History and Current Facts of Elmore County
One hundred and fifty years before the appearance of white
explorers this majestic land belonged to the American Indians.
The Shoshoni and Bannock Indians roamed Elmore County, winter
camping on the bank of the Snake River, returning to the Camas
Prairies in late spring.
They lived in small extended families surviving on small
game, fish, roots, berries, and whatever else they could obtain by
using their primitive tools, snares and weapons,.
A dietary staple for the tribes was the sugar-producing blue
flower “camas”. The
flower grows wild and abundantly in the high desert.
Indian women would harvest the camas root and then prepare it
into thin dry cakes.
Indian culture was based upon the procurement of food and changed
little from generation to generation as they followed their food
supply in Elmore County.
But, with the arrival of white men this simple nomadic
lifestyle ended abruptly.
In 1803 Thomas Jefferson arranged for the United States to
buy the Oregon Country from Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Oregon Country comprised those states now generally
referred to as “The Northwest”, inclusive of Idaho.
President Jefferson paid three and three-fifths cents an acre
for the land. In 1804
he dispatched two men, Meriweather Lewis and William Clark, to
explore the Oregon Country and its’ neighbor the Louisiana
Territory. Their tales
of a wealth in furs enticed trappers into the area.
The first trappers in Southern Idaho were with John Jacob
Astor’s Pacific Fur Company.
They made a treacherous journey down the Snake River trying
to navigate it in canoes.
They were the first white men to make contact with the
Shoshoni and Bannock Indians.
Soon, other trappers in search of beaver followed.
They trapped the waterways extensively until the beaver
population was almost extinct by the 1840’s.
The relationship between the Indians and the white men during
the fur trapping era was generally peaceful.
The trappers lived in a lifestyle similar to that of the
Indian, and white exploration and trade did not seriously disrupt
Indian social or
cultural institutions.
The conflict between cultures arose during the next era, when wave
after wave of emigrants arrived and settled the west.
Between 1840 and 1862, more than 250,000 emigrants traveled
through Elmore County on their way “west”.
They traveled the historic Oregon Trail, a grueling 2000 mile
trail that was referred to as the “longest cemetery in the nation”.
One of the more hazardous parts of the journey involved
crossing the Snake River.
A popular ford was located in Elmore County at Three Island
Crossing above Glenns Ferry.
The crossing was not without risk; many animals, supplies,
and wagons were lost.
Three Island Crossing is now a state park commemorating the valiant
struggles of the early pioneers.
During this early westward period the majority of emigrants
passed through Idaho on their way to California or Oregon.
Only a handful of pioneers settled in Idaho and they mostly
were merchants who supplied the needs of the wagon trains.
But in the early 1860’s the discovery of gold in Idaho
resulted in a population boom.
For the first time in our nation’s history a reverse
migration eastward occurred.
The California miners returned to Idaho and Alturas County,
later to become Elmore County.
Alturas is a Spanish name which means “mountain summit or
heavens” and was one of the original counties in Idaho.
Established on February 4, 1894, Alturas encompassed a huge
area in southern Idaho.
Old records report the size of Alturas as extending from the north
fork of the Boise River, south to the Snake River, and from American
Falls west to Indian Creek.
In the beginning years, the county’s population was
concentrated in Rocky Bar and Atlanta.
These early mining communities reflected a mixture of peoples
from all walks of life.
Some were petty thieves, shysters, and restless unfortunates who
rushed from strike to strike with visions of wealth bright in their
eyes. Others were
destitute southerners who had lost everything in the Civil War.
They came to the gold fields in search of a new start.
The influence of these southerners is evident in the names of
gold fields; Atlanta, Jeff Davis, and the Southern Confederacy.
Also participating in the early mining camps were the
Chinese. A census in
1870 showed that the majority of miners were Oriental.
The Chinese miners were often willing to work for less,
almost slave wages, and had the reputation for being very
industrious and clannish miners.
When mining activities in the camps began to show results the
character of the mining camps changed.
On the heels of the prospectors came permanent settlers.
The camps attracted not only faro dealers, bawdy houses, and
dance hall girls but also merchants, lawyers, and editors, men and
women who were willing to endure the rugged life for the high prices
that their services could demand.
By 1896 the district had produced 10,000 ounces of gold.
But gold, silver, and other precious metal were not the only
things to come out of the Alturas mining camps.
A wealth of western stories involving shootings, hangings,
and other assorted skullduggery were produced during the heyday of
the camps. The stories
characters were always full of grit, courage, warmth, and
perseverance. One of
the more colorful characters who exemplified these qualities was
“Pegleg” Annie Morrow of Atlanta.
One winter day while walking with a friend, Dutch Em, across
Bald Mountain Summit, a fierce blizzard blew up.
Three days passed before a search party found the pair.
Dutch Em was dead and Annie was half frozen and incoherent.
A back country doctor amputated her frozen feet at the ankles
with a jack knife and meat saw, using a few slugs of whiskey for
anesthesia. With an
indomitable spirit, Pegleg Annie lived for many years afterwards.
She gained further fame as a pistol packing restaurateur,
boarding house keeper, mother of five, and friend to all.
Early farmers and ranchers arrived upon the heels of the
miners. Small ranches
and farms began to spring up around the waystations.
The families settled on land near transportation routes and
water. Settlement was
encouraged by the offer of up to 320 acres to each individual who
could make the required land improvements and locate water.
This process was called “proving up the land”.
The ranchers and farmers continually expanded operations to
supply agricultural products to the booming mining communities.
Many farm and ranch families came to Elmore County because of
land schemes promoted by the railroad and land developers.
Promotional campaigns referred to Idaho as the “Switzerland
of the West”, and Mountain Home as the garden spot of southern
Idaho. Settlers were
promised successful crops, plentiful water, and a healthful climate.
The claims, although exaggerated, contained some truth.
The land was rich, producing 3 to 5 times as many bushels per
acre as land in Illinois, Virginia, or Tennessee.
The land was also capable of producing a variety of crops,
and prosperous farmers invested in cherries, plums, apples, grain,
cattle, horses, and sheep.
Cattle, horse, and sheep raising became important industries
in Elmore County. By
1888 the county had 35,000 cows, 60,000 sheep, and 8,000 horses.
Wool and mutton production rivaled the cattle and horse
industry. Sheep adapted
well to the desert and high mountain ranges, although according to
cattlemen they ruined the ranges for grazing cattle.
Conflict resulted between the Glenns Ferry cattlemen and the
Mountain Home sheepherders.
The disagreements persisted until sheep production became
more profitable than cattle.
Young Basque men from the Pyrenees Mountains, between France
and Spain, provided the labor for the sheep industry.
In their native land they had been fishermen, craftsmen, and
farmers, but in America, they turned their hands to sheep herding
and shearing. These
Basque emigrants had a significant cultural impact on Elmore County.
As the communities of Mountain Home, Glenns Ferry, Rocky Bar,
and Atlanta grew, residents began to push for a new county with a
centrally located county seat.
The creation of Elmore County was hotly debated.
Finally, as its last act, the last Territorial Legislature
created Elmore County on February 7, 1889.
The county seat changed location several times but in 1891 it
settled permanently in Mountain Home.
The period from 1890 to 1913 was known as the growth years
for the county. The
completion of the OSL, Oregon Short Line, railroad in 1883 allowed
for the shipment of mining and agricultural products to world
markets. The outbreak
of WWI intensified demand for these products, especially wool which
was used to manufacture military uniforms.
The end of the war also was the end of the agricultural boom.
The slump that began in the 20’s intensified during the Great
Depression. Many small
farmers and ranchers lost their land.
Economic conditions did not improve significantly in the
county until WWII. With
the outbreak of WWII crop prices improved and construction of
Mountain Home Air Force Base began.
The post-war era heralded permanent changes in the character
of the county. The
mining industry had collapsed, sheep were replaced by cattle, and
farming exploded with the introduction of new technologies.
The Air Base remained after the war, although it de-activated
for brief periods between 1945 and 1964.
The base had a tremendous impact on the community.
First, it became the largest employer in the county.
Second, the influx of military personnel and their families
resulted in a rapid growth of population.
Thirdly, business sectors grew to meet the needs of the air
base and its military family.
And, finally a diverse military population provided the
community with a wealth of cultural diversities unique in the state
of Idaho.
Early settlers were attracted to Elmore County because of the
promise of unlimited opportunities.
These opportunities still exist today.
And the future promises to be as exciting, turbulent, and
unpredictable as the past.
Elmore County is located in Southwestern Idaho.
It is bounded on the north by Boise County, on the east by
Blaine, Camas, Gooding, and Twin Falls counties, on the south by
Owyhee County, and on the west by Ada County.
Elmore is a large county covering more than
3,000 square miles.
Approximately 60% of the county is mountainous.
The remaining 40% slopes gently down into the Snake River
Plain. Elmore County
has altitudes ranging from 2500 feet to over 9700 feet.
70% of the county is owned by varying departments of the
federal government including the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S.
Department of Defense, and the Bureau of Land Management.
Approximately 22% of Elmore County’s lands are designated
farm lands.
The topography of Elmore County is extremely
varied, from low elevation plains to high, steep mountainous
terrain. The county is
divided into two district provinces, the Northern Rocky Mountain
Province-Idaho Batholith, and the Columbia Plateau Province-Snake
River Plain in the southern 1/3 of the county.
High glaciated mountains in the northern
province, especially the area north of Atlanta, are dotted with
several hundred glacial lakes.
The terrain is very steep, rocky, and rugged, and much is
granite rock covered with alpine vegetation.
The Snake River Plain supports both irrigated
agriculture and spring-fall grazing for cattle and sheep.
The major limitation to further expansion of agriculture in
this area is water.
Soils also are a limited factor in a few sections of the Snake River
Plain.
HIGHWAYS
The main highways weaving through the county are U.S. 30 and
Interstate 84.
Interstate Hwy I-84 transverses the southern part of the county from
northwest to southeast, by passing the two incorporated towns of
Mountain Home and Glenns Ferry.
I-84 provides adequate on-off ramps for easy access to both
cities. I-84 provides
the main transportation route for the trucking industry in the
northwestern section of the United States.
I-84 also provides good connections eastward to Salt Lake
City and points beyond.
State highways 51, 67 and 20 converge in Mountain Home,
providing a direct link to all of southwestern Idaho.
Hwy 67 is a four-lane, ten mile road that provides access to
Mountain Home Air Force Base.
RIVERS
The two major rivers in the county are the Snake River and
the Boise River. The
Snake River serves as the county’s natural boundary to the south,
while the Boise River provides a northern boundary.
Other important bodies of water in the county are the C.J.
Strike Reservoir, which is fed by the Snake River, and the Anderson
Ranch Reservoir, which is fed by the South Fork of the Boise River.
TEMPERATURE
The highest temperature on record in Atlanta was 101 degrees
(F). The lowest
temperature was minus 19 degrees (F).
Typically Atlanta has only 6 days a year with temperatures
above 90 degrees (F) and 232 days a year with temperatures below 32
degrees (F).
Mountain Home temperature extremes have varied between 110
degrees (F) to minus 36 degrees (F).
The town has temperatures above 90 degrees (F) on the average
55 days annually. 146
days a year the temperature falls to 32 degrees (F) or below.
Glenns Ferry on average has 62 days annually with
temperatures above 90 degrees (F) and 146 days when temperatures
fall below 32 degrees (F).
GROWING SEASON
Atlanta has the shortest growing season in the county with
only 21 days. Mountain
Home enjoys 136 days when temperatures are above 32 degrees (F), May
16 to September 29. The
Glenns Ferry area averages 143 days of temperatures above freezing,
May 5 to September 26.
DAYS OF SUNSHINE
In July and August there is an 80% to 85% chance of sunshine
in Elmore County. The
months with the least cloud cover, and therefore the sunniest days
occur between June and September.
WINDS
Wind speeds average 6 miles per hour or less 39% of the
time, and 7 to 15 miles per hour 41% of the time.
Damaging winds are rare.
Wind directions are quite variable.
Predominantly they blow from the northwest but occasionally
blow from the east to east-southeast.
Strong winds are generally from the west to northwest.
February to April are the windiest months with wind speeds of
22 mph or greater occurring 4% of the time.
Thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds occur most
frequently in June and July.
Tornadoes are very rare, but one was reported in the Mountain
Home area in the summer of 1986.
FOG, LOW VISIBILITY, LOW CLOUDS
Fog, low visibility, and low clouds are a wintertime
phenomenon. The
phenomena occurs with the greatest frequency in the month of
December, 11% of the days are foggy in December.
The fog is not usually dense however and Mountain Home Air
Force Base reports visibility of one mile or more 99% of the time.
The base also reports that 99% of the time the cloud deck is
500 feet or higher.
INVERSION
An inversion is a climatological phenomenon where the air
temperature gets warmer with an increase in altitude.
This traps cold air under warm air.
Inversions occur normally throughout the year but are of
particular interest in the winter because air pollutants get trapped
in the stagnant air.
Wood burning stoves contribute significantly to the air pollution
problems in the winter months.
75% of winter days begin with inversions in Elmore County.
Typically the inversion will clear before days end, and
rarely is air quality adversely affected.
To impact upon air quality, inversions must remain static for
three days or more.
Elmore County has many outstanding tourism and recreational
facilities. The county
offers a full panorama of recreational opportunities ranging from
the sand dunes in Bruneau to skiing on Soldier Mountain.
National Forests
There are two U.S. National Forest systems in the county, the
Boise National Forest and the Sawtooth National Forest.
Campsites are maintained by the forest services.
Both forest services offer visitors a variety of activities
ranging from beginning hiking trails, to wilderness camping to
backpacking.
Three Island Crossing State Park
Three Island State Park at historical Three Island Crossing
Ford, stands as a modern monument to the courage and foresight of
the Oregon pioneers who used the natural islands and sand bars to
cross the Snake River on their way to the Pacific Northwest.
The park is located in Glenns Ferry.
A visitor center contains photographs, memorabilia, and
information helpful to understanding the importance of this crossing
on the Oregon Trail.
Wagon ruts from the Oregon Trail are still visible in the park.
Bruneau Dunes
Twenty miles south of Mountain Home the two largest sand
dunes in North America can be found.
The dunes have formed in the Eagle Cove Depression, a former
part of the Snake River Canyon which remained after the river
changed its course during the Great Bonneville Flood.
The sand is decomposed lava rock blown off the plateau to the
south and dropped when the winds lose velocity.
It has been collecting for over 30,000 years.
Hikers will find early morning and late evening the best
times for viewing desert wildlife and seasonal wildflowers.
But, climbing the dunes at any time is great fun.
Boating
Boating is a very popular activity in Elmore County.
During warm, still, summer days, speed boats and water skiers
can be seen gliding across the two large reservoirs.
But, let a breeze begin to blow and a bevy of bright colored
sail boats and wind surfers join in the fun.
The Southern Idaho Sailing Association holds several regattas
during the summer racing season at C.J. Strike Reservoir.
The two major boating facilities in the county are Anderson
Ranch Reservoir and C.J. Strike Reservoir.
Both reservoirs have docking facilities.
Camping
Camping is another popular activity enjoyed by the residents
of Elmore County. There
are more than 250 maintained campsites in the county.
The amenities vary from full RV hookup to only a cleared tent
site.
Fishing and Hunting
Fishing and hunting are another popular past time.
A wide variety of fish can be caught in Elmore County
including: trout, sturgeon, bass, catfish, whitefish, perch,
kokanee. The variety of
catch is only surpassed by the variety of old fishing tales.
The Snake River and the South Fork of the Boise River provide
excellent fishing. But
many local fisherman claim the best fishing “hole” is in one of the
numerous little mountain lakes and streams that dot the county.
For those people who prefer a gun or bow to a
fly rod, Elmore County offers a bounty of hunting experiences.
Wild birds and game, like deer, elk, bear, mountain goat,
pheasant, quail, partridge, chukar, sage, grouse, wild duck, geese,
doves, and brant are found in abundance in Elmore County.
Skiing
For those people who enjoy winter sports,
Elmore County has a variety of activities to interest them.
Skiers will be exhilarated by the challenging downhill slopes
at the Soldier Mountain Ski Resort.
Cross country skiers will find well groomed trails in the
Boise National Forest.
Snowmobilers are not left out, designated snowmobile areas are
located in the county.