Gem Co. map
Reading & References
Sharon McConnel,
Gem County Coordinator

Pearl 1902, Reconstructed

Pearl Businesses

(click to enlarge)

Note: This is all private property. Businesses were built on patented mining claims.

See 1902 Pearl photo courtesy the Gem County Museum collection, which was taken from "water tower hill", looking west, down Willow Creek.
Businesses, north side of Main Street -
Barber Shop, which Joseph Lyons sold to J. W. Thompson in 1902
Pearl Drug Store, Jefferson Welch sold to Rush Von Harten in 1902
Emke's Saloon, which he bought from Jake Decker in 1900
Lewllyn Walter Merc, operating at least since 1898 Ladies's Aid Society bldg which they bought from George W. Johnson and wife in 1902 and sold to the Congregational Church in 1903
Pearl Lodge #70, IOOF, which they bought from Mattie Wesson in 1902

On the south side of Main Street -
Gem Saloon, sold by Sam Dunbar and Arther Kontze to Rene Hazelton in 1903
it was described as being between a building owned by Frank Demant as a store and building occupied by Idaho Dress Beef Company
Town well, described as being 50 ft. east of Gem Saloon in the Hazelton purchase
Jury-Minton Boarding House on Checkmate

See History/Pearl Documents for more details on transactions. These are Quit Claim Deeds and Bills of Sale because they all appear to be surface rights on patented mining claims.

The patented mining claims were copied from the Metsker's Atlas of Gem County. For complete mapping of the patents in Township 6 North, Range 1 East, B.M., Gem County, see The Official Federal Land Records Site of Bureau of Land Management.

Lewllyn Walter, who owned the Merc on the north side of the road, served in the state senate from 1907-1908. -- Idaho Blue Book, 2007-2008

Rush Von Harten, who bought the drug store in 1902, served in the state senate from 1909-1910.-- Idaho Blue Book, 2007-2008 His wife Luella served as Pearl postmistress from 1909 til her death in 1914, at which time her daughter Emma served in that capacity until 1919. -- History of Post Offices in Idaho, U.S. Post Office, Gem County Historical Society and Museum Collection (see Post Office History).

The information on other businesses was taken from 1900 census transcript by ISU.

The local museum has an extensive Pearl photo collection. Gem County Recorder's Office and newspaper files (available at Emmett Public Library on microfilm) also have additional information. Happy researching!


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