Rockville Stage Stop, Idaho, Owyhee County is a fascinating ghost town that piques the interest of history enthusiasts and those curious about the remnants of the Old West. Below is detailed information about the town.
County: Owyhee County
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: Approximately 42.6756° N, 116.8895° W
Elevation: Approximately 2,927 feet (892 meters)
Time Zone: Mountain Time Zone (MTZ)
Established: Not available
Disestablished: Not available
Comments: The Rockville Stage Stop was an important location during the late 19th century. It was a rest and resupply point for travelers and stagecoaches traversing the rugged terrain of Idaho. It was part of the network connecting mining areas with larger settlements, and its existence was essential for transporting goods and passengers.
Remains: Today, visitors to the site may find the foundational remnants of the stage stop and some scattered artifacts that hint at its bustling past. The surrounding area maintains a rustic charm, with the natural landscape largely untouched, offering a glimpse into the region’s history.
The Stage Stop building foundation and barn foundation are all that remains after vandals burned them down in the early ’60s. Rockville Stage Stop was the stage route in the late 1800s.
The stop was attacked by Indians many times, and nearby is the grave and stone of the wife of the man who ran the stop who Indians killed. If you continue to drive on that road, you will reach the Poison Creek Stage Stopp, which was later used as the school and is now just a two-story brick shell.
Current Status: Rockville Stage Stop is a ghost town with no current inhabitants or active structures. It is primarily interesting to historians, tourists, and those exploring ghost towns in Idaho.
No one lives there. From Marsing, take 95 towards Jordan Valley, and at Mc Bride Creek Road, turn right. A well-cared-for dirt road goes about 2.5 miles to a fork. Turn right, and just after the fork, cross the creekbed and the foundations.
Remarks: The Rockville Stage Stop is a tribute to the pioneering spirit of the American West. It represents a bygone era of exploration and expansion, and while little remains, it continues to capture the imagination of visitors.
The stop’s location in Owyhee County places it among other historical sites in the region, contributing to Idaho’s cultural and historical tapestry.
The following gravesites are nearby:
Mrs. Ed Holmes who died in 1889
Shirley Scott who died in 2008
Jim Hall who died in 2010
The new Rockville school (Rockville Elementary School) that was moved from Idaho to Oregon (Located at the crossroads of Succor Creek Rd & McBride Rd) (43°19’02.9″N 117°06’31.9″W / 43.317482,-117.1095436,309m)
Resource links to other sites about Rockville:
Skinner Family History
Bill’s Meanderings
Owyhee County, Idaho GenWeb Project
Rockville Stage Stop 1885-1912 in Idaho & 1912-1948 in Oregon.
Established November 12, 1885, Robert B. Young
John Upham, July 19, 1887
William Upham, August 22, 1895
Jore Hzareda, September 15, 1898
Adison P. Calvert, January 14, 1901
Lebbie Proud, June 17, 1903
Jesse L. Proud, May 9, 1908
Transferred to Mahleur County, Oregon, January 26, 1912
14 m. N. of Sheaville, Oregon
Section 6, T2S, R6E
Source: USGWwarchives.net
Former Name: Rockville’s original name was The Rocks. It was also a precinct for voting and census purposes for a short time in the 1920s but was annexed to the Homedale precinct in 1928.
Geographic location: Rockville was on McBride Creek in Succor Creek Canyon in western Owyhee County, about 2.5 miles off the ION Highway (US Hwy 95), south of Marsing, and McBride Creek Road.
Cemeteries: There is a small cemetery in Rockville.
Church Records and History: Currently, no churches are listed in Rockville.
Directories: A directory of the residents and businesses of Rockville in 1898 is included in A Historical, Descriptive, and Commercial Directory of Owyhee County, Idaho. A copy of the directory is in the Idaho State Archives, the Owyhee County Museum, and other Idaho libraries.[2] It is also available on microfilm through the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and its many family history centers. The directory has been abstracted and is available on the Idaho GenWeb page for Rockville.
History: Originally established in the 1870s as a stage station, Rockville was granted a post office in 1885. At its height, it had a frame house, a saloon, and other buildings, including a 19-room hotel built in 1903. That building included sleeping rooms and a dance hall and became a center for local activity. Rockville was abandoned in 1928 when the new road through Succor Creek Canyon to Jordan Valley bypassed it. The hotel was torn down in 1930[3].
Historical: The Idaho State Archives does not hold copies of Rockville newspapers, but newspapers of nearby towns might be of interest to those interested in Rockville.
School Records: A school existed in Rockville for a few years, but the records of the students who attended are unknown.
References:
1. Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940. Population. Volume 1: Number of Inhabitants. See footnotes for Owyhee County.
2. A Historical, Descriptive, and Commercial Directory of Owyhee County, Idaho. Silver City, Idaho: Press of the Owyhee Avalanche, 1898.
3. Meril Ebbers. “The Rocks,” The Bulletin, newsletter of the Owyhee County Historical Society, July 5, 2010.
Source: Familysearch.org
