Idaho’s first state park, designated in 1908, owes its existence to this man, U.S. Senator (1903-1912) Weldon B. Heyburn. He was a staunch opponent of federal public lands and was an early foil of the newly formed Forest Service in the early part of the 20th Century.
Still, he wanted one national park in Idaho to be created from Coeur d’Alene Tribal land that was being disposed of, without enthusiasm from the Coeur d’Alenes. He once famously said that state parks were “always an embarrassment.” So, he fought to make the area near St. Maries a national park. He lost. Congress instead authorized the sale of the site to the state of Idaho. The state of Idaho cut enough timber in the park to pay the asking price, then honored the man who thought state parks were always an embarrassment by naming it after Sen. Heyburn.
There are a couple of other things named after the senator, the town of Heyburn, Idaho, and 10,229-foot Mount Heyburn in the Sawtooth range, about eight miles from Stanley. That the mountain and the park are both named after a man who spent much of his political career fighting against public lands galls some conservationists.
Still, he wanted one national park in Idaho to be created from Coeur d’Alene Tribal land that was being disposed of, without enthusiasm from the Coeur d’Alenes. He once famously said that state parks were “always an embarrassment.” So, he fought to make the area near St. Maries a national park. He lost. Congress instead authorized the sale of the site to the state of Idaho. The state of Idaho cut enough timber in the park to pay the asking price, then honored the man who thought state parks were always an embarrassment by naming it after Sen. Heyburn.
There are a couple of other things named after the senator, the town of Heyburn, Idaho, and 10,229-foot Mount Heyburn in the Sawtooth range, about eight miles from Stanley. That the mountain and the park are both named after a man who spent much of his political career fighting against public lands galls some conservationists.
Weldon B. Heyburn
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