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Coeur d'Alene, ID

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Coeur d'Alene, ID

Coeur d'Alene  is a city and the county seat of Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. It is the most populous city in North Idaho and the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 54,628 at the 2020 census Coeur d'Alene is a satellite city of Spokane, which is located about thirty miles (50 km) to the west in the state of Washington. The two cities are the key components of the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene Combined Statistical Area, of which Coeur d'Alene is the third-largest city (after Spokane and its largest suburb, Spokane Valley). The city is situated on the north shore of the 25-mile (40 km) long Lake Coeur d'Alene and to the west of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. Locally, Coeur d'Alene is known as the "Lake City," or simply called by its initials, "CDA."

The city is named after the Coeur d'Alene people, a federally recognized tribe of Native Americans who live along the rivers and lakes of the region, in a territory of 4,000,000 acres (16,000 km²) from eastern Washington to Montana. The native peoples were hunter-gatherers who located their villages and camps near food gathering or processing sites and followed the seasonal cycles, practicing subsistence hunting, fishing, and foraging.

The city began as a fort town; General William Tecumseh Sherman sited what became known as Fort Sherman on the north shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene in 1878. Peopling of the town came when miners and prospectors came to the region after gold and silver deposits were found in what would become the Silver Valley and after the Northern Pacific Railroad reached the town in 1883. In the 1890s, two significant miners' uprisings over wages took place in the Coeur d'Alene Mining District leading to the declaration of martial law, with the latter providing a motive for the assassination of a former Idaho governor and subsequently a nationally publicized trial. The late 19th century discovery of highly prized white pine in the forests of northern Idaho resulted in a timber boom that peaked in the late 1920s and was accompanied by the rapid population growth which led to the incorporation of the city on September 4, 1906. After the Great Depression, tourism started to become a major source of development in the area. By the 1980s, tourism became the major driver in the local economy, and, after decades of heavy reliance on logging, the city featured a more balanced economy with manufacturing, retail, and service sectors.

The city of Coeur d'Alene has grown significantly since the 1990s, in part because of a substantial increase in tourism, encouraged by resorts and recreational activities in the area and outmigration predominantly from other western states. The Coeur d'Alene Resort and its 0.75-mile (1.21 km) floating boardwalk and a 165-acre (0.67 km²) natural area called Tubbs Hill take up a prominent portion of the city's downtown. Popular parks such as City Park and Beach and McEuen Park are also fixtures of the downtown waterfront. The city has become somewhat of a destination for golfers; there are five courses in the city, including the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course and its unique 14th hole floating green. The Coeur d'Alene Casino and its Circling Raven Golf Club is located approximately 27 miles (43 km) south and the largest theme park in the Northwestern United States, Silverwood Theme Park, is located approximately twenty miles (30 km) north. There are also several ski resorts and other recreation areas nearby. The city is home to the Museum of North Idaho and North Idaho College, and it has become known for having one of the largest holiday light shows in the United States and hosting a popular Ironman Triathlon event. Coeur d'Alene is located on the route of Interstate 90 and is served by the Coeur d'Alene Airport as well as the Brooks Seaplane Base by air. In print media, local issues are covered by the Coeur d'Alene Press daily newspaper.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.08 square miles (41.65 km²), of which 15.57 square miles (40.33 km²) is land and 0.51 square miles (1.32 km²) is water. Coeur d'Alene is 30 miles (48 km) east of downtown Spokane, Washington, and 259 miles (415 km) east of Seattle. The city is part of the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area and the Inland Northwest region, consisting of eastern Washington, northern Idaho, northwestern Montana, and northeastern Oregon.

The city is located on the north shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene, near the outlet of the Spokane River, and is in the Northern Rockies ecoregion. Lake Coeur d'Alene is a natural dam-controlled lake that is 25 miles (40 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) to 3 miles (4.8 km) wide and fed by the Coeur d'Alene and Saint Joe rivers. Although the Post Falls Dam on the Spokane River near Post Falls controls the lake levels, the lake is usually kept at natural levels from January to June. To the immediate southeast is Fernan Lake and to the northeast of the city is Hayden Lake and even further northeast in northern Kootenai County is Lake Pend Oreille, which is among the largest and deepest natural lakes in the western United States with a surface area of 85,960 acres (347.9 km²) and maximum depth of 1,152 feet (351 m). These lakes, like others in the Spokane Valley and Rathdrum Prairie, were formed by the Missoula Floods, which ended 12,000 to 15,000 years ago. The Coeur d'Alene Mountains of the Bitterroot Range rise to the east of the city to a maximum elevation of 7,352 feet (2,241 m) at Cherry Peak.

The wooded lands east of the city, the Coeur d'Alene National Forest, have been designated for protection and management by the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. These thick forests include groves of ancient western redcedar and host over 300 wildlife species including woodland caribou, Canada lynx, grizzly bear, and wolves. The large lakes in the Idaho panhandle attract birds on the Pacific Flyway, and bird watching is popular on Lake Coeur d'Alene, especially from November to February when bald eagles come annually to feed on the spawning kokanee. The Cougar Bay Nature Preserve on the northeast portion of Lake Coeur d'Alene is the closest and most accessible nature preserve for wildlife viewing, as it is located a few minutes from downtown Coeur d'Alene.

Environmental concerns have come as a result of upstream hardrock mining and smelting operations in the Silver Valley. The Coeur d'Alene Basin, including Lake Coeur d'Alene, is polluted with heavy metals such as lead and was designated a superfund site in 1983 that spans 1,500 square miles (3,884.98 km2) and 166 miles (267 km) of the Coeur d'Alene River. The majority of the lake bed is covered in a layer of contaminated sediment and local health officials at the Panhandle Health District advise the lake's visitors to wash anything that has come into contact with potentially lead-laced soil or dust in the Coeur d'Alene River basin.

Coeur d'Alene focuses on health and wellness. Notably, Kootenai Health serves as a leading medical facility in the region, offering comprehensive healthcare services. Explore the parks, facilities, and programs offered by the Coeur d'Alene Parks and Recreation Department. These spaces provide opportunities for outdoor activities such as walking, jogging, sports, and picnicking. Join local fitness centers and gyms to participate in exercise programs, fitness classes, and strength training. Some popular options include Precision Fitness, CrossFit CDA and Anytime Fitness. Discover the walking and biking trails in and around Coeur d'Alene, such as the Centennial Trail and Tubbs Hill. These trails offer opportunities for outdoor exercise and enjoyment of nature.

Top sites in Coeur d'Alene, ID include Museum of North Idaho, The Coeur d'Alene Resort, Tubbs Hill, and McEuen Park.

Population: 56,733 (2022). Elevation: 2,188 ft (667 m). Area: 16.82 sq mi (43.56 km²). ZIP Codes: 83814. Area code(s): 208 and 986.

FAQs

What's the racial makeup of Coeur d'Alene, ID?

In 2022, there were 17.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (152k people) in Coeur d'Alene, ID than any other race or ethnicity. There were 8.47k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 3.78k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups. 5.22% of the people in Coeur d'Alene, ID are hispanic (9.05k people). The 5 largest ethnic groups in Coeur d'Alene, ID are White (Non-Hispanic) (87.5%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.88%), White (Hispanic) (2.18%), Two+ (Hispanic) (2.03%), and Other (Hispanic) (0.836%).

Is Coeur D'Alene, ID a good city to live in?

Living in Coeur d'Alene offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Coeur d'Alene there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Coeur d'Alene and residents tend to be conservative. The public schools in Coeur d'Alene are above average.

Is Coeur d'Alene, ID a wealthy area?

Coeur d'Alene is a larger medium-sized city located in the state of Idaho. With a population of 56,733 people and 15 associated neighborhoods, Coeur d'Alene is the seventh largest community in Idaho. The per capita income in Coeur d'Alene in 2022 was $36,246, which is wealthy relative to Idaho, and upper middle income relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $144,984 for a family of four. However, Coeur d'Alene contains both very wealthy and poor people as well. Coeur d'Alene is a somewhat ethnically-diverse city.

Sources

Wikipedia

City of Coeur d’Alene

Kootenai Health 

Coeur d'Alene Parks and Recreation Department

Precision Fitness

CrossFit CDA 

Anytime Fitness

Centennial Trail

Museum of North Idaho

The Coeur d'Alene Resort

Tubbs Hill

McEuen Park

Data USA

Niche

Neighborhood Scout

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