqua directors assumed a heavy financial burden, but the 1912 assembly was so well attended that the event was a financial success.
The 1912 Chautauqua lasted two weeks and provided a host of entertainment, educational opportunities and activities. Dr. Leslie Willis Sprague from New York City, one of America’s leading Chautauqua organizers and lecturers, was picked to lead the event and ensure its success. Other noted orators include the Rev. William Spurgeon of London, who according to the Assembly program: “….is blessed with a magnificent voice and has a flow of language both easy and impressive. He is a man of keen perception and close general observation, a trained student, full of noble sentiment, inspired by a deep, genuine Christian Spirit, acquainted with the wants and aspirations of the masses …”
Other speakers included noted priest, Father J. M. Cleary and John Mitchell, labor leader and statesman. Mitchell had been president of the United Mine Workers and at the time was vice president of the American Federation of Labor. Note that true to the original concept of the Chautauqua, there was a School of Methods for Sunday School Workers and Household Science.
Entertainment was varied, including the Cambridge Players, a music festival, orchestra and choral concerts and numerous soloists. Athletic activities included tennis tournaments, rowing races, boating, swimming lessons and hikes. The hiking included a 24-hour endurance trek to the summit of Mount Spokane and back. Wonder if anybody finished?
There were lots of amenities on and around the grounds including a post office, a dining hall for purchase of food, a check room, ice cream, pure ice and police protection from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Taps were sounded at 11, when all was to become relatively quiet. Finally, the I&WN established lower fairs on their special service trains to and from the Chautauqua.
Many participants stayed at the large and well-lit campground, while others rusticated at the other numerous campgrounds scattered around the lake, transported by the steamer Reco. A tent and platform for the two-week period cost about $12. A few chose the new hotels in Spirit Lake and many more rode the I&WN Railroad from Spokane each day. People came from all over the northwest, and the Chautauqua did more to advertise the charms of Spirit Lake than all other advertising put together. Hundreds of delighted visitors came, saw and went away charmed with their visit to spread the fame of Spirit Lake throughout the Northwest and beyond.
The first assembly had been such a great success that the directors decided to expand the 1913 event to three weeks. The 1913 Chautauqua can best be described as noted in the program: “In announcing the second year’s program we can truthfully say that it is more than justified by the splendid success of our first effort. We blazed the trail, and the pioneering done should be followed this season by additional seekers for a Mecca of Recreation, Education and Entertainment … Bathing along the beach will engage you every afternoon just before you sit down to your evening meal. Boating and canoeing under the pale moon will engage you far into the night.”
By the second assembly, the grounds were immaculate and all of the adventures of the previous year were returning including shell racing, boxing and tennis tournaments.
In 1912, the Knights of Columbus Day had been heavily attended, so the assembly directors asked the Knights to support the first two days and name the featured speaker. The Knights selected famed Chicago lawyer-orator Quin O’Brien, who usually spoke at patriotic and commemorative events, to headline the assembly. Washington State University professors were featured speakers as was the president of the University of Idaho, D. L. Carlyle. Francis Carter, the dean of the Department of Dramatic Reading of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, provided for the needs of the lyceum crowd.
Other special days included Woman’s Day, Idaho Day, Swedish Day, Hibernian Day, BPOE Day, Pioneers Day and Pend Oreille Day. Ten international artists provided daily musical programs, recitals, weekly concerts and two grand choral concerts. By all accounts, the 1913 assembly was a howling success.
The Spirit Lake assembly continued intermittently, probably at a reduced scale, into the 1920s. Unfortunately there is little written concerning these later assemblies, with the 1918 and 1921 Spirit Lake Chautauquas only briefly mentioned in the Rathdrum Tribune.
The Spirit Lake Chautauqua finally passed into history in the late 1920s in the same fashion as its parent movement. Hard times had arrived and interests had changed.
A 1996 book titled: “The Pacific Northwest : An Interpretive History” by Carlos A. Schwantes probably best describes the importance of the Spirit Lake Chautauquas as follows: “An equally remarkable Chautauqua was held each summer in the early 20th century on the shores of Idaho’s Spirit Lake. People came to this idyllic setting from all parts of the Inland Northwest to hear lectures, participate in discussion of current social problems and world affairs. The Spirit Lake Chautauqua was hailed by supporters as an important step toward social and educational advancement of the Inland Empire. …”
Next: The Great Fire and Dire Consequences