Coeur d'Alene Tribe to decide on historic tree

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe of Idaho faces a tough decision: whether to take down a tree that has seen at least two centuries of tribal history.

Elder Cliff Sijohn said the tree was one of the tribe's historic meeting places. He said it also welcomed members of the Spokane Tribe who were forced to live on Coeur d'Alene land in the late 1800s.

But the tree might have to come down as part of a highway construction project. Sijohn said he's willing to accept that fate.

"If that's the decision to be made, then I think I will go there. I want to take a limb from there, and carve the face of the people, and put it away for my great-great-great-grandchildren," Sijohn told KXLY.

Get the Story:
Tree may come down for road improvements (KXLY 12/11)

$rl Coeur d'Alene Tribe - http://www.cdatribe-nsn.gov