North of the Narrows

The Priest Lake country of northern Idaho is an inspiring landscape of water and mountains, inhabited since the pioneer days by a highly independent breed of individuals. These historical sketches and biographies capture the hermits, moonshiners, fur trappers, miners, loggers and eccentrics who lived "north of the narrows" of Priest Lake. Until the automobile penetrated the region, the Priest Lake country was a fabulous hunting and fishing area known throughout North America for its beauty and relative inaccessibility. It attracted sportsmen, movie stars and tourists during the summer season, but, more importantly, a rugged, self-reliant, highly independent breed of permanent resident, the pioneer settlers. These men and women were original Pacific Northwest mountaineers, who have now almost entirely disappeared. The authors spent many years in researching the Upper Priest Lake country and taping the tales of its early people and put on record the results of their studies in "North of the Narrows." An Idaho classic, the title is in its fifth printing.

About the authors

The late Claude Simpson was born in Colton, Wash., and grew up in the Palouse country. He received a B.A. degree from Eastern Washington University and a B.Ed. and an M.A. degree from Washington State University. He taught eight years in public schools in Washington. In 1943, he was appointed Specialist in School Services at WSU, and three years later was appointed WSU’s first Director of Admissions. In 1953, he became editor of the university catalog. During his term at WSU, he wrote more than 30 articles for professional journals as well as a book, "Africa Without Elephants." He and his wife, Catherine, maintained for many years a permanent home at Priest Lake.