Fourth of July Summit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fourth of July Summit |
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|---|---|
| Elevation | 3,081 ft (939 m) |
| Traversed by |  I-90 |
| Location | Kootenai County, Idaho, US |
| Range | Coeur d'Alene Mountains, Bitterroot Range, Rocky Mountains |
| Coordinates | 47°37′18″N 116°31′29″W / 47.62167°N 116.52472°W |
of July Summit
Fourth of July Summit is a special mountain pass located in the Rocky Mountains. You can find it in northern Idaho, which is in the northwestern United States. This pass is about 3,081 feet (939 m) (or 939 meters) above sea level.
It sits right on Interstate 90 in the middle of Kootenai County. The city of Coeur d'Alene is just to its west. Fourth of July Summit marks the start of the Silver Valley mining area. This mining district stretches east along the Coeur d'Alene River and Interstate 90, all the way into Shoshone County and up to Lookout Pass near the Montana border.
History of Fourth of July Summit
The Fourth of July Summit got its name from a special event. On July 4, 1861, Captain John Mullan and his team were working hard. They were building a road and decided to celebrate the holiday right on top of this mountain. That's how the pass got its patriotic name!
The Mullan Road
Captain Mullan was a U.S. Army Captain. He led the building of the Mullan Road, which was a very important project. This road was the first wagon road ever built to cross the Rocky Mountains and reach the Pacific Northwest's inland areas.
Construction of the Mullan Road began in the spring of 1859 and finished in the summer of 1862. It stretched from Fort Benton in Montana to Fort Walla Walla in what was then Washington Territory. Today, the path of the Mullan Road is very similar to how modern-day Interstate 90 travels through the Rockies.
The Mullan Road is recognized as a significant historical site. In 1975, it was added to the National Register of Historical Places. Then, in 1977, the American Society of Civil Engineers named it a historic civil engineering landmark. This shows how important and impressive this old road was!
