Gem Valley facts for kids
Gem Valley is a beautiful area in Idaho, United States. It stretches across parts of Caribou, Bannock, and Franklin counties. This valley got its name because you can find many cool gemstones here! It's about 20 miles (32 km) wide and 60 to 70 miles (97 to 113 km) long. Locals say Gem Valley starts at the Chesterfield Reservoir in the north and ends at the Oneida Narrows Reservoir in the south.
Contents
History of Gem Valley
Early Inhabitants
Long ago, Gem Valley was home to the Shoshone people. They lived here and used the valley's resources. You can still find old items like arrowheads from their time. These are like clues to the past!
Pioneer Settlements
White settlers started coming to the valley in the mid-to-late 1800s. The famous Oregon Trail passed through the northern part of the valley. You can still see places from those pioneer days. There are old cemeteries and small settlements scattered around.
Geography of Gem Valley
Location and Size
Gem Valley is one of the northernmost valleys along the Wasatch Range. This mountain range goes on for about 160 miles (257 km) to the south. The valley floor is about 5,000 feet (1,524 m) above sea level. The mountains around it are taller, reaching about 7,000 to 8,500 feet (2,134 to 2,591 m) high.
Getting Around the Valley
You can mostly get into Gem Valley using Idaho State Highway 34 from the south. Also, U.S. Route 30 helps you get there from the east and west. Most of the valley is in Caribou County. Some parts reach into Franklin County to the south and Bannock County to the north.
Rivers and Streams
The Bear River flows right through the valley. Many smaller streams also wind their way through the land.
Towns and Communities
Only two towns in Gem Valley are officially organized: Grace and Bancroft. But there are many other small communities that are not official towns. These include Cleveland, Thatcher, Lago, Bench, Niter, Dugway, Turner, Stanley, Lund, Tenmile, and Chesterfield. Some of these were once busy pioneer towns. Now, their names often refer to a general area rather than a town with clear borders.
Geology of Gem Valley
Gemstones Found in the Valley
The most common gemstone you'll find in Gem Valley is obsidian. This cool black rock comes from old volcanoes and lava domes in the area. Most local obsidian is black and smooth. Some pieces have unique light brown swirls, making them special to this valley. The Shoshone people used obsidian to make tools like knives and arrowheads.
Other gemstones often found here include geodes, quartz, agate, and petrified wood.
Rocks and Fossils
You can find solid basalt rock under the soil almost everywhere in the valley. You'll often see it sticking out of the ground. Other common rocks are limestone and shale. These rocks are not from volcanoes. They are full of fossils from ancient sea creatures! These creatures once lived in a huge prehistoric lake called Lake Bonneville. You can find well-preserved molluscan shells and even small fish fossils. Trilobite fossils are often found in the local shale.
Mining and Soil
In the northern part of the valley, limestone is dug up and turned into lime. This lime is then used to make things like concrete and steel.
Much of the soil in Gem Valley is dark and rich in nitrogen. This kind of soil is great for farming, especially for growing potatoes and grain. You can also find a lot of clay in the soil.
The Wasatch Fault
The Wasatch Fault is a crack in the Earth's crust. You can see it in many parts of the valley. It creates a small step at the bottom of the mountains. Small to medium earthquakes have been known to start from this fault.
