Welcome to Gem County!
Prospectors and miners moved through this county in 1862 enroute to the gold rush in the Boise Basin to the east. By the next year irrigation begain along the Payette River as farmers raised crops to sell in the mining camps.
In late summer of 1862 Tim Goodale brought his wagon train through the valley, crossed the Payette River, followed Haw Creek into the foothills to the north, crossed Willow Creek (Payette County) traveled up Four-Mile Grade and followed Indian and pack trails to Brownlee Ferry in Hells Canyon.
When Idaho Territory was established in 1863, the area now known as Gem County was part of Boise County. When Ada County was formed in 1864 it included a portion of what is now southern Gem County; then when Canyon County was formed in 1891 it included a portion that later became southern Gem County. The northern part of Gem County remained part of Boise County until Gem County was established March, 1915 with its county seat at Emmett. It was named for the state nickname, "Gem State."
It contains one incorporated town Emmett
and the communities of Sweet ----
See Sweet Community Website for current Sweet happenings.
Montour
Ola and Gross ---- See Ola Community Newsletter for current Ola happenings.
Letha and Hanna
Pearl
Part of the northern portion of the county is in the Boise National Forest and parts of the southern portion are under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management. BLM maintains a fire lookout on Squaw Butte. The Bureau of Reclamation's Black Canyon Dam on the Payette River is also in this county.
Remnants of one-hundred year old canal wall are still visible along Highway 52 and Black Canyon Reservoir.
I would like to thank Sherri Paustian and Jeanette Harper, past county coordinators, for all the work they did on this site.
If I can answer your questions or point you in the right direction, I will do so. If you have anything you would like to share, please do not hesitate. My e-mail address is Sharon McConnel This site is a collaborative effort of all us who have roots in Gem County.
You are our
visitor to this site since 1 May 2004.
Site Updated 2 September 2010
Copyright Notice:
All materials contained on these pages are furnished for the free use of those engaged in researching their family origins. Any commercial use or distribution, without the consent of the host/author of these pages is prohibited. All images used on these pages were obtained from sources permitting free distribution, or generated by the author, and are subject to the same restrictions/permissions. All persons contributing material for posting on these pages do so in recognition of their free, non-commercial distribution, and further, is responsible to assure that no copyright is violated by their submission.