the sprag pole museum

This museum answered a lot of questions for me about the area - where are the local mines (there is a huge map with the mines pinned on it), what is the reason for those boulder piles in the stream areas (scale model of a dredger is in the museum) and who was Molly B'Damn (sorry, you'll just have to find out).We showed up on July 5th when Murray was getting ready for it's fireworks display and the Sprag Pole bar/restaurant was very lively in a North Idaho kinda way. But everyone was friendly and one of the locals let us listen in on his narrative tour of the museum. Last, but far from least, how many museums can you go through with your drink in hand?

Great atmosphere, food is average, beer good, worth the stop! Historical place! It's a great place to go after a bike ride on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes in North Idaho.

We stopped at the SpragPole on our way over Thompson Pass as we had heard several recommendations in Mullan and Wallace, Idaho. We found it to be the largest collection of miscellaneous "historic" stuff we had ever seen: like a typical small town "museum" display of a few old dresses, magazines, keys, bottles, etc., of modest local connection, only a million times bigger. Toward the back of the connected rooms are some newer displays, nicely done, that interpret a little of the local history. Otherwise, just shelf after shelf after shelf after shelf (etc.) of old stuff. Worth a peak if you are passing through.

What a collection of glassware, carvings, mining, home goods, just a real interesting place to enjoy. Connected to a local eating stop, and step back in time!

A museum composed of stuff somebody collected, mostly old mining stuff. This town always felt like it was lost in time and nobody cared. All the piled up rock around the creekbed shows massive amounts of mining as its legacy. A fun afternoon and a scenic drive to get there.

This is a collection of collections. There's 50's political buttons, refrigerator magnets, various bullets on a board, firearms, a 119' hand carved wooden chain, bunches of carved elephants, Scotty dogs, and cows. replicas of period rooms, cooking tools, the story of a Pulaski and a Sprag Pole. Logging, Mining, Fire Service, and small town life are here to see. Eclectic and Fun !

Does not look like much from the outside. You have to enter it through a bar/restaurant and a closed door. Once you go through it, you are surprised by the size and scope of the operation. It has everything from mining equipment to little nicknacks. It is still a work in progress but a bargain even without considering the price of admission -- free with donation requested. Well worth the stop.

This little tiny town is at the top of Thompson Pass. Cute little bar. Great food. Museum interesting. Nice juke box w/good music. Litlte tiny post office. In the cradle city of the Coeur D'Alene mining district.