UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 1939, poster stamp of Cataldo, Idaho featuring the Mission of the Sacred Heart,
built by Fr. Ravalli, the oldest standing building in Idaho.

Let's Get Associated poster stamps were put out by the Associated Oil Company, featuring tourist spots all over the US. Customers collected these stamps from gas stations and pasted them into a book holding 100 stamps. Book Two, Roads to Romance Stamps of the West (1939) included Cataldo, Idaho (#139).

 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 1908, postmark from Cataldo, Idaho
1990, special cancel for the centennial of the state of Idaho

The town of Cataldo began with the Cataldo Mission, 25 miles east of Coeur d'Alene. It was started to serve the Coeur d'Alene Indians, who were very spiritual and sent words that the "black robes" or Jesuit priests would be welcome among their people. So in the early 1840s, Jesuit missionaries came to North Idaho. The Italian Jesuit Father Anthony Ravalli came in 1848 and he and two brothers built the church. The mission was later named Cataldo after Father Joseph M. Cataldo, who arrived in 1877 and made his headquarters here when he was made superior of all the Rocky Mountain missions. He founded Gonzaga University in 1887.

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