Silver City

Silver City, ID
A Quick History Lesson...
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. Today, the town has about 70 standing buildings.

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.

Between 1863 and 1865, more than two hundred and fifty mines were in operation and hundreds more were developed thereafter. Through the seventy-odd years of mining, more than twelve ore-processing mills gleaned rich rewards in tons of gold and silver. Large stacks of gold and silver ingots were photographed for posterity. At the very least, sixty million dollars worth of precious metals were taken from the area. At today's prices, that amount would be even more impressive. At the present time, there are no major mines operating in the area.

A busy Summer called for a rather spontaneous getaway. Brock visited Silver City as a child and has always wanted to go back...so we went. We enjoyed hiking around, imagining what life was like for those who once lived there. Unfortunately most of the buildings were closed for viewing. We did make friends with a couple that owns the Masonic lodge and even got a private tour. We stayed and camped for a night, before we headed to Boise to visit grandma and grandpa!