Ghost Towns of Idaho (A-D)

County: Cassia
Zip Code: 83311
Latitude / Longitude: 42° 24′ 39″ N, 113° 34′ 51″ W
Elevation: 4,724 ft (1,440 m)
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Comments: Albion is a city in Cassia County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Remains: Albion is one of the few cities in the Magic Valley region of Idaho founded before 1900. Beginning in 1893 it was home of the Albion State Normal School, which trained many Idaho teachers. The school was closed in 1951 and its teaching programs were transferred to Idaho State College (now Idaho State University) in Pocatello. By 2006 the campus had fallen into serious disrepair.
Current Status: The population was 267 at the 2010 census. Albion was the county seat of Cassia County from 1879 to 1918.
Remarks: The first settlement at Albion was made ca. 1875. The city was named for Albion, the poetic name for Great Britain. D. L. Evans Bank was founded in Albion in 1904. Although the bank’s headquarters is now located in Burley, it continues to operate a branch in Albion.

Aline, ID

County: Teton
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude:
Elevation:
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
Established: 1888
Disestablished: 1910
Comments: Aline was the first settlement of Latter-day Saints in what is today Teton County, Idaho. It was formed in 1888. However, by 1901 it was overshadowed as the main town by Driggs, Idaho and basically ceased to exist.
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Atlanta, ID

County: Elmore
Zip Code: 83601
Latitude / Longitude: 43° 48′ 6″ N, 115° 7′ 36″ W
Elevation: 5,383 ft (1,641 m)
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Comments: Atlanta is an unincorporated community in Elmore County, Idaho, United States.
Remains: It was founded in 1864 during the Civil War as a gold and silver mining community and named by Southerners after a rumored Confederate victory over General Sherman in the Battle of Atlanta, which turned to be wholly false, but the name stuck. Mining activity near Atlanta preceded its establishment as a mining community. The John Stanley party discovered gold on the nearby Yuba River on July 20, 1864, just two days prior to the battle back in Georgia. That November, John Simmons made the discovery of the Atlanta lode which contained both gold and silver. Atlanta is at an elevation of 5,383 feet (1,641 m) above sea level surrounded by the Boise National Forest, located near the headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Boise River, approximately 2 miles (3 km) east of the mouth of the Yuba River. The Sawtooth Mountains are directly north, the Sawtooth Wilderness starts about a mile (1.6 km) north of Atlanta, at the base of Greylock Mountain, which summits at 9,363 feet (2,854 m).
Current Status: Idaho City is approximately 35 miles (56 km) due west, as the crow flies. Galena Summit on State Highway 75 is about 25 air miles (40 km) to the east-northeast. Atlanta is about 40 miles (64 km) from two paved highways. It is east of State Highway 21, accessed on unimproved U.S. Forest Service roads. Atlanta is north of U.S. Highway 20, which is accessed by heading south on USFS roads through Rocky Bar, Featherville, and Pine. The junction with US-20 is just east of the Anderson Ranch Reservoir on the South Fork of the Boise River Atlanta can also be accessed by following the unimproved road from Arrowrock Dam which climbs with the Middle Fork of the Boise River.
Remarks: Though founded as a mining community, and a number of private claims remain in the area, no significant commercial mining has occurred in the area for over 50 years, though more recently inquiries into opening a new plant have seen some headway. In place of mining, Atlanta has diversified into areas such as tourism, back-country activities, and preservation of the town’s lengthy historic legacy. The Atlanta Historic District, a 10-acre historic district including 12 contributing buildings was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Banner, ID

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Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Bayhorse, ID

County: Custer
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude: 44° 23′ 52″ N, 114° 18′ 42″ W
Elevation:
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
Established: 1877
Disestablished:
Comments: Bayhorse is a ghost town in Custer County, Idaho, United States, founded in 1877. After a new gold mine failed, silver was discovered in the area and a mine was started. Bayhorse was originally established by the silver mine.
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Current Status: In 1976, the entire community was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The town property was purchased by the state in 2006 and opened to the public in 2009 as part of the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park.
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Bellevue, ID

County: Blaine
Zip Code: 83313
Latitude / Longitude: 43° 27′ 54″ N, 114° 15′ 24″ W
Elevation: 5,167 ft (1,575 m)
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Comments: Bellevue is a city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 2,287 at the 2010 census, up from 1,876 in 2000. It is located in the Wood River Valley, about 18 miles (29 km) south of the resort area of Ketchum and Sun Valley. The city of Hailey and the Friedman Memorial Airport are a few miles north of Bellevue. The Big Wood River flows near downtown. The Bellevue Historic District and the Henry Miller House are both listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Bellevue area was explored by fur trader Alexander Ross in 1824.
Remains: Bellevue was settled and chartered in 1882. The city is located on a mile-wide plateau noted for its rich soil suitable for fruit growing. The nearby lands are also rich with resources, and Bellevue grew as a mining town. Between 1881 and the 1893 crash of the silver market, the mines near Bellevue produced more than $60 million worth of silver, lead, and gold. Some of Bellevue’s mines included Keystone, Palmas, Antelope, Big Camus, Phoenix, Paymaster, Silver Tide, and Monday Mine. The community soon had two newspapers, The Bellevue Daily Sun and The Bellevue Chronicle. In 1880, the Bellevue M.E. Church was established, as was Bellevue IOOF Lodge No. 9. The International Hotel was built at Main and Oak and could accommodate 75 guests. A mining smelter was also constructed. From 1889 to 1895, it was the county seat of Logan County, Idaho. A devastating fire engulfed the city’s business district in 1905, started when the Seymour Saloon’s bartender lit a match to investigate a gasoline leak. Then in 1957, windows in Bellevue were shattered and the city was rocked when 8 tons of dynamite and 56 rounds of artillery shells accidentally detonated at a mine west of the city.
Current Status: The Wood River Rock Festival took place in 1971 in nearby Slaughterhouse Gulch. The festival was plagued by faulty sound equipment, cold weather, inadequate facilities, poor attendance, and grasshoppers. Eight people were arrested for drug possession, and three for drunk driving. Local farmer Dave Markham lost his llama ‘Dagwood’ to mountain lions in 1998, while another local farmer Bill Sherbine was named Idaho Barley Grower of the Year in 2004, and received $500 and a trip to the Coors Brewing Company in Golden, Colorado. In 2003, Bellevue was the location of the Murder of Diane and Alan Scott Johnson. Then in 2012, Bellevue’s Mayor Jon Anderson committed a murder-suicide, killing his ex-wife and then himself. In 2009, Bellevue’s City Clerk, Lacey Ann Loughmiller, was sentenced to 180 days in jail after being convicted of embezzling almost $14,000 from the city.
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Big Creek, ID

County: Shoshone
Zip Code: 83837
Latitude / Longitude: 47° 30′ 52.06″ N, 116° 4′ 1.64″ W
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Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Comments: Big Creek is an unincorporated community in Shoshone County, Idaho, United States, outside Kellogg and South of the Shoshone Country Club, where National Forest Develop Road 264 becomes Big Creek Road.
Remains: It is home to two large mines: the Crescent and Sunshine mines. The Sunshine mine is one of the largest producers of silver; in its history it produced more silver than the famous Comstock Lode in Nevada.
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Remarks: The community is associated to the ZIP code of Kellogg (83837).

Black Lake, ID

Bonanza, ID

County: Custer
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude: 44° 22′ 14″ N, 114° 43′ 40″ W
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Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Comments: Bonanza is a ghost town in Custer County, Idaho, United States. It was originally established as a mining town. As of 2005, the land is privately owned but open to the public. Custer has a museum for the gold-rush era where visitors can experience the lives of the citizens of Custer and can search for gold.
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Remarks: Bonanza is the site of one of many Boot Hill Cemetery.

Boulder Basin, ID

Boulder City, ID

Broadford, ID

Burgdorf, ID

County: Idaho
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude: 45° 16′ 37.2″ N, 115° 54′ 50.4″ W
Elevation: 6,115 ft (1,864 m)
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
Established: 1901
Disestablished:
Comments: Burgdorf is an unincorporated community in Idaho County, Idaho, United States, located approximately 30 miles (50 km) north of McCall at an elevation of 6,115 feet (1,864 m) above sea level. Originally a sacred site for Native Americans, its hot springs were discovered by unknown Chinese miners and settled by young German immigrant Fred C. Burgdorf in the late 1860s. Burgdorf had mined in nearby Warren to the east and turned the area at the hot springs into a resort by 1870.
Remains: Following a new mining rush in 1898 at Thunder Gulch, the resort was refurbished and expanded in 1902 by Burgdorf and his new young wife, a singer from Denver named Janette Foronsard. Originally known as “Resort,” it became “Burgdorf” at this time, but the former name continued in usage for several years. Following Janette’s death in 1923, Burgdorf sold his interest and moved to Weiser.
Current Status: Much of the community has now been deserted, although reconstruction has been attempted.[citation needed] The community possessed a post office as late as 1945, although it has since been closed.
Remarks: In 1972, the community was added as a historic district to the National Register of Historic Places. Basketball coach George Karl was once part-owner of Burgdorf.

Burke, ID

County: Shoshone
Zip Code: 83807
Latitude / Longitude: 47° 31′ 13″ N, 115° 49′ 13″ W
Elevation: 3,700 ft (1,100 m)
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Comments: Burke is a ghost town in Shoshone County, Idaho, United States, established in 1887. Once a thriving silver, lead, and zinc mining community, the town saw a significant decline in the mid-twentieth century after the closure of several mines.
Remains: In its early years, Burke was home to the Hercules silver mine, the owners of which were implicated in the Idaho mining wars of 1899. Both the Hecla and Star mines also operated out of Burke, and the town was a significant site during the 1892 Couer d’Alene labor strike. Burke’s geographical location within the narrow 300-foot-wide (91 m) Burke Canyon resulted in unique architectural features, such as a hotel built above the railway and Canyon Creek, with the train track running through a portion of the hotel lobby. Beginning in 1884, miners discovered an abundance of lead and silver in the Burke Canyon. The first mine there, known as the Tiger Mine, was discovered in May 1884. By the end of 1885, over 3,000 tons of ore had been extracted from the Tiger Mine. In 1887, the Tiger Mine was sold to S.S. Glidden for USD$35,000, and Glidden began construction on a railway to transport ore down the canyon from Burke to Wallace. In 1887, the Northern Pacific Railway improved upon the rail after accumulations of mined ore in the town had reached over 100,000 pounds (45,000 kg), and the town of Burke was established. The first shipment of ore to Wallace took place on December 12, 1887. The town was serviced with trains by the Northern Pacific and the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company. Given its position within the narrow canyon, Burke had to share its boundaries with the Northern Pacific rail spur, resulting in a railway that occupied the street running through town. The limited space purportedly forced businesses on the west side of the railway to have to retract their awnings when trains passed through, though according to Bill Dunphy, a town resident, this was an exaggeration: “It was narrow,” he recalled. “They always said that when a train came through Burke, you had to hoist the awnings to get the train through, which wasn’t right. But it’s a good story.”
Current Status: After several natural disasters and years of decline in the mid-twentieth century, Burke mining operations finally ceased in 1991 with the closing of the Star mine. In 2002, about 300 people lived in or nearby Burke Canyon. Burke is located about 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Wallace, at an elevation of 3,700 feet (1,130 m) above sea level. It is accessed from Wallace on Burke-Canyon Creek Road (State Highway 4). The town is located approximately 100 miles (160 km) south of the Canadian province of British Columbia, and roughly 5 miles (8.0 km) west of the bordering U.S. state of Montana.
Remarks: On February 4, 1890, the first of several avalanches in Burke’s history caused major damage to the residences and businesses in the town and killed three people. Beginning in 1891, tensions between miners and the mining companies began to rise. In 1892, hard rock miners in Shoshone County protested wage cuts with a strike. Two large mines, the Gem Mine and the Frisco mine in Burke Canyon 1 mile south of Burke operated with replacement workers during the strike. Several lost their lives in a shooting war provoked by the discovery of a company spy named Charles A. Siringo. On the morning of July 11, 1892, a gunfight at the nearby Frisco Mill inadvertently ignited a box of dynamite, causing the mill to explode, killing six people. The U.S. Army forced an end to the strike. By the mid-twentieth century, mining operations in Burke had slowed after the closure of several mines. The last mine in Burke closed in 1991. According to U.S. Census data, there were a total of fifteen residents in Burke in 1990. In recent years, Hecla Mining Company has been exploring the potential of exploiting additional resource deposits in the Star mine. As of December 31, 2012, Hecla invested $7 million in rehabilitation and exploration with published estimates suggesting the potential to recover in excess of 25 million ounces of silver from the site with significant zinc and lead deposits also present.

Callender, ID

Cariboo, ID

Caribou City, ID

County: Bonneville
Zip Code: 83285
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Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Comments: Caribou City was named after Caribou Jack who discovered gold on Caribou Mountain above the town. Almost immediately a town arose overnight. It was settled in 1897. It was mainly a tent town and later had 1,500 residents, a close competition to the residents of Eagle Rock(Idaho Falls)and Pocatello. There was 1,673,892 dollars worth of gold that was deposited from the mines around Caribou City. In 1900, a post office was built and at the time, Caribou City boasted 32 whorehouses, saloons, and gambling dens. There was about 700 Chinese miners who inhabited Caribou City over the years. In 1930, the last resident, who was at the time 96 years old, was moved to nearby Swan Valley, where he lived with family members. At it’s prime, Caribou City was one of the biggest mining camps in the American West. Caribou City and nearby Caribou Mountain can be reached from Henry north of Soda Springs on Highway 30, about 21 miles north of Henry. If not sure, just ask locals and they will gladly point out Caribou City and Mountain. Submitted by: Ralph Nixon
Remains: No current residents and very few remaining structures. Old mining equipment abandoned on hillsides around the site.
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Centerville, ID

County: Boise
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude: 43° 54′ 46″ N, 115° 53′ 32″ W
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Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Comments: Centerville is an unincorporated community in Boise County, in the U.S. state of Idaho.
Remains: Centerville was a mining community named from its location in the center of the Boise Basin. A post office was established as Centreville in 1864, the spelling was changed to Centerville in 1893, and the post office closed in 1952. An early variant name was “Hogum”.
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Chesterfield, ID

County: Caribou
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude: 42° 52′ 1″ N, 111° 54′ 7″ W
Elevation: 5,446ft (1,660m)
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
Established: 1881
Disestablished:
Comments: Chesterfield is a ghost town in Caribou County, Idaho, United States. It is located in Gem Valley at an elevation of 5,446 feet (1,660 m). The community includes a cemetery and former buildings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) such as a former meeting house, amusement hall, and tithing house.
Remains: In 1980, the community was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district and is also on the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation’s Mormon Historic Sites Registry. The historic district includes 41 buildings and eight sites, spread out over an area of 2,160 acres (870 ha). Some buildings in the district are examples of the Greek Revival and Queen Anne architectural styles. In 1879, Chester Call and his niece’s husband, Christian Nelson, established a horse ranch in the area. Thinking this might be a good area in which to live, Chester Call told his family and friends about the area and they decided to come and settle in 1881 and 1882. Chesterfield’s first settlers built their homes in the river bottom of the Portneuf River, west of present-day Chesterfield. Unlike typical Mormon settlements, which were founded by settlers sent by LDS Church authorities, the community was founded spontaneously by its first settlers. and not set up in the typical compact, grid-patterned townsite. Also in 1881, the Union Pacific Railroad started to construct the Oregon Short Line Railroad to the south of Chesterfield, running through present-day Bancroft. The new settlers sold logs and railroad ties to the railroad, raising much-needed cash. In 1883, LDS Church authorities visited the area to establish a branch. While there, the visiting leaders asked their members to organize into a central village, away from the Portneuf River flood plain. The current Chesterfield townsite was chosen up along the foothills. As in traditional Mormon towns, Chesterfield was laid out in a grid pattern, consisting of thirty-five ten-acre blocks. By 1890, the LDS meetinghouse and a store were the only buildings on the townsite as a mistake in the government survey kept the land off the market for a time.
Current Status: Located along a route of the Oregon Trail, Chesterfield was founded by Mormon settlers in 1881. After a railroad line was built through Bancroft to the south, the community lost some of its momenta, and agricultural difficulties led to its desertion by the end of the 1930s. Today, the community is operated as a tourist attraction, with guided tours and a museum.
Remarks: The LDS Meetinghouse is the most prominent and best-preserved building in Chesterfield. It was built between 1887 and 1892. The original Amusement Hall was erected in 1895, next door to the LDS Meetinghouse. The building was the center for social activities for Chesterfield. It consisted of a large room with a hardwood dance floor and a stage. Over time, the building was reduced to ruins. The Amusement Hall was restored between 1999 and 2003. LDS members pay tithing to the Church. Few members could pay cash around 1900, so grains, vegetables, eggs, and farm animals were instead paid “in kind.” The Tithing Office and the Tithing Granary were constructed in 1900. Grain donations were stored in the Tithing Granary. The Tithing Office was where members came to pay their tithing and the goods were dispensed to those in need; the facility acted as a sort of a warehouse and general store. The Nathan Barlow House, built about 1900, was the home of the postmaster and owner of the general store. After the Panic of 1907 and the harsh winter of 1907-1908, Nathan Barlow lost all of his money and moved out of the community. The home was restored in 2009, with descendants of Nathan Barlow contributing the furnishings. The Ira Call cabin is a saltbox-style home. It contained two polygamous families for a short time. Aunt Ruth Call David’s cabin built of red pine logs with a dirt floor in 1881 and 1882. Aunt Ruth was a Native American who was adopted by Chester Call’s parents in the 1860s. As the town’s midwife, she delivered most of the babies.

Chilly, ID

County: Custer
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude: 44° 4′ 40″ N, 113° 52′ 44″ W
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Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Comments: Chilly is an unincorporated community in Custer County, Idaho.
Remains: A post office called Chilly was established in 1902, and remained in operation until 1958. The community was so named on account of the often chilly air at the elevated town site.
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Clayton, ID

County: Custer
Zip Code: 83227
Latitude / Longitude: 44° 15′ 32″ N, 114° 23′ 59″ W
Elevation: 5,489 ft (1,673 m)
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
Established: 1881
Disestablished:
Comments: Clayton is a city in Custer County, Idaho, United States.
Remains: The name is derived from early resident Clayton Smith, who is alleged to be the owner of a bawdy house. It is adjacent to the Salmon River. Clayton was founded in 1881 as a smelter site for the nearby mines, but now is a tourist location.
Current Status: The population was 7 at the 2010 census, down from 27 in 2000.
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Cleveland, ID

Cliff City, ID

Cobalt, ID

County: Lemhi
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude: 45° 5′ 35″ N, 114° 13′ 54″ W
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Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Comments: Cobalt is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho.
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Comeback Mining Camp, ID

County: Boise
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Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Concord, ID

Cuprum, ID

County: Adams
Zip Code: 83612
Latitude / Longitude: 45°05’12″N 116°41’22″W
Elevation: 4,298 ft (1,310 m)
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
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Comments: Cuprum is an unincorporated community in Adams County in the U.S. state of Idaho. The community is located 27 mi (43 km) northwest of Council.
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Custer, ID

County: Custer
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude: 44° 23′ 15″ N, 114° 41′ 45″ W
Elevation: 6,470 ft (1,972 m)
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
Established: 1877
Disestablished:
Comments: Custer is a ghost town in Custer County, Idaho, United States. Established in 1877, it is located at 44°23’15″N 114°41’45″W (44.3874133, -114.6959118), at an elevation of 6,470 feet (1,972 m). It lies along Yankee Fork Road southwest of the city of Challis, within the Challis National Forest.
Remains: In 1981, the community was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. Although the district covers an area of 29 acres (12 ha), only seven buildings retain enough historic integrity to qualify as contributing properties.
Current Status:
Remarks: Most of Custer is now included in the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park, which also includes the historic Yankee Fork gold dredge, nearby.

Czizek, ID

De Lamar, ID

County: Owyhee
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude: 43° 1′ 28″ N, 116° 49′ 53″ W
Elevation: 5,463 ft (1,665 m)
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
Established: 1889
Disestablished:
Comments: De Lamar (also DeLamar) is a ghost town in Owyhee County, Idaho, United States. Its elevation is 5,463 ft (1,665 m), and it is approximately 6 mi (9.7 km) west of Silver City. The community lies within an area governed by the Bureau of Land Management.
Remains: The community formed around the De Lamar Mine, which was established in 1888. Named for mining magnate and former sea captain Joseph Raphael De Lamar, the mine and community quickly boomed and busted, declining after 1890. Despite the community’s decline, it continued to exist as a populated community for several decades; it was the location of a summer-only post office from 1917 to 1930.
Current Status: In 1976, the ghost town was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. Although the district included an area of approximately 1,600 acres (650 ha), only four of the community’s buildings remained insufficient condition to qualify as contributing properties.
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Deadwood City, ID

Decorah, ID

Dewey, ID

County: Owyhee
Zip Code:
Latitude / Longitude: 43°02’25″N 116°45’44″W
Elevation: 6,010 ft (1,830 m)
Time Zone: Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
Established:
Disestablished:
Comments: Dewey is a ghost town in Owyhee County, Idaho, United States. The town was settled in 1863 and named “Booneville”, after its first inhabitant, Captain Boone. Booneville was at first very prosperous, but then fell into decay.
Remains: In 1896, the property at Booneville and its hotel were purchased by Colonel W.H. Dewey, superintendent of the Florida Mountain Mining Company. Dewey’s company erected a mill, and a mine was located nearby. The town had a butcher shop, general store, steam laundry, livery stable and barn, and a large hotel, the Hotel Dewey. “Nothing had been neglected in the way of making the town complete as to conveniences for its inhabitants”
Current Status: Within a few years, there was a decline in mining, and the hotel had burned down. The town was soon abandoned. All that remains of Dewey is a large cement powerplant building, and the mine dump.
Remarks: A post office was established in 1897, and was named “Dewey”.

Albion, ID