Hangman Creek Watershed History, Ecological and Cultural Impacts of the Fur Trade
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Alyssa Kreikemeier, University of Idaho; and Dr. Shawna Campell-Daniels, Coeur d'Alene Tribe
Presentation Date
7-16-2026
Abstract
The environmental history of the Coeur d’Alene Lake watershed and surrounding rivers, such as Hangman Creek, demonstrates both the fundamental connection of the people who have known this land for time immemorial, and disruptions brought by early fur trade and settler colonialism. This study examines how the early fur trade and subsequent decimation of beaver populations affected the Hangman Creek watershed. By centering Indigenous research methodology, this study combines historical archival data with traditional ecological knowledge to construct a timeline and analyze the magnitude of the fur trade from the earliest written accounts to the present. This project provides critical historical context necessary for watershed restoration, land management, and tribal ecological stewardship.
Hangman Creek Watershed History, Ecological and Cultural Impacts of the Fur Trade
The environmental history of the Coeur d’Alene Lake watershed and surrounding rivers, such as Hangman Creek, demonstrates both the fundamental connection of the people who have known this land for time immemorial, and disruptions brought by early fur trade and settler colonialism. This study examines how the early fur trade and subsequent decimation of beaver populations affected the Hangman Creek watershed. By centering Indigenous research methodology, this study combines historical archival data with traditional ecological knowledge to construct a timeline and analyze the magnitude of the fur trade from the earliest written accounts to the present. This project provides critical historical context necessary for watershed restoration, land management, and tribal ecological stewardship.