Alturas County, Idaho facts for kids
Alturas County was a very large area in Idaho Territory and later the state of Idaho. It existed from 1864 to 1895. The name "Alturas" comes from a Spanish word meaning "mountain summits" or "mountainous heights."
What Was Alturas County?
Alturas County was like a giant puzzle piece in the early days of Idaho. It was much bigger than the states of Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware put together! Many of the counties you see in southern Idaho today were once part of Alturas County.
How Alturas County Began
The Idaho Territorial Legislature created Alturas County in February 1864. A "territorial legislature" was a group of people who made laws for the territory before it became a state. Later that same year, a mining town called Rocky Bar was chosen as the "county seat." The county seat is like the main office for the county government. It's where important decisions are made and records are kept. In 1882, the county seat was moved to Hailey.
How Alturas County Changed and Disappeared
Over time, Idaho grew, and new counties were needed. In 1889, the Idaho Territorial Legislature created two new counties: Elmore County and Logan County. These new counties were made from parts of Alturas County. Then, on March 5, 1895, something big happened. The Idaho Legislature decided to combine Alturas and Logan Counties. They formed a brand new county called Blaine. This change happened because of a decision made by the Idaho Supreme Court, which is the highest court in Idaho. Just two weeks later, on March 18, the southern part of the new Blaine County was separated to form Lincoln County. Its county seat was set up in Shoshone. Hailey remained the county seat for what was now Blaine County. After these changes, Alturas County no longer appeared on the map of Idaho.
