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Downtown Emmett – Standing today where it did at the turn of the century, Main and Commercial Streets once housed the blacksmith, hotel, millinery shop, livery stables and the First National Bank. The Idaho Northern Railroad rolled into town in 1902, bringing with it the ability to transport the goods produced in the valley to the Owyhee mining towns. The population tripled within the span of two years.
Emmett Sawmill Site – Emmett has long been known as a valley of plenty beginning with the timber industry in 1872. In 1917 the Boise Payette Lumber Company purchased the site; the company later became the Boise Cascade Company, now know as Boise (Corporation). During the 1950s and 1960s, the sawmill was the third largest mill in Idaho and the fifth largest in the world. The declining US logging industry forced Boise to close the mill at the turn of the 2000 and it now operates with a skeleton crew.
Churches – St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and the Baptist and Presbyterian Churches located along First, Second and Wardwell Streets feature elaborate architectural styles.
Gem County Courthouse – WPA-financed and built in 1939, the courthouse is considered one of the safest buildings in Gem County because of its construction.
Picket Corral – Four miles north of Emmett, on the east side of Highway 52 is the famed rendezvous of horse thieves, bandits, murderers and bogus-gold dust operators. The remains of the first structure built in the Emmett valley can be found here bordered by a 10-foot stockade at the foot of the rocky gorge. The Payette Vigilantes, headed up by William J. McConnell, eventually brought the outlaws to justice. McConnell went on to become a governor of Idaho.
Black Canyon Dam – Built in 1905 to divert water from the Payette River into the Emmett valley, the present dam was completed in 1924 by Morrison-Knudsen Company (now Washington Group) for the Bureau of Reclamation. The 183-foot dam was built on natural basalt formations and serves farms as far away as Middleton and Payette. Today, the backwaters are excellent for water sports and recreation.
Roystone Hot Springs – Ten miles north of Emmett lies a natural hot springs. Developed in 1923 as a summer resort and health spa, it now is a private residence with an open-air public swimming pool.
Montour, Sweet, Ola, Letha and Pearl – Surrounding Emmett, these villages were once critical to the supply-chain for the mining towns. Today these communities serve as farming, ranching and recreational areas.
Squaw Butte – Dominating the valley, the lady watches over her people and lands. The mountain was so named by the American Indians that once lived in the valley because the profile of an Indian maid can be seen throughout the area. The Bureau of Land Management operates a lookout station atop the butte and it also accommodates various communication towers.
Freezeout Hill – The descent into the Emmett Valley on Highway 16 is breathtaking; one feels as if they have driven into a picture-postcard. The name is derived from the old-timers practice of locking up or “freezing” their wagon wheels in order to slide down the hill. Today, Freezeout Hill serves as the main entrance into the valley and a memorial to our veterans and public servants. Many commuters drive this route daily, looking forward to their return trip because they know, Gem County—it will draw you back.
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