Priest River is a town rich in history. Part of the mission of the foundation is preserving the history of our town. In doing so, it will ensure that future generations will have knowledge of the town they live in and and keep the spirit of Priest River alive.
Priest River made a mark on the map in the 1890’s when several Italian men moved to the area to help work on the Great Northern Railroad. Long after the work on the railroad was done, the Italian settlers stayed. For many years, it was known as Little Italy before officially becoming Priest River in 1903. We hope you enjoy the collection of photos and information we have gathered about our town.