Fort Lemhi facts for kids

Fort Lemhi was an important outpost built by Mormon missionaries. It was located about 3 kilometers (2 miles) north of where Tendoy, Idaho is today. People lived there from 1855 to 1858.

Building Fort Lemhi

In 1855, about 27 Mormon men left the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. Their leader, Brigham Young, had asked them to go. Thomas S. Smith led this group. George Washington Hill was their main interpreter for the Shoshonean language.

The group started their journey on May 18, 1855. They reached the Salmon River valley on May 27. At that time, this area was part of the Oregon Territory. On June 15, 1855, they chose a spot for their new mission.

How Fort Lemhi Got Its Name

The missionaries named their new home Fort Limhi. This name came from King Limhi, a king mentioned in the Book of Mormon. In Mormon scripture, King Limhi led a journey that lasted 22 days. This was the same amount of time it took the missionaries to reach the Salmon River Country.

Because of this, they named their mission after King Limhi. Over time, the name "Limhi" changed slightly to "Lemhi."

Life at the Fort

The community at Fort Lemhi grew quite a bit. More than 200 people came to live there. The settlers brought new ways of life to the region.

• They started raising animals like cattle.
• They began farming with irrigation. This means they dug ditches to bring water to their crops. Some of these ditches are still used today!

Some of the Mormon missionaries also married Shoshone women while living at Fort Lemhi.

Why the Fort Was Abandoned

Life at Fort Lemhi changed in 1858. There were a few reasons why the fort was left empty:

• The Utah War was happening. The US Army needed cattle, and prices for them were very high.
• The Bannocks and some Shoshone people were angry. They felt the Mormons were helping their traditional enemies, the Nez Perce.

Because of this anger, the Bannocks, led by Shoo-woo-koo, and some Shoshone stole many cattle and horses from the missionaries. A few of the Mormons were killed during this event. The fort was abandoned around February 1858.

Later Use and Legacy

Fort Lemhi was not empty for long. In 1862, miners moved in. They used the fort to grow vegetables, which they sold to others in the area.

The name "Lemhi" became very important in the region. It was used for:

• The Lemhi River
• The valley around the mission site
• The Lemhi Shoshone people, whom the mission had served
• The Lemhi Pass
• Eventually, Lemhi County

Today, the site of Fort Lemhi is recognized as a historic place. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.