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."

Many of these articles came from Library of Congress, Chronicling America. Some are from private collections and some are from the museum's collection.


Newspaper Articles

1882, Squaw Creek prospectors hunt for placers on Cherry Creek, Al Gortz, district recorder reports
1886, Henry Esmond convicted, of robbing mail stage between Placerville and Squaw Creek postoffices (see for complete story)
1887, Esmond escapes U.S. wing Territorial prison
1888 Caldwell Tribune, Emmett News Bag, includes Jim Wardwell, D.L. Badley
1888, Oct. J. C. Shepherd's sweet potatoes
1893, Big Opal Find
1893, Instruments arrived for Emmett's Brass Band
1893, July: Call for Bids for bridge across the Payette at Emmett
1893, Dec.: New Bridge Completed, 600 head of cattle crossed, no weakness
1893, Nov. 30 - Ball, under auspices of the Emmett Cornet Band
1893, public Christmas Tree at Methodist Church
1893, tree at Episcopal church, H. B. Williams brought tree down from Dry Buck
1894, Meeting to build ditch for bench
1896, ads for Emmett Meat and Mountain Lumber, Sweet
1896, J. W. Cook opens Livery and Feed Stable in Pearl
1898, Jan. - E. K. Hayes & Charlie Hinnegar to Alaska
The Emmett Index, January 21, 1898, multiple stories
1899, May: Emmett serene as usual
1899, Aug. Ola News, Mr. Ramble, Wm. Litle, E. K. Hayes, E. E. Beal, back from Klondike
1889, Sept: Caldwell Tribune includes Aaron Bascom, Sawdust Kelley, John S. Wittle, Mrs. Moody, Elsie Wardwell, H. H. Fulton, John Daley, Jas. Patten, Davie McAuliff, James Fuller, Pet Wilson, Gerwicks, W. R. Adams, W. S. Badley, Finley Monroe, Harrison Housel, E. C. Blanchard
1890 Notes, Maggie Hartley and W. C. Brown riding accident; Wm. Hall, Thomas Shepherd and Perkins going hunting; Reed and Taylor log drive; Newton Benson and Mary A Bevel marry
1893, Daily Stage to Emmett from Caldwell
1895, Jan. - ROLL OF HONOR., List of Pupils in Attendance Daily. Below is the roll of honor of the Emmett public school for the month ending Dec. 21st 1894. Room No. 1, Miss Wilson. Teacher.—Zena Cartwright. Hazel Young. Minnie Blanchard, Carl Housel, Rena Blanchard, Clarence Young. Robbie Blanchard. Joe Kelly, Bessie Jackson, Donnie Hill. Fred Brennon, Orville Carter. Room No. 2, Miss Loomis Teacher.— Gertie Housel, Dollie Moulton, Pont Moulton, Claud Lewis. Mattie Dewalt, Edgar Hill, Sherl Phillips, Bessie VonHarten, Maud Lewis. George Russell. Hiram Miller, Maude Dewalt. Minnie Dempsey, Bertha Smith, Nora Peck. Reuben Woody, Room No. 3 E. B. Symons Teacher.— May Hill, Belle Hill, May Riggs. Mary Shepherd. Minnie Martin, Emma Langroise, Gertie Brookshire, Josie Loomis, Maud Jackson. May Von Harten, Lottie Knox, Lizzie Housel, Nellie Ireton. Tillie Peterson. Emma Roy Barrett, Hattie Housel. Dave Murray, Oscar Reed. Henry Adams, Artie Ireton, Frank Knox, Tony Von Harten, Samuel Riggs.
1899, Christmas Tree Baptist and Methodist to have a union tree
1900's
1901, Apr: Four inches of snow, Mr. Hughs is sick, Mr. Pinnigar sold his ranch to E. J. Smith of the ferry, Sunday School organized
1902, April: Railroad Reaches Emmett
1902, June: Fifty-five Carloads, Mining Machinery for Thunder Mountain
1902 - The Fourth at Emmett,
1902, July: Emmett Red Birds Cover Themselves with Glory, Other News, Dissolution Notice
1903, January: Farmers' Co-Operative Irrigation Co. Plans
1907, Sweet News, high watere and mud
1907, Gus Amen buys interest in W. J. Rogers livery barn
1908, April 30: "Fire Destroys Five Buildings, DESTRUCTIVE BLAZE, with Loss of $16,000., A fire that started in the Emmett hotel Sunday afternoon destroyed four frame business houses and a large livery barn on the lower end of Main street, causing a loss of between $16,000 and $20,000. Buildings adjoining and on the opposite side of the street were damaged to the extent of $2000. . ." continued
1908, Index Skull, prize offered for best story
1908, History of Skull
1909, Squaw Creek Valley and Brownlee
1909, Best Crop of ice in years, Fest and Shane have their bldg. full, Anothony Peterson is using an electrical saw
1910, Mail to Hanna
1910, W. R. Davis harvests $63.25 worth of cherries from 10 trees
1911, Oct. Forest Exams, William D. McKie, John D. Parker, Lee Hilton, John H. Henry, W. W. Sherman, Claude Shannon, & James Cramer
1912, New Road is Completed, traverses John Heath's farm, work done by Hiram Miller, Elmer Miller, John Heath, Paul Kefauver, Jason Kelley, the Obermeyer Bros.
1912, Jan: Bench mail route approved
1912, Apr. County Seat fight to be a lively scrap ~ 1912, Aug. Montour and Waverly removal petitions ~ 
1912, Sept. Power Plant Planned at Waverly, seven miles north of Horseshoe Bend ~  1912, Oct. Montour to be only name on ticket
1912, Leap Year Dance at Little Rock
1913, February: The Emmett Index, extensive files
1913, Feb. High Valley Items, includes Lynn Hathaway, Sollie Callender, Carlsons, C. E. Beal, Roy McConnel, Wm. Gooden, C. W. Dyke, James McConnel, Judge Bechtel, R. C. Fry, A. P. Anderson, Walter Long, Mr. Crampton, Mr. Lynds
1913, August: First Train Ride to Smith's Ferry
1914, cherries from Emmett are plentiful
1914, Emmett's First Women Jury, VonHarten v. Bramblee, herd law

1915, March: Gem County formed from portions of Boise County and Canyon County
1915, March 4: Gem Co. Bill passes, salaries
1915, March 4: Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Little helping in creation of Gem County; E. L. Holverson & Dave Murray boosting for Gem Co.
1915, Cannery to run, will contract for peas, beans and tomatoes
1915, Horse Buyers pay out $3000 for draft and riding horses, sellers: Sam Smith, Wm. Little, Gus Amen, Bert Basye, James Renwick and the Dresser brothers
1915, Mad Coyotes on Butte and Squaw Creek, killee by Adam Klingback, A. L. Mathews
1915, Clarence Theil, New Plymouth, chokes mad coyote to death after being attacked
1915, July: 'Twas Hot, 103 in shade, mercury knocked top off Frank Carpenter's thermometer
1915, Oct. - Earthquake
1915, Sweet Flour Mill
1915, Mammoth Bones found by Gill Brothers  -  1916, Moody from University of California to investigate
1916, May: Election Judges: South Emmett Precinct—Polling place, City Hall. Judges, Ed Campbell, Otto Wilhelm, E. E. White. North Emmett Precinct—Judges, A. E. Myers, R. E. Kinzer, F. A. DeClark. West Emmett Precinct—Polling place, Old Laundry building. Judges, E. F. Reed, James Vanderdasson and Maggie Murray. Hanna—Polling place, schoolhouse. Judges, A. T. Hankins, W. J. King, W. S. Wayman. Bramwell—Polling place, schoolhouse Judges, W. W. Nusbaum, Frank Newman. Frank Burns. Montour—Polling place, schoolhouse. Judges, Walter Volkner, Robt. Gamble, Albert Dudenbostel. Sweet—Polling place. M.W.A. Hall. Judges. G. W. Boynton, Chas. Anderson, I. B. Leisy. Ola—Polling place, schoolhouse. Judges, G. W. Holbrook, Chas. Blessinger, James Loyd. Gross—Polling place, schoolhouse. Judges, J. R. Holford, Jess DeMasters, Louis Paddock. Pearl—Polling place, I. O. O. F. Hall. Judges. John George, R. Von Harten, John Murnan.
1917, Jan.- Mrs.W. E. Fisher & Mrs. Pearl Brossard visit Grandma Russell
1917, Apr. Garages being Built, J. J. McNish, William Womack, H. C. Wilson, C. W. Shave; M. Alexander to occupy lower floor of new Masonic Lodge; E. H. Holverson also building
1917, Militia Boys Called Out, Stanley Cox, E. W. Boles, Albert Burns, L. O. Miles, Clark Miles, B. W. Knipe, Thos. Eggleston, Berle Kelley, Bert Bode, Claude Jordon, Terry LaRocque, Lawrence Dresser, Otis Cook, Ray Tietsort, Horace Dewey and George Murphy
The Emmett index. June 14, 1917, Gem County's Roll of Honor, List of those registered for service on June 5, 1917, (Library of Congress, Chronicling America)
1917, C. A. Leggett granted patent for wagon endgate
1917, The title of Turkey King stills vests with C. M. Hull
1918, Masquerade Dance and Oyster Supper at Montour
1918, Howell Takes over Pioneer's Boise Store
1918, Bank of Emmett, Capital Stock $60,000, list of stockholders
1918, June 27: John McLean Tribute, First Gem County WWI casualty   1921, McLean's Body Returned
1918, How Bugler Dresser Met Death
The Emmett index. September 12, 1918, How Bugler Dresser Met Death, (Library of Congress, Chronicling America)
1919, Jan. - Flu Ban, closing order includes schools, public gatherings for two weeks; "You've got the Flu, Boy"
1919,Civic Club Plans Better Roads, Frank Knox, T. B. Hargus, B. B. Davis, G. B. Mains, Ed Skinner, Ed Reilly, C. D. Bucknum, Dr. R. E. Rose
News of Record, Instruments filed for week ending Dec. 25, 1919,Warranty Deeds - Jessie W. and Erma Chapman to Clarence N. Hawes; Elmer Colfax Cone and Nettie F. Cone to Fred B. Turner; Suits - Conda Wilson vs. A5 Live Stock Co.
1920, Only 55 marriage licenses issued in 1919
1920, Jan. Sheelrock Hill Impassable
1920, Jan., sale of Hayes prune orchard for park purposes
1920, Moonshiner Caught in Rooming House, Jacob Bishop arrested
1920, Boise Payette Employees do Yeoman Service in Park
1920, Ice Gorges in River cause floods
1920, Cherry Growers Organize
1920, Aug: chicks arrive by mail; Henry Obermeyer shipped two cars of melons
1920, American Legion Post Gives Military Funeral to Lawrence Dresser
1920, Ola Coal Excitment, W. W. Saxton Ranch  ~  Ola Coal Mine named "Vern" in honor of Vern Saxton discoverer
1921, Span of River Bridge gives Way
July 28, 1921: Ralph Womack's Watermelon; watermelon in heaven ~ Depredations of rabbits in melon patches, Will Obermeyer heavy loser ~ Big Rabbit Drive Planned
1921, Bachelors Diminishing, marriage of H, D, McVean
1921, Nov. Frank Spencer, Aged Trapper, drags leg
Prohibition in Idaho, 1916-1933
1921, July 7: Wine Emptied into Canal
1921, Brunswick ad for Thanksgiving Chrysanthemums
1921, Cherry Packing in full swing
1922, Ola Stage runaway, Mrs. Ralph Blessinger injured; more
1922, Feb. - Albert Martin headed for Emmett in sled, ran out of snow, had to borrow buggy
1922, March, Hot Springs Ranch Sold
1922, Notice to Bootleggers, wear a brass pin
1922, July 4th & Black Canyon Dam Jubilee - program
1922, July: Forest Fires, by Bramwell Farmer (William Henry Burns)
1922, Aug: Boy Scouts Camp on Squaw Creek, Budd Wilkerson, Merton Blackler, Percy Moore, Roy White, Karl Salskov, Merl Bucknum, LeRooy Lytle, Billy Soule, Howard Munday, Junior Knowles, Ralph Munday; Scout master Vern Munday, assistant Harold Brown
1922, August: Pioneer Reunion, includes Emmett's Firsts & registration book
1923, Royson Hot Springs
1923 Falk Store ad
1923, Preparing for Ice Harvest
1924, February - two safes and a vault from the courthouse, destroyed by fire, were opened
1929, Liberty Mine near Sweet Sold
Ekekiel Sweet's Experience as a Postmaster, February 1931
1931, August - Martial Law Declared
"Progressing with Gem County", "Scenic Idaho, Winter 1954
1969, Idaho Statesman, The Forest Service released the recreation roundup for Southern Idaho national forests, In the Sagehen area, Antelope and East Side camps will be open, but water is turned off
1973, Ed Schultz, Ola Postmaster retires after 28 years
2019, July: "Cold Names in Gem County," "Idaho Statesman" (Frozen Dog and Freezeout)
2022, July 21: Sehewoki'i Newenee'an Katete

When Col. Dewey bought the Caswells' Thunder Mountain claims (east present-day Valley Co.) in late 1900, the rush was on - much of it through present-day Gem County. Ads from "Thunder Mountain News," April 22, 1905, courtesy of Steven Harshfield - Thank you, Steve, for sharing!

    Boise & Pearl Stage, T. B. Walker, Prop.
    Millers, Ola & Miller's Store at Thunder City
    Plowman's, Montour
    Sults' Ola, Thunder City, Vanwyck Stage
    Taylor House, Sweet, W. Taylor & Sons, Props.


Pearl Newspaper Clippings

1896, Pearl butchers close shop & another rich strike in the Checkmate, Caldwell Tribune, July 25, 1896
1897, ad for Stage Line to Pearl, H. Cox, proprietor; Graham & J. C. Shepherd, Pearl ticket agents; The Caldwell Tribune, May 1, 1897
1897, Mrs. Gould, Pearl store keeper visits Caldwell, The Caldwell Tribune, May 29, 1897
Plowman vs. LeVan Suit, A. Cox remembers 1897 Pearl Mining District suit
1903, W. C. Emke Mines at Pearl Sold for $25,000, January 13, 1903
1903, Great Pearl Mining Camp, April 30, 1903; lists mines and owners
1908, Mrs. M. A. Granville obit
1921, William Kloth, Pearl Miner, Injuried in Blasting Accident, Dies from Effects
1921, Pearl Substation Burns
1921, Sept. - Greater Activity than many years
1921, Rush VonHarten obit
1941, Idahoans Strike, Pearl, Idaho, 65 miners and muckers. .January 17, 1941
1951, Messenger: Pearl, A Colorful Ghost Town
1972, Idaho Statesman, Arthur Hart, Memories of Gold Rush Recall Pearl's Brief Life    photo
1980, Messenger-Index, Canadian Company Explores Pearl
1981, Messenger-Index, Pearl Sinks Further into the Dust     school photo    Headframe photo


Neighbors

1883, Nov. - Grand Ball at Wm. Charters, Garden Valley
Nov. - Grand Ball, Idaho City
1885, four bear at slaughter-pen on outskirts of Boise
1885, Oct. - Bears plentiful on Lower Payette
1885, Bear are bold at Banner
1885, Seven Black Bear killed in one day in Council
1903, canning factory at Payette, "Seven Devils Brand"
1919, Log Train bound for Emmett left track; Bridge at Gardena
1921, Jazz Orchestra at Smiths Ferry


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