| 1743 |
Discovery of Rocky Mountains by Pierre De Verendrye in search of western sea. |
|
1877 |
Nez Perce Indian War began. |
| 1805 |
Captain Meriweather Lewis and William Clark discovered Idaho at Lemhi Pass, crossed into north Idaho over Lolo Trail and built canoes at Canoe Camp at Orofino, and sailed on to the Columbia River. |
|
1890 |
Idaho admitted to the Union as the 43rd State. |
| 1836 |
Henry Harmon Spalding founded Nez Perce Indian Mission at Lapwai. |
|
1895 |
Nez Perce Indian Reservation was opened for settlement. |
| 1839 |
Henry Spalding published the Bible in Lapwai on the earliest printing press in the Pacific Northwest. |
|
1898 |
Orofino townsite established. |
| 1848 |
Area was part of Oregon Territory. |
|
1899 |
Railroad completed between Lewiston and Orofino. |
| 1855 |
Area part of Nez Perce Indian Reservation according to 1855 Walla Walla Treaty. |
|
1905 |
City of Orofino incorporated. Pop. 207. |
| 1860 |
Gold discovered on Orofino Creek which led to the establishment of Idaho's oldest mining town named after Captain E. D. Pierce. |
|
1911 |
Clearwater County established with County Seat at Orofino. |
| 1863 |
Idaho Territory formed, Capital in Lewiston. |
|
1930 |
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built a road along the Lolo Trail called the Lolo Motorway. |
| 1864 |
Territorial Capital moved to Boise. |
|
1955 |
Bruce's Eddy Dam Project proposed. Later known as Dworshak Dam. Completed 1972. |
Due to the inflow of settlers and the construction of the railroad up river, Orofino's townsite got its start in 1898. The name Oro Fino means "fine gold." It was taken from a gold rush town called "Oro Fino" that was located near Pierce and later burned down. The post office objected to two words. The town joined the two words and it became Orofino. In 1905, the Idaho State Hospital was opened.
