Wyatt Earp celebration this weekend in Murray

MURRAY – Something unique is happening this weekend in the former seat of Shoshone County. 

Members of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus, commonly referred to as Clampers, from the Irish Kate 1858 Chapter in Spokane, are putting on several events in Murray as part of their mission to restore and preserve local history.  

Hosted by the Spragpole Museum, the event, which the Clampers call a Doins, will include a Wyatt Earp reenactment, a special parade featuring the Clampers’ drill team, and a Wyatt Earp plaque dedication.  

Sadae Lortz, a board member for the Spragpole Museum, said that the weekend will be a culmination of efforts by the Clampers, who have been working in the area over the past few weeks.  

“They have been doing restoration and clean-up work around Murray the past couple weekends,” Lortz said. “Including cleaning up the cemetery for Memorial Day events.”  

Derek Cartwright is the current president, or Humbug, of the Irish Kate 1858, who explained who the group is and why they’re working in Murray.  

The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus is a fraternal organization founded in 1845 in West Virginia and was established as a sort of parody group to other similar organizations like the Freemasons or Oddfellows.  

“Today, Clampers focus their efforts on the preservation of History and the protection of widows and orphans in our communities,” Cartwright said. “There are over 50 chapters spread across the western United States.”  

Legendary western icon Wyatt Earp may be known from movies like Tombstone and the shootout at the O.K. Corral, but he also spent time in Eagle City, nestled between Prichard and Murray, during the Coeur d’Alene Mining District's gold rush in the 1880s. Because the boundary between Kootenai and Shoshone Counties wasn’t clearly defined, Earp served as deputy sheriff for Kootenai County while also operating a saloon in Eagle City. In 1884, he and Shoshone County Deputy Sheriff W.F. Hunt broke up a gunfight between rival miners, which is the source material for the Clampers' reenactment.  

This special part of Silver Valley history will be memorialized on a plaque that will be dedicated and showcased at the Spragpole Museum.  

“Each Humbug is responsible for directing the research, production, and installation of historical plaques,” Cartwright explained. “These plaques are fully funded by our board. I have spent a lot of my leisure time in the Murray area camping and prospecting. During that time, I have enjoyed the rich history and efforts the locals have taken to preserve it. We are hoping to preserve the history of Watt Earp and his ventures in the area. We are looking for a location to install a plaque. Although Eagle City is the location of Earps Adventures we would like for the history to be seen by as many people as possible and the museum is a perfect place for visitors to stumble across it.”  

The Doins of the Irish Kate 1858 Chapter of the Clampers is Saturday, May 3, with the Wyatt Earp reenactment beginning at 10:30 a.m., followed by the parade and plaque dedication.  

During the weekend, the Spragpole Museum will be open for visitors to enjoy.  

    The official seal of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus, or Clampers.