Historic Harrison Walking Tour
Self-Guided Walking Tour Brochure - updated in 2026
An updated version of the Self-Guided Walking Tour brochure of historic Harrison, Idaho, is now available! Immerse yourself in Harrison’s rich past.
Each of the 29 stops highlighted is accompanied by a photo and a brief history of that site. Harrison was almost completely destroyed by a devastating fire in 1917. The brochure highlights businesses both before and after the town was rebuilt.
Harrison was an important transportation hub bringing steamboat and train passengers together at the busy wharf. The trains came through town twice each day bringing as many as 1,000 passengers who shopped Harrison’s stores, took in a movie, or visited one of many local saloons.
Bustling lumber mills dotted the waterfront below the town making it a thriving economic center.
Harrison's Historic District was developed after the devastating fire of 1917. The district is an intact commercial streetscape from the late 1910s and represents architectural styles typical in small towns of that era. In addition to existing buildings, the tour includes sites where there are currently no structures, such as the City Park, Hotel Harrison site, and former mills and factories that lined the lakeshore.
In vernacular design, the brick-front store was the most popular commercial style of the first half of the 20th century. Such buildings varied in height from one to three stories, but their plans were quite similar. Two and three story structures had ground level store facilities, with offices, meeting halls, living space, or storage on the upper floors.
The buildings are simple and directly functional with minimal decorations. They are constructed of brick or clay tile blocks, an expression of the owners' desire to invest in fireproof buildings.
Check it out! Free brochures are available from downtown Harrison businesses as well as our Community Information Bulletin Board located at the northwest corner of Main St & Garfield Ave. Peruse one while you enjoy your ice cream or refreshment from one of the local eateries or stop into the Crane House Museum for a lively historical discussion.