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Additional Information: (all links will launch in a new browser window)
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| Some of the early settlers
came to this part of the valley in 1886. Many more came in 1887
and 1888 and settled the eastern slope of the Goldfork Area. The
Valley floor and West of the river weren't settled until 1900-1904.
Early settlers held land by "squatter's rights". The land wasn't surveyed until after 1890. Later, the "squatters" secured land under the Homestead Act. The Act required that certain improvements be put on the land and lived in as a permanent residence for a period of time.
The first store was established in Roseberry by J.W. Pottenger and W.B. Boydsten in 1892. The first Post Office in this area of the valley was established in 1892 with Lewis Roseberry as the first postmaster. The town named for him is still known as Roseberry, though most of the buildings have been moved away or torn down.
Cabins in this area were made of logs with a small amount of lumber brought from a sawmill on Clear Creek about 30 miles to the South. The first sawmill in this area was built by J.W. Pottenger and Mrs. Sult in 1892. It was located on Goldfork Creek and was run by Mr. Sult.
Upper Long Valley was used as a summer campground by the Nez Perce, Bannock, and Shoshone Indians. Until 1915, they continued to camp along Willow Creek as they made their yearly trip to and from salmon fishing on the South Fork of the Salmon River.
Cattlemen from the lower valleys used Long Valley as summer pasture in the early days and resented the homesteaders coming. The homesteaders resented the cattle trespassing their fences and fields. The old-timers still tell of the cattle wars that resulted. |
In the winter of 1888-89, early settlers
did not realize how deep the snow would get or how long it would stay.
The preceding winter was mild with little snow. Pasture was
available for horses and cattle all winter. The newcomers thought
that they had found a paradise. The next winter the snow fell
steady and deep. Without enough hay or feed, the settlers
attempted to drive cattle over the mountains through six feet of snow.
Many cattle were lost. Some "squatters" left for milder climates.
Those who stayed had learned to make hay while the sun shown. At
that time, the whole valley floor waved with tall, lush bunch grass,
which was there for the harvest.
Among the thriving businesses were: a hotel, bank, drug store, flour mill, "Advocate" newspaper, harness shop, general merchandise store, hardware store, restaurant, soda fountain, creamery, brick kiln, two-room school house and a church.
Another Post Office was established at Spink, three miles North of Roseberry about 1900. Mrs. Lydia Spink was the postmaster there and operated it until about 1914, when the railroad came.
It seemed to be a policy of the railroad company to miss the village areas. Hence after 1914, Roseberry declined and Donnelly sprang into being, as did Cascade. The town was named after a Mr. Donnelly, who was a prominent railroad man at the time.
Text furnished by the Long Valley Preservation Society Roseberry, Valley County, Idaho |
All supplies were brought in from Boise, Emmett, Weiser, and Salubria
Valley by six-horse freight teams. A trip up from Boise to
Roseberry with team and wagon took a week, longer in bad weather.
Roseberry became a thriving town and was the largest town in the
valley until the railroad came in 1914. It was a "dry" town
because the deed for the town site still included a clause that no
liquor could be sold on the property.
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