Visit the Gold Mining Ghost Town of Custer, Idaho

They say all that glitters is not gold, which is especially true in the Gem State where garnets, opals, and jasper sparkle just as brightly as nuggets. But back in the late 1870s, it was mostly the gleam of gold that attracted prospectors to the Yankee Fork of Idaho's Salmon River. And where gold glimmered yesterday, it often means intriguing gold rush ghost towns are found today. Custer is a prime example.

Located in scenic central Idaho, the town of Custer started out in 1879 as the little sister to bigger Bonanza City (also a ghost town), two miles north. With the recent defeat of General Custer still fresh in their minds, the founding miners named the town in his honor. Custer was basically a single street-narrow and a half-mile long- with a Chinatown located at the southern end.

The 1880s brought rapid growth to the region as the Lucky Boy, Sunbeam, General Custer, and other area mines produced abundant ore. With a capacity to process 900 tons of ore a month, the General Custer Mine alone produced an estimated $8,000,000 in gold between 1880 and 1888 and was consider the mother lode of the Yankee Fork. Thanks to the economic support from the mines, Custer's population doubled by 1896. It even sported a schoolhouse, jail, Miner's Union Hall, and a baseball team.

By 1903, the glory days of mining were slipping away as area mines played out one by one. Business, of course, slumped. By 1910 Custer had become a ghost town and for decades not much happened there. Custer was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, and through the efforts of volunteer organizations, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Forest Service, it's now open to the public from June through September.

Some of Custer's original buildings have been renovated and more are in process, so modern-day visitors get a good sense of what everyday life was like for miners and their families. The self-guided walking tour passes many homes and business, and even those that are yet unrestored are in very good condition. The outdoor exhibit of old mining equipment is especially interesting and makes you appreciate not having to work that hard for a paycheck! Custer's old schoolhouse has been converted into a museum, and you'll find souvenirs and refreshments available at the Empire Saloon.

If you visit after hours, wander around anyway. Brochures and placards explain the original purpose of the buildings and also give good information on the founding of the town and its mining history. One such informative sign explains the role of the huge 30-stamp General Custer Mill that once provided jobs and processed gold ore from the General Custer Mine. Although it was demolished in the 1930s, you can still see the ore bin on the hillside. A small cemetery in town contains just seven known graves.

If you'd like to witness a ghost town come back to life, visit Custer on the second Saturday of July for its annual Custer Days. During the celebration, you'll see demonstrations on, soap-making, broom-making, and ice cream making, too. You may even have the opportunity to learn how to gold pan, and there's usually a gunfight in town as well, so bring the camera!

The accuracy of this article is assured by the author's personal visit and information available at these websites:

http://www.cultimedia.ch/ghosttowns/htme/custer.htm

For more information on the Custer Self-Guided Walking Tour, click to http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sc/yankeefork/custer_tour_map.shtml