Historic Silver City, Idaho
Historic Silver City, Idaho
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Silver City, Idaho. 1892. (#6018-140) Historical Photograph Collection, University of Idaho Library, Moscow, Idaho. [Image: Public Domain, via Wikipedia]
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Historic Silver City, with The Idaho Hotel at a distance, left. Photograph by Kristin Holt in 2016.
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In its heyday Silver city had six general stores, two hardware stores, a tin shop, two meat markets, two hotels, four restaurants, eight saloons, a bakery, a shoe shop, a foundry, a photograph gallery, a brewery, a soda bottling works, two livery stables, a feed store, three drug stores, a jeweler, three blacksmiths, a furniture store and undertaking parlor, two lumber yards, a tailor shop, three barber shops, a newspaper, four lawyers and two doctors and a miner’s Union hospital.
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~ Daytrip Destination: Silver City, Eagle Informer, July 2011
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Getchell Drug Store and Post Office, Silver City (privately owned). Image courtesy of leblogusadedom.com. Business partially visible on far left is the Silver Slipper Saloon.
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2016: Getchell Drug Store and Post Office. Photo, Kristin Holt.
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Vintage portrait of a woman, standing inside her home, with many potted houseplants. Image: Silver City, Owyhee County, Idaho, Public Domain. Image: P1960-139-22 Idaho State Archives.
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Vintage shop stands in Silver City, with “Barber Shop” sign in window. Look at that gorgeous front door! Photographed by Kristin Holt, 2016.
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Historic Photo of Main Street, Silver City, Idaho. Image date 1894 – 1896. Location: Silver City, Owyhee County, Idaho. Public Domain. Courtesy of Idaho State Archives, Idaho State Historical Society, Identifier: P1960-139-7.
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Silver City is a ghost town in Owyhee County, Idaho, United States. At its height in the 1880s, it was a gold and silver mining town with a population of around 2,500 and approximately 75 businesses. Silver City served as county seat of Owyhee County from 1867 to 1934. Today, the town has about 70 standing buildings.
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…Silver City was founded in 1864 soon after silver was discovered at nearby War Eagle Mountain. The settlement grew quickly and was soon considered one of the major cities in Idaho Territory. The first daily newspaper and telegraph office in Idaho Territory were established in Silver City. The town was also among the first places in present-day Idaho to receive electric and telephone service.
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Vintage telephone, with crank, mouthpiece, exposed bells, and wooden case. Telephone on display at The Idaho Hotel.
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Millions of dollars of ore shipped out on wagons from Silver City, Idaho. Eight horses pull the wagon laden with ore. Notice the power pole (rising behind (and between) the two men on the wagon seat. A lamp post stands before the buildings, just off the photo’s center.
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“Shipments of bullion by Wells, Fargo and Co., from their office in Ruby (Silver) City, for January 1869, amount in the aggregate to $114,000 coin, or $152,000 currency.” From Owyhee Semi-Weekly Tidal Wave of Silver City, Idaho Territory, February 2, 1869.
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Vintage photograph of Wells Fargo in Silver City, Idaho. Image courtesy of Pinterest.
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Photo of historic church, Our Lady of Tears, in Silver City. Photo by Kristin Holt, 2016.
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Stage at courthouse, Silver City, Idaho Territory. Image courtesy of leblogusadedom.
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Birth announcement in Owyhee Semi-Weekly Tidal Wave of Silver City, Idaho Territory on December 18, 1868. “Born at the Idaho Hotel…”
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The Idaho Hotel photographed by Kristin Holt, 2016.
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Troops Leaving Silver City for Sampson’s fleet. Photographed in front of Idaho Hotel, May 1898. Image courtesy of Idaho State Historical Society. P1960-139-24, Idaho State Archives.
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1890 photogrpah of people and horses on a street in Silver City, Idaho. Image courtesy of leblogusadedom.
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Remnants of mining history in Silver City, Idaho. Image: 2016, Kristin Holt.
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Owyhee Trade Dollar Mine circa 1900. Image courtesy of Western Mining History.
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Mining operation relics in historic Silver City, Idaho. Image: 2016, Kristin Holt.
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Downtown Silver City, Freighting. Image Courtesy of howtofindgoldnuggets.com.
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Remnants of mining operation in historic Silver City, Idaho. Image: 2016, taken by Kristin Holt.
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Smith’s Freight Team in Silver City, in front of office of the Probate Judge Wm. E. Lewis and Co. Image Courtesy of Idaho State Historical Society. P1960-139-3, Idaho State Archives.
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1899: The Silver City mining district was the nation’s second ranking silver producing area, surpassed only the Comstock load of Nevada.
~Daytrip Destination: Silver City, Eagle Informer, July 2011
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Note the open pit beneath the grating (to protect people from falling into the mining shaft). The mountainside surrounding (and within city limits) Silver City is riddled with mines. Image: 2016, taken by Kristin Holt.
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1868 Photograph of Opposition Stage Office in Silver City. Image courtesy of Western Mining History.
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Intersection of Washington and Deadman Alley in historic Silver City, Idaho. Image: 2016, Kristin Holt.
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Victorian photograph taken in Silver City by unknown photographer. Unidentified persons sitting on porch of a cabin. Image courtesy of: Idaho State Archives, Idaho State Historical Society. Identifier: P1960-139-11.
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Privately owned historic residence. Note the window panes and stone foundation. Photo taken by Kristin Holt in 2016.
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Another view of private residence in Silver City.
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July 4, 1894: Silver City, looking north on the tree-lined Washington Street. Crowd is watching a drilling contest on Independence Day. Image courtesy of Idaho State Historical Society: P1960-139-5, Idaho State Archives.
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Historic private residence in Silver City.
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Twelve women posed on a porch in Silver City, Idaho by unknown photographer. Styles indicate 1890s. Image credit: Idaho State Archives, Idaho State Historical Society. Identifier: P1960-139-16.
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Structures standing in Silver City. Privately owned. Photo by Kristin Holt in 2016.
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A Fire occurred on Jordan Street on Monday night, nearly opposite the Snug Saloon, which, but for the timely appearance of George Gilmore on the spot, would have destroyed the town in a very short time. A sharp lookout should be kept for fire. We can’t always escape, but dilligence [sic] may put off the evil day. Means should immediately be raised and a pipe procured for the waterworks. Every man, woman and child is interested. A fire would turn us all out in the cold.
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~ Semi-Weekly Tidal Wave of Silver City, Idaho Territory. December 18, 1868.
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Vintage photograph attributed to Silver City, Idaho. Shows men in a saloon, with a long mahogany bar. Courtesy of GhostTowns.com.
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Private historical residence in Silver City. Photo by Kristin Holt, 2016.
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Kristin Holt | Historic Silver City, Idaho. Vintage photograph of a cabin, heavily laden wagon, and six horses. Image courtesy of GhostTown.com. Attributed to Silver City, Idaho.
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Stone steps and garden gate to an historic private residence in Silver City. Image: 2016, by Kristin Holt. Note the screen door!
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Vintage photograph of a group on a residential porch in Silver City, Idaho. Furthest left is Henry Swanholm, next to him is Permeal French the first woman to serve as State Super of Public Instruction, 1898 – 1903. Image: Public Domain. Image courtesy of Idaho State Archives, Idaho state Historical Society. Identifier: P1960-139-9. Take note of the best-dress 1890s balloon sleeves, fancy ladies’ hats, and men’s suits of clothes. The men have removed their hats, a matter of etiquette.
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Stoddard Mansion; a restored private residence in Silver City, Idaho. Image: 2016, Kristin Holt.
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Front view of the Historic Stoddard Mansion in Silver City. Image via flickr.
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Creek running through Silver City, Idaho. Image: 2016, Kristin Holt.
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1896 Aerial View of Silver City, Idaho Territory. Reprint for sale.
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From Owyhee Semi Weekly Tidal Wave of Silver City, Idaho Territory on December 22, 1868.
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From Owyhee Semi-Weekly Tidal Wave of Silver City, January 29, 1869. Announcement of school back in session after teacher’s illness.
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Silver City historic school (white, on the left) and Masonic Lodge (brown, on the right). The schoolhouse is the only fully restored building in Silver City. Image: 2016, Kristin Holt. Did you notice small outhouses scattered near residences and other buildings?
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Fraternities meet at Masonic Hall in Silver City, Idaho Territory. Published in Owyhee Semi-Weekly Tidal Wave of Silver City, Idaho Territory, December 18, 1868. Don’t miss the “Genuine Havana Cigars” ad (bottom) at J. Huelat & Co.’s.
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Historic Hoffer Miller Meat Market. Silver City, Idaho. Image: 2016, taken by Kristin Holt.
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From Owyhee Semi-Weekly Tidal Wave of Silver City, January 15, 1869. Butcher Philip Kohlheyer demands payment from all who owe him.
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Vintage Photograph (1896) Labor Day Parade in Silver City. Image courtesy of Idaho State Archives, Idaho State Historical Society, Identifier: P1960-139-6.
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Partially standing remains of stone-walled Silver City buildings. Photographed by Kristin Holt, 2016.
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Vintage photograph of Silver City, Idaho. Taken about 1900. Image courtesy of hmdb.org.
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Quilt on display in Ladies Parlor of Idaho Hotel. Each quilt block features a photograph of an historic structure (business, home, church, etc.) of Silver City, Idaho. Photo 2016, Kristin Holt.
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Owyhee County, Idaho
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![Kristin Holt | Historic Silver City, Idaho. Image showing location of Owyhee County, Idaho (south-east corner). [Image: Public Domain, courtesy of Wikipedia]](https://www.kristinholt.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Owyhee-County-Image-194x300.png "Kristin Holt | Historic Silver City, Idaho. Image showing location of Owyhee County, Idaho (south-east corner). [Image: Public Domain, courtesy of Wikipedia]")
Owyhee County, Idaho (south-west corner). [Image: Public Domain, courtesy of Wikipedia]
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History
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On December 31, 1863, Owyhee County became the first county organized by the Idaho Territorial Legislature. While Boise, Idaho, Nez Perce and Shoshone counties were organized under the laws of Washington Territory, they were not recognized by the Idaho Territory until February 1864. The original county seat at Ruby City was moved to nearby Silver City in 1867…
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Owyhee County’s history is closely linked to the mining boom that dominated Idaho Territory in the second half of the 19th century. Silver City and Ruby City are among the state’s most noteworthy ghost towns from the period. At its height in the 1880s, Owyhee County was among the most populous places in Idaho. Today it is among the least populous, at 1.4 persons per square mile (0.5 per km²).
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Jacquie Rogers’s Much Ado About Silver City
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Why was I in Silver City? To meet up with author Jacquie Rogers, of course!
#JacquieRogersAdo16
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Jacquie Rogers’s MUCH ADO ABOUT SILVER CITY event. Held in the historic ghost town, June 17-19, 2016. Image courtesy of Jacquie Rogers.
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Updated April 2022
Copyright © 2016 Kristin Holt LC
Historic Silver City, Idaho
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Beautiful photographs. It was very nice meeting you and chatting.
Thank you, Mercedes!
Meeting you was one of my highlights! I like nice people! =)
Hugs,
Kristin