Monday morning July 30, we headed to Island Park, Idaho. (Near West Yellowstone). The RV Park that we are staying at is the Red Rock RV Park. Not a very large park, small and very quiet not far from Henry's Lake. The scenery was beautiful!! On the way into the campground there was a bull Moose not far from the side of the road. I could not get my camera out fast enough and he was back into the woods. I kept looking for him the rest of our stay, but he was gone.Henry's Lake is a rather small shallow natural alpine lake, approximately 8 square miles in area, at 4 miles in length and 2 miles in width. It sits 6,472 feet above
sea level in the mountains of Southeast Idaho.
It was such a beautiful day we went out for a drive. The people at the RV Park said to head to Big Springs and while there see the Johnny Sack Cabin.
Big Springs, producing over 120 million gallons of water each day
is a Natural National Landmark, and is one of the 40 largest natural springs in the world. The springs create the headwaters of the Henrys Fork of the Snake River which travels across Fremont County creating spectacular scenery at Upper and Lower Mesa Falls. (we had visited these falls several years ago while in Victor, Idaho). With a constant temperature of 52 degrees, the springs is home to rainbow trout, muskrats, ducks, moose and other critters. The sound of the water bubbling up from the ground is really something to hear!!!The cabin along side Big Springs was hand built by Johnny Sack. Born in 1884, Johnny came to the United States with his parents and four brothers and sisters from Germany when he was six years old. The family settled in South Bend, Indiana, and Johnny eventually made his way west to the newly established community of Ashton, Idaho.
Along with his brother Andy, Johnny arrived in Island Park by passenger train during a blizzard in June, 1909.
The brother's had wanted to raise cattle on Henrys
Lake Flat. After years of working for various ranchers and serving time in the military, Johnny began making his living building furniture and cabins.
Standing just four foot, eleven inches tall, Johnny leased his cabin site land from the United States Forest Service and began building his two story log cabin. Little did Johnny know when he first acquired the choice building site, his home would become a landmark one day discussed in the United States Congress.
Due to its unique location and picturesque setting, Johnny's cabin and nearby water-wheel have long been one of the most photographed sites in Island Park.
The statue of Johnny and his dog was carved from a
log that was found near the water-wheel.
The cabin took Johnny approximately three years to complete, as Johnny worked primarily with hand tools - saws, draw knives, scrapers and planers. Johnny built a small structure and water wheel at the edge of the springs to harness the power of the springs and create electricity.
From his cabin overlooking Big Springs, the headwaters of the Henrys Fork of the Snake River, Johnny welcomed visitors from all over the world who stopped by to look at his charming cabin and nearby water-wheel. Much like today, visitors were welcomed in and shown about the unique structure.
After his death in 1957 the cabin became the property of Johnny's two sisters. They later sold the cabin to Elberta and Rudy Kipp, who made it possible for the building to be opened as an interpretive center in 1980.
The cabin became part of the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and is the property of the USFS. The cabin remains open to the visitors through the efforts of the USFS, Fremont County Parks and Recreation, the Island Park Historical Society, and numerous volunteers.
What a lovely place!!!!More from Island Park later,
Candy and Johnny
