Lioness of Idaho: Idaho's Field of Dreams

In July of 1969, one of Louise Shadduck’s schemes to build Idaho brought recognition from around the world and even from “outer space.” The program brought millions of 1960s dollars into the state’s economy and turned an abandoned military base into Farragut State Park near Athol.

When Louise, head of the state’s Commerce and Development Department, first asked about international Girl and Boy Scout events in Idaho, she was told it wouldn’t happen. Other states had huge budgets for attracting the events and offered developed parks as locations. Idaho had little money and an old World War II submarine base on super-deep Lake Pend Oreille. Abandoned, that site was a city of weeds, rodents and weathered foundations. Federal regulations made its development impossible.

She started by setting up a small regional Boy Scout camping event on the rough site. She used that in applying to host the Girl Scout International Senior Roundup. Other states had budgets to wine and dine Girl Scout leaders.

As a plane taxied to unload in Boise, Miss Agnes E. Jones of the Girl Scouts was surprised to hear her name called out. Louise had arranged for the pilot to ask other passengers to remain seated as Ms. Jones deplaned. National scouting executives were usually met in crowded airports by someone holding a little card with their names.

Louise, though, borrowed a red carpet from a hotel. She arranged a marching band and Basque dancers. She asked newspapers to send reporters and photographers the long way through the airport knowing a curious crowd would follow.

Louise then took Ms. Jones to visit business, political and Native American leaders. Instead of expensive restaurants, she made sure that every meal was home-cooked. The unique welcome proved irresistible.

With the Roundup coming, work had to start on that naval base. Initial estimates called for $2 million or $3 million Idaho did not have. Regulations for the federal land made it impossible to use anyway.

Gov. Smylie got the legislature to trade lands that would be flooded by Dworshak Dam to the U.S. in return for a clear title to the naval base. Louise used her national contacts to meet or change regulations. National Guard troops started moving concrete, Scouts and others started cleaning up and water systems were installed. Louise convinced Idaho’s colleges and universities that Scouts from all over the world would be potential students, so they chipped in. Nez Perce and other tribes, countless volunteers and presenters planned an experience of Idaho the girls would never forget.

On July 17, 1965, 9,000 girls and leaders started arriving by car, plane and train along with workers, dignitaries and reporters. In all, it was estimated that for every one Girl Scout, seven other people came into the state, making a whopping 60,000 visitors.

The total cost to the state was under $300,000, a tenth of original estimates. Most of that money was spent making the state park a permanent asset. The Girl Scouts were required to purchase food in Idaho. Cooks, transportation workers, medics, postal workers, firefighters and security workers all had to be hired. The injection of $5 million into the state brought other benefits. But that was just the beginning.

Immediately following the Roundup, it was announced that Farragut would host the larger 1967 Boy Scout World Jamboree with 12,000 boys and upward of 75,000 workers, staff and parents. Hosting dignitaries, Louise met and became longtime pen pals with Englishwoman Olave Baden-Powell, who with her husband had started Girl and Boy Scouts.

As Louise planned, that successful event then helped entice the even larger national Boy Scout Jamboree. One Idaho columnist called the scouting events a “spectacular example,” writing that Louise had “operated with one hand tied behind her back, doing more than other states’ development departments … on a fraction of what other states spent.”

By the time of the last event, Louise had left Idaho’s Statehouse to work for Congressman Orval Hanson in Washington. The next stories in this series will tell of her work in forestry, writing, lobbying for human rights and international speaking and travel.

In 1969, as Louise and others in Coeur d’Alene watched the first moon landing on TV, Eagle Scout Neil Armstrong looked down at the Earth and extended a personal greeting to the Boy Scouts at Idaho’s new Farragut State Park.

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Mike Bullard is the local author of "Lioness of Idaho: Louise Shadduck and the Power of Polite." Bullard will give free copies of the book to anyone who donates to League of Women Voters at a book reading from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 at Coeur d'Alene Public Library.