Idaho Ghost Towns and Mining Camps provides the most updated accounting of the mining camps and towns that grew and prospered during one of the greatest gold and silver strikes ever seen in the western United States. Adventurers from all walks of life ventured into unknown regions to play a game of chance with finding wealth in a mountain stream or deep beneath the snow-covered earth. Behind them they left the towns they had built, the railroad tracks that had connected them to the outside world and equipment now rusted from years of abandonment. Follow easy directions to locate the sites of over 120 towns and camps throughout Idaho

288 pages : color illustrations ; 23 cm

Fur, silver, and gold first lured men to Idaho Territory. Women soon followed. And what women they were! Molly B'Damn, Peg Leg Annie, Spanish Belle, Lou Beevers, Diamond Tooth Lil—the names alone promised excitement and intrigue. In fact, these madams led complex, turbulent lives. Meet Maggie Hall, a devout Catholic whose husband used her to pay off his gambling debts. Working as a prostitute, Maggie made her way west and, as Molly B'Damn, became the guardian angel of an Idaho mining camp. Or Annie McIntyre, a young girl among the prospectors and ne'er do wells of Rocky Bar who amassed a small fortune as the local madam only to lose it all—along with both her legs. Idaho Madams uncovers the enigmatic and salacious lives of 30 women who ran brothels in the Gem State from the 1850s to the 1980s. Here are the hedonistic and sometimes heroic exploits of Effie Rogan, Jennie Girard, Nettie Bowen, Ginger Murphy, Dixie Colton, and Dot Allen, but also the unsung sagas of Carrie Young, Grace Freeman, Willow Herman, Hattie Carlton, and many more. As told by author Milana Marsenich, the stories of these women come alive with voluptuous detail, historical photographs, and the social context of the times.

xvi, 139 pages : illustrations, portraits ; 23 cm

"As Idaho's State Historian, the question author Keith C. Petersen heard most was, "How did Idaho get such a strange shape?" In this book, he answers that popular inquiry, breaking the state's intriguing border story into six sections covering the fascinating events and people involved in creating the peculiar borders-boundaries that have held enormous influence on much of Idaho's political, economic, and cultural history"-- Provided by publisher

x, 217 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

"From Porthill to Franklin-from Weiser to Driggs, "Idaho inside and out" recounts the geology and the people who make the Gem State unique. Supercontinent Pangaea, the Snake River Plan, the Bonneville Flood, an aquifer with enough water to fill Lake Erie, and a subterranean ice cave in the midst of a lava desert are but a few of Idaho's natural wonders that are described. Sacajawea, Diamondfield Jack, Peg Leg Annie, John Mullan, Chief Pocatello, General B.L.E. Bonneville and many other colorful Idahoans are chronicled. Some were pillars of their communities, whereas others had no more influence than a whisp of smoke. Yet each of them added to Idaho's intriguing history. Additionally, "Idaho inside and out" contains 50 current and historical photos plus driving directions to the selected sites"-- Provided by publisher

189 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 23 cm

"Learn about the remarkable geologic diversity of the Gem State with the completely revised, full-color edition of Roadside Geology of Idaho. Excellent graphics, spectacular photographs, and straightforward writing describe and interpret the rocks and landscapes visible outside your car window, whether you're speeding across the Snake River Plain or following a narrow canyon enroute to a weekend getaway. The authors, a trio of experienced field geologists, guide you to outcrops and roadcuts where you can stretch your legs and expand your minds. The rocks of Idaho span a vast chunk of Earth's long-lived history and tell stories with many plot twists. Time and time again, geologic processes transformed the landscape-mountains grew to towering heights only to be leveled by erosion, vast lakes drained in massive floods when ice and sediment dams failed, and lava poured into river valleys, creating new dams. With this book as their travel companion, residents and visitors alike are sure to understand and appreciate Idaho's sprawling plains, forested hills, and deep canyons in a completely new"-- Provided by publisher

xiii, 384 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), color maps ; 23 cm.

"Did one woman single-handedly save the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition from certain death? According to legend, a woman from the Niimíipuu tribe who had been rescued from slavery by a white family felt led to advocate for the travelers. If not for her courage and compassion, the story of the American West might have taken a much different trajectory. Could there really be a monstrously large serpent plying the depths of Bear Lake? Many dismiss the stories as Native American legends originally told to keep whites from settling in the area. Yet, for over a century, alleged eyewitness accounts, newspaper articles, and even TV shows continue to feed belief in the existence of a Bear Lake Monster. Is it true that the town of Kellogg almost was named Jackass? According to legend, the discovery of ore that led to a massive silver rush in Idaho's panhandle should be credited not to Noah Kellogg, but to the down-on-his-luck prospector's mule, Bill. Unfortunately, neither Noah nor Bill reaped the full benefits of what became one of the world's richest mining districts. From President Cleveland's alleged love child to the UFO highway, Idaho Myths and Legends of makes history fun and pulls back the curtain on some of the Gem State's most fascinating and compelling stories"-- Provided by publisher

xxi, 193 pages : illustrations, map ; 23 cm.

"To discover the unworldly geologic novelties of the Gem State, all that is required is a good map, a sense of adventure, and Idaho Rocks!, a guide to 60 of the most compelling geologic sites in Idaho. The well-chosen destinations span the state's geologic history from the 2.6-billion-year-old gneiss in the Panhandle to 2,000-year-old lava at Craters of the Moon, and from gold and silver deposits hidden in Idaho's mountains to visible scars from recent earthquakes and landslides. With its beautiful photographs and informative figures and maps, this guidebook will get you up to speed on every aspect of Idaho's diverse geology"-- Provided by publisher

v, 153 pages : color illustrations, color maps ; 22 cm.

"Alan Minskoff's The Idaho Traveler is a field day for road trippers, a foodie's feast tour and every wanderer's dream-trek through the great Gem State. Minskoff shows us the route down the Idaho Pie Trail, meandering from the Wayside Café in Heyburn, Idaho, to the Pie Safe Bakery and Kitchen in Deary. Along the way, we meet up with locavores and librarians, rural mayors and councilwomen. This book is the holistic testament to the human, the historic, and the gustatory delights of the state of Idaho we have all been waiting for"-- Provided by publisher

293 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm

An exhaustive natural survey of all species known to exist in the Gem State, this encyclopedic book provides biologists, naturalists, students and anglers with the most complete reference of its kind.

xviii, 794 pages : color illustrations, color maps ; 29 cm

Geology professor Willsey aims to inspire more Idahoans and visitors to take an interest in one of the most compelling and fascinating regions of the earth. He aims to bridge the gap between geologists and the interested public by passing along a collection of fascinating stories told by southern Idaho's rocks and landscapes. Southern Idaho's geologic history spans about 2.5 billion years--more than half that of the Earth. Chapters represent a sampling of the unique geologic features that formed during this immense amount of time. Willsey selects accessible locations that are exceptional in terms of either location or geologic history. --Publisher

xi, 290 pages : color illustrations, color maps ; 23 cm.

Idaho was the forty-third state admitted to the Union, but it just might lead the nation in strange stories and offbeat legends. Author and Idaho resident Andy Weeks fills this collection of tales with stories ranging from compelling and heartfelt to outlandish and bizarre. Discover the boxcar that carried the alleged body of John Wilkes Booth through Idaho. Uncover the identity of Lady Bluebeard, the unassuming Twin Falls housewife who allegedly murdered four husbands. Find out how cars ended up at the bottom of Lake Coeur d'Alene. Learn the grisly story of Gobo Fango, a black Mormon sheepherder whose late 1800s bloody dispute with a cattleman on the open range proved fatal. These tales and many others bring to light Idaho's unruly past in fascinating detail

204 pages : illustrations ; 18 cm

Idaho's Place is an anthology of the most current and original writing on Gem State history. From the state's indigenous roots and early environmental battles to recent political and social events, these essays provide much-needed context for understanding Idaho's important role in the development of the American West. Through a creative approach that combines explorations of concepts such as politics, gender, and race with the oral histories of Idaho residents - the very people who lived and made state history - this unique collection sheds new light on the state's surprisingly contentious past. Readers, whether they are longtime residents or newcomers, tourists or seasonal dwellers, policy makers or historians, will be treated to a rich narrative in which the many threads of Idaho's history entwine to produce a complete tapestry of this beautiful and complex Western state.

ix, 310 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm

Idaho is rich in natural treasure with more than 100 named mountain ranges, surging rivers, deep canyons, abundant wildlife, seagoing fish, vast forests and picturesque lakes. Throughout the 20th Century many in Idaho saw the state's natural heritage threatened. Early in the 20th Century the state's club women campaigned for a Sawtooth National Park. In the 1930s, a hunting enthusiast named Harry Shellworth led a movement to establish a primitive area in central Idaho. A forester named Bob Marshall persuaded the Forest Service to designate an even larger primitive area north of the Salmon River. Despite these efforts Idaho suffered huge losses of fish and wildlife habitat. Beginning in 1954, sportsmen fought back by sponsoring an initiative to curb dredge mining damage and opposing dams on the Clearwater River and on the Snake River below the mouth of the Salmon. Still to come were intense struggles to stop a proposed open pit mine in the White Clouds, retain a free flowing Snake River in Hells Canyon and protect the Salmon River Wilderness. All of these battles were fought with the intent of preserving the land and the history that make up Idaho's natural heritage. The stories of the various conservation efforts are collected in this book

351 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

According to scholars, the Shoshone, Bannock, and Nez Percés Indians of Idaho obtained horses roughly three centuries ago. That makes them the "first stockmen of Idaho," although we know little of that history. Still, when the Lewis & Clark expedition visited the future state in 1805 and 1806, they met bands of skill horseback hunters and warriors, who owned vast herds of fine horses. Before the Spud details the history of Idaho stock raising during the century that followed that meeting

iii, 245 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

A fourth-grade textbook presenting the history, geography, resources, government, traditions, and ethnology of Idaho

257 pages : illustrations, maps ; 29 cm

Historical information concerning the Kutenai, Kalispel, Coeur d'Alene, NEz Perce, Shoshone-Bannock and Northern Paiute tribes of Idaho

207 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm.

Published in 1975, Helen M. Newell's Idaho's Place in the Sun provides a comprehensive overview of the Gem State's historical development, moving from its early indigenous populations and fur trappers through the territorial days to modern statehood. The book combines detailed historical narratives with rich anecdotal accounts, capturing the rugged spirit of the miners, ranchers, and pioneers who settled the challenging landscape. Illustrated with archival photographs, it serves as both an accessible introduction for general readers and a valuable reference for those interested in Pacific Northwest history.

Keen Insight: Newell’s narrative excels by treating Idaho not as a unified whole, but as a patchwork of isolated, geographically distinct micro-regions whose unique local struggles ultimately forged the state's broader cultural identity.

vi, 180 pages : illustrations, portraits ; 24 cm

250 pages : illustrations ; 23 x 31 cm

10 pages illustrations

The book provides a comprehensive overview of the history and development of the state of Idaho, including a detailed chronology of important events, a thorough exploration of the state's place names and their origins, and an extensive bibliography of literature related to Idaho's history. The book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of Idaho, and provides a fascinating glimpse into the state's past.

125 pages ; 22 cm

Published in 1917 by pioneer historian and Indian trader John E. Rees, Idaho: Its Meaning, Origin and Application is a focused etymological monograph attempting to definitively trace the linguistic roots of the state's name. The text argues that the word originates from the Shoshone exclamation "Ee-dah-how," romantically translated as "the sun comes down the mountain," drawing heavily upon Rees's personal interactions with local tribes and early frontier lore. By compiling linguistic fragments, regional myths, and legislative records, the booklet served to establish a poetic Indigenous pedigree for the newly minted state, one that was enthusiastically embraced by local civic boosters despite subsequent linguistic disputes. A keen insight drawn from the work is how the pioneer-era appropriation of Native language functioned as a form of cultural trophy-hunting; by cementing a highly romanticized, settler-translated Indigenous phrase as the official state identity, early historians actively co-opted Native heritage to give the colonial government an aura of natural, ancient legitimacy while simultaneously overseeing the systemic marginalization of the very people whose language they claimed to honor.

Vol. 18, No. 2 (Jun., 1917), pp. 83-92 (10 pages)

Published in 1899 by the Lewis Publishing Company, this expansive volume offers a comprehensive chronicle of Idaho’s evolution from its earliest European exploration and volatile territorial days through its first crucial decade of statehood. A keen insight drawn from the text is how its enthusiastic, progress-driven narrative actively attempts to rebrand Idaho—deliberately transitioning its public reputation from a transient, lawless mining frontier into a stable, unified agricultural and civic powerhouse ready for outside investment. To reinforce this vision of civilized permanence, the text devotes substantial space to extensive biographical sketches of the prominent pioneers, merchants, and ranchers who built the state's foundational institutions. Ultimately, the work stands as both a vital genealogical archive and a fascinating artifact of Gilded Age boosterism designed to cement a cohesive identity for the newly formed state.

xv, 726 pages, 105 unnumbered leaves of plates : frontispiece (portrait) illustrations, portraits ; 30 cm