Silver City
Owyhee County, Idaho
Submitted by Rachel Cornett

"Silver City, so named because it was a silver mining town; is situated in Diamond Canyon; so named because of the shiny rocks littering the canyon floor and walls. They were originally thought to be diamonds. It was a spectacular sight to see, the entire canyon glittering when I was there...

...an example of the renovations the townspeople have been doing in Silver City... note the gold trim.

...the meat market along with a couple of other store fronts.

...an odd-shaped structure, the sign said it was a beer vat. Quite colorful for a beer vat.

...one of the street signs - Deadman Alley, I wonder what the story is behind that?

...a picture of the old mill in town, beautifully preserved.

...another one of the beautifully renovated buildings in town.

...another view of the well preserved mill and houses.

...a view of Silver City from a little ways down the road.

...the picturesque Our Lady of Tears Catholic church from below,

...the same church from the side.

...the front of the Idaho Hotel, originally built in 1863 in Ruby City, a mile downstream from Silver City. Three years later a three story wing was added, and later that year the entire hotel was dismantled and moved to Silver City. The hotel was closed around 1942, fell into disrepair, then in 1972 Edward Jagels purchased it. It became Ed's dream to renovate the hotel and it took him 30 years, but has done a wonderful job.

...an old dress and washbasin in the parlor of the hotel. Silver City had the first telegraph service in Idaho, in 1874, and also had the first printing of daily newspapers in Idaho, The Idaho Avalanche, also in 1874."

Thanks, again, Rachel! If you are interested in contributing to desertislands.org, please visit our SUBMIT page.

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