Amenities

Fishing dock, boat ramp, shore launch, swim area, day and overnight parking.

History

All of this property was originally deeded to private owners by the United States government. It became public again over a period of several years after rising water behind Albeni Falls Dam flooded much of it.

The spot is named after John Riley, who homesteaded the mouth of Riley Creek in the spring of 1889, including the area that is now Riley Creek Recreation Area. Riley was reported to be the first white man to settle north of the Pend Oreille river, and he built a cabin on the west end of the peninsula where the creek flows into the river. Riley and his wife built a new, larger house sometime after the birth of their son Joseph in 1890. However, the house burned in 1950, “destroying all pictures and other documents.” Riley was reported to be friendly with the local Kalispel tribe, and many arrowheads have been found on the property. 

Andrew Christenson, who owned property here as well as across the river at Seneacquoteen, established the first store in Laclede and was active in promoting the upbuilding of the town. The store was housed in a lean-to attached to a house, and sold dry goods such as shoes and calico, as well as staple groceries, cured meats, and various frontier equipment such as muskrat traps and ammunition. People from local tribes would frequently stop their canoes at the store and trade store goods for fish they had caught, to the chagrin of his wife Marie, who did not enjoy fish. Andrew later had an automobile business, served as probate judge, and died in 1931. The ownership of his portion of the land here passed to his wife.