St. Ignatius Mission Relocates to Present-Day NW Montana
[Sohon 1854 drawing of Chief Alexander]
The idea that a Kalispel Chief selected the new site is found in a Father Hoecken 1855 letter to De Smet.
- “It was proposed during the summer of 1854 to begin a new mission some 200 miles North east of the Calispels, not far from the Flathead lake, in the vicinity of the old Mission of St. Mary's among the Flathead, where a convenient site for a Mission had been pointed out to us by the Calispel Chief Alexander.”
Alexander is not a Kalispel of the PO River, but is an Upper Pend Oreille, and lived closer to the proposed site. He was not born in PO country.
In addition, the spot of the new mission, Sinielman was considered a common ground rendevous and wintering spot for neighboring Indian tribes.