Florence, Idaho facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Florence, Idaho
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Florence, 1900
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 Florence, Idaho
Location in Idaho
Florence, Idaho
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Idaho |
| County | Idaho |
| Elevation | 6,080 ft (1,850 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
Florence is a ghost town in Idaho County, Idaho, United States. It is located high in the mountains of north central Idaho, about 14 air miles (22 km) east-northeast of Riggins. The town sits at an elevation of 6,080 feet (1,853 meters).
Florence began as a mining camp in the winter of 1861. At that time, Washington Territory created Idaho County. This was because many people were coming to the area hoping to find gold. Within the first year, over 9,000 people arrived. Florence quickly became the main town, or "county seat," for the new county. The first district court meeting happened there on September 22, 1862.
The rich placer gold fields in the Florence area attracted thousands of gold seekers. This gold rush helped create Idaho Territory in 1863. However, the gold was quickly mined out. The rush to Florence did not last long. By 1863, only 575 people remained. By 1864, the population dropped to 254 residents.
Even as the town shrank, Florence remained the county seat until June 1, 1869. After that, the county seat moved to the Warren's Camp settlement. Florence saw another busy period from 1895 to 1900. This time, it was more about mining gold from rock veins, called "lode mining." After 1900, the town slowly faded away. By 1940, only ten people lived there. Florence was completely abandoned sometime after 1951.
Contents
The Discovery of Gold in Florence
How Gold Was First Found
In 1861, gold was found near Pierce and Orofino. This brought thousands of gold prospectors to the Clearwater River area. This region is in what is now north central Idaho, east of Lewiston. Soon, all the best mining spots were taken. Many new people started looking for gold elsewhere.
In the late summer of 1861, a group of men went south. They were heading towards the mountains between the Clearwater River and the Salmon River. At that time, much of this land was part of the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. A new agreement in 1863 changed the reservation borders.
The Secret Discovery
Perhaps because of protests from the Nez Perce people, the group split up. A smaller group of five men went into a high mountain basin. This basin was about 30 miles (48 km) south of today's Grangeville. In August 1861, they found very rich placer gold in the nearby streams. They promised each other to keep the discovery a secret. But when they returned to Elk City for supplies, the news quickly spread.
Life in the Early Camp
The mining camp was briefly called Millersburg. But in November 1861, miners decided on the name Florence. This was the name of the town when the Washington territorial government made it the seat of Idaho County. This happened on December 20, 1861. By the time winter arrived, nearly two thousand men were reportedly in the camp.
The winter of 1861–1862 was extremely cold. Many people faced harsh conditions. Survivors told stories of severe cold, frostbite, and snow-blindness.
Florence's Changing Times
The First Gold Rush Ends
Like many early placer mining areas, Florence's richest days lasted only a couple of years. About five more years followed with steady, but less, gold production. By around 1869, Chinese miners were working most of the claims. White miners had either rented their properties or left them.
Florence lost its status as county seat on June 1, 1869. This was probably not a coincidence. Chinese miners continued to work the mines until about 1880. After that, there was very little mining activity for a long time.
Population Changes Over Time
Here's how Florence's population changed based on different counts:
- 1863 census: 575 people
- 1864 census: 254 people (222 men, 11 women, 21 children)
- 1870 census: 154 people
- 1880 census: 175 people
- 1890 census: 390 people
- 1900 census: 135 people
- 1910 census: 52 people
A New Boom and Final Decline
The first attempts to mine gold from rock veins, called quartz lodes, in Florence might have started as early as 1863. Another attempt followed around 1872–1875. However, Florence was in a very high and rugged area. This made transportation extremely difficult. Miners had to use small hand mills or tiny stamp mills. These mills could be taken apart for easier transport.
In 1895, a new road was built to connect Florence to Mount Idaho. With better transportation, investors looked again at the quartz mining possibilities. They found enough rich ore to bring in more milling equipment. This started another boom for the town. Some hopeful owners even put together a dredge. This machine was used to re-mine the old placer gold fields.
At first, things looked promising. But both the lode and placer mining booms were short-lived. By around 1900–1905, those hopes had faded. After that, the town relied on small-scale mining by individuals. Even that ended by about 1940, when only ten people were recorded living in Florence.
In 1951, a historian wrote about Idaho County. She noted that the few people left in Florence no longer received mail delivery. It is not known exactly when the last resident left or passed away. Today, only a few building foundations and an overgrown cemetery remain.
The Florence Basin is a few miles west of the Gospel Hump Wilderness. This area became a protected wilderness in 1978. The basin is over 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) higher than the Salmon River. It is five air miles (8 km) north of where the Salmon River meets French Creek. The Salmon River flows west across Idaho, then turns north at Riggins. Florence is also 12 miles (19 km) east of the river as it gets close to Lucile.
