Harpster

Abraham Harpster, born in Germany in 1825, came in with the Pierce gold rush and first camped beside Jackson's bridge in 1861; he made his home there. Local histories date the town's name to 1893, two years before the sign does, and the post office took it only in 1902, when it moved from Riverside to Bridgeport. Jackson ran his toll bridge for several years and sold it to a man named Clindinning. The railroad residents hoped for was the Northern Pacific's Clearwater Short Line, which ended at Stites instead.

What the plaque says

Harpster During the mining boom Harpster boasted a hotel, a livery barn, a harness shop, four saloons, two general stores, a drug store, and a blacksmith shop. William Jackson built a toll bridge here across the South Fork of the Clearwater River to meet the needs of travelers and packers. The area was known previously as Brownsville, Riverside, and Bridgeport. In 1895 the town was named Harpster in honor of early settler Abraham Harpster. An expected railroad never reached here, but while they were active, local mines helped the area grow. 441 Text prepared by the Idaho Historical Society Marker made & installed by Idaho Transportation Department

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Heart of the Monster — 16 mi
  Where the Nimiipuu say their story begins: Coyote, a monster, and the heart he tore loose, still on the Clearwater's bank.
• White Bird Battlefield — 21 mi
  Six Nimiipuu men rode out under a white flag. A shot came from the soldiers' side, and the Nez Perce War began.

More markers nearby

• Elk City Wagon Road — steps away
• Nez Perce War — 6.2 mi
• Mount Idaho — 8.1 mi
• Looking Glass — 10 mi