NIC celebrating birth of historic Fort Sherman

North Idaho College will celebrate the 128th birthday of Fort Sherman, the historic military fort active in the late 1800s where North Idaho College now sits, with a presentation, concert and walking tour of the Fort Grounds at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Molstead Library’s Todd Hall on NIC’s main campus.

Fort Sherman was officially established by the U.S. Congress on April 16, 1878, and was in operation through 1898. It was first called Fort Coeur d’Alene and played a major role in the development of the city of Coeur d’Alene.

Local historian and living-history performer Robert Singletary will be present in clothing of the period, portraying Gen. William Carlin, the commander of Fort Sherman from 1884 to 1894.

Singletary will lead participants on a walking tour of the Fort Grounds beginning at 6 p.m. in front of NIC’s Molstead Library. The tour will include the Fort Sherman Chapel, the Officers’ Quarters and the Powder Magazine, which houses artifacts from Fort Sherman.

After the tour, the Fort Sherman Fourth Infantry Band, under the direction of NIC Band Director Terry Jones, will perform music of the 1890s and will be dressed in uniforms of the period during a performance at NIC’s Molstead Library.

At 7:15 p.m., Singletary, as Gen. Carlin, will present a lecture and slide show on the history of Fort Sherman in Molstead Library’s Todd Lecture Hall.

Singletary is well known in the area for his work on local and regional history. Singletary is a history instructor for NIC, Lewis-Clark State College and the University of Idaho and serves as the commander of the Fort Sherman Historical Society.

The event is free and open to the public.