Yankee Fork Historic District, Idaho, July 28, 2010.
Bonanza City, laid out in 1877, was the Yankee Fork’s first mining camp, with pack trails converging from Ketchum, Stanley, Loon Creek and Challis. At its peak, Bonanza had over 600 residents, a rectangular grid of streets, and provided city services such as community wells.
An underground water system piped water for drinking and fire protection throughout the town. Despite this foresight, fires in 1889 and 1897 devastated portions of Bonanza. The loss of business due to the fires and the increased activity at Custer encouraged many to relocate. Today little is left of Bonanza with the exception of a few buildings and the Forest Service Guard Station constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934.
Bonanza, Idaho
Yankee Fork Historic District, July 28, 2010
The Bonanza Cemetery provides an example of the many ethnic groups attracted to the Yankee Fork. Despite the harsh living conditions, the promise of good times and prosperity brought immigrants from many countries. Cornish people, referred to as “cousin jacks,” worked for the English owners of the Custer mine. Austrian crews built roads and many Italians lived at Bayhorse. The Custer County census of 1890 indicates sizable populations of Canadian, German, English, Irish, Italian, and Swedish residents. The largest single ethnic group found in the Yankee Fork Mining District came from China. Though prejudice kept the Chinese from working at most mines, they worked unwanted placer claims, operated laundries, or worked as cooks…. most Chinese initially buried here were later disinterred by relatives and friends and returned to their homeland.
from sign at cemetery
Sego Lily, Calochortus nuttallii, the state flower of Utah.
Insect getting nectar from wild rose.
Lizzie King and her husbands on Boothill
Lizzie and Richard King lived in Bonanza where Richard worked in real estate. A heated argument with a business partner left Richard dead and Lizzie alone.
Lizzie and close friend Charles Franklin purchased the gravesite for Richard and two more next to it, presumably for themselves. Soon, Charles and Lizzie began courting and a wedding seemed eminent.
To everyone’s surprise, Lizzie married Robert Hawthorne, a newcomer to Bonanza. Six days later, both were found shot to death. Soon after, Franklin left the area for a secluded cabin near Stanley where, years later, he was discovered dead. Clutched in his hand was a locket which held the picture of Lizzie King.
Due to the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of Lizzie King, Bonanza residents chose to bury their loved ones elsewhere, leaving Lizzie and her husbands alone on Boothill.
from sign on Boothill
July 27, 2009 – Stanley, Idaho
Stanley is in the Salmon River Valley, quite near the Sawtooth Mountains. These photos were all in the evening after supper.
Sandhill cranes, between the campground and Stanley.
Large flock of sheep not too far from the cranes:
On July 26, we moved from Arco, Idaho to Bull Trout Campground, about 26 miles down the road west of Stanley. The campground is next to two lakes, Bull Trout Lake and Martin Lake. Our campsite was in the newer section of the campground and was just a short walk from the smaller of the two lakes.
We didn’t get over to the larger lake – Bull Trout – other than driving the loops to see what the other campsites looked like. We walked the short distance to Martin Lake and hiked all the way around it.
The campground was 1.9 miles down a very dry dirt road whose surface was like powder. Fortunately, it rained that night. The rain washed the worst of the dust off the car and there was very little road dust for the rest of our stay.
The campground elevation is 6900 ft in a mixed growth forest of Douglas fir and lodgepole pine. Wildflowers are plentiful.
July 29, 2010 posts:
July 25, 2010, Arco, Idaho
After a day trip with crystal clear skies for most of the day, it turned cloudy and very blustery as we were getting back to the campground. 
photos – July 25, 2010
Located in the central section of the Lost River Range, Borah Peak (aka Mt. Borah) is the highest mountain in Idaho.
On Friday, October 28, 1983, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake centered near the base of the mountain lifted Borah Peak about a foot, while the Lost River Valley floor dropped up to 7.5 feet in places. It also resulted in a 20-mile scarp along the base of the Lost River Range and sand boils near Chilly Butte and the Lost River and Pahsimeroi valleys. Two elementary school students were killed in Challis.
The scarp – highlighted in blue – resulting from the quake can still be seen 27 years later. The red line highlights a dirt “road.” The above image was cropped from the photo below.
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