Idaho Towns

The discovery of gold in Northern Idaho in 1882 was the catalyst for the establishment of the first settlements and towns in the Idaho Territory. Many of these towns started as mining camps built close to ore deposits, and depended on the mines to remain viable. When the ore was depleted, the population moved elsewhere. Many of the towns in this collection including Burke, Delta, Gem, Mace, Mt. Idaho and Murray are now ghost towns. Coeur d'Alene and Wallace became centers for mining and still thrive today, along with Lewiston and Post Falls. The photos in this collection range from the 1880s through 1932.