Editing Rathdrum, Idaho (section)

==History==
[[File:John Brown Elementary, Rathdrum, Idaho.jpg|thumb|left|The intermediate grade wing of Rathdrum's elementary school, John Brown]]
In the 1800s the town was initially called Westwood in honor of one of the founders of the town, a [[Pony Express]] rider and rancher, Charles Wesley Wood, also known as "Wes." But in 1881 the postmaster in the town was informed by the federal government that the town would need to change its name since it was already taken by another town in the territory. A local businessman, Michael M. Cowley, recommended the name "[[Rathdrum, County Wicklow|Rathdrum]]" from [[County Wicklow]] in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], his place of birth.<ref>[http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/ancestry/How-an-Irish-pioneer-named-the-town-of-Rathdrum-Idaho-after-his-village.html How an Irish pioneer named the town of Rathdrum, Idaho after his village] Irish Central, 6 Feb 2015</ref>

Near the end of the 19th century, the [[Northern Pacific Railway]] built its line westwards to [[Spokane]] and Rathdrum started to grow slowly. Until today, Rathdrum remains on the only regular railway line in Idaho, now owned by [[BNSF Railway]]; the [[Empire Builder]] of [[Amtrak]] travels through Rathdrum without stopping there.