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        New Message Board Archives >> 2007 General Board Posts >> A few more pics of Bayhorse...
        
(Message started by: George_J on May 25^th, 2007, 10:25am)

Title: A few more pics of Bayhorse...
Post by George_J on May 25^th, 2007, 10:25am

Liz just returned from doing the survey of the silver-mining ghost town of Bayhorse for the state of Idaho. The survey is just an overview at this point--next in will be the archaeologists, and after that will come a formal description and report. Thought you might enjoy seeing a couple more photos they took while they were there.

http://usera.imagecave.com/georgboise/MountainoverBayhorse-copy.jpg

This is the mountain that rises right behind the townsite. Note the talus field--it's gradually sliding into the townsite, and has been since the town was put there in the 1880's. There are adits all over the place right behind the buildings. Lots of landslides over the years--hardrock mining wasn't for the faint of heart.

http://usera.imagecave.com/georgboise/Bayhorsefromthemillroad-copy.jpg

This is an overview of the townsite from the mill road. There were once many more buildings--at the height of activity in Bayhorse, 300 people lived and worked and partied hard in the saloons in this narrow canyon. Most of the buildings have collapsed.

http://usera.imagecave.com/georgboise/BayhorseMill-copy.jpg

This is the mill. Originally built in 1889, it was a five-stamp ore-crushing mill. More than 10 million dollars in silver came out of the Bayhorse canyon.

EJ says they managed to stay out of the ticks, and they didn't see any snakes. ;) Apparently, there were some folks from DEQ up there at the time--doing their own assessment of the levels of arsenic and lead contamination present in the mine tailings.

Best wishes,

George

Edited to put links instead of images. I kinda like it better that way. ;)

Title: Re: A few more pics of Bayhorse...
Post by George_J on May 25^th, 2007, 10:02pm

I'll put a few additional links here to some other photos EJ took while she was up there.

The kilns that were used to make charcoal for the smelter, the Wells Fargo building (complete with iron doors and shutters) where the ingots were stored before being shipped out by wagon, and the hotel.

Here's what Liz says about them:

"The charcoal kilns are pretty neat but sadly deteriorating. There used to be nine or ten of them--as recently as 1972 most of them were there and they were still complete. Now the roofs have caved and the walls are crumbling. This style of kiln is called a beehive kiln--they had a 3 mile long lumber flume which shot logs to the kilns. They burned the lumber to make charcoal to fuel the stamp mill. Bayhorse also had a smelter which means they made the silver ingots right there. That's why there is so much arsenic in the soil--this was a full processing site. They mined the ore on the mountain, milled it at the mill, shot it down to the creekside smelter and made the bars. No railroad ever came up this way, so then it had to be shipped by wagon to Blackfoot. We recorded 8 buildings--the photos here show the old hotel (wooden false front) and the Wells Fargo building (beautiful stone)--but at one time there were many more buildings and 300 people here. Now there are lots of ruins and, except for a DEQ guy taking soil samples, we were the only people."

http://usera.imagecave.com/georgboise/BayhorseBuildingsGr5B3BA.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/georgboise/BayhorseBuildingsGr5B3BD.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/georgboise/BayhorseBuildingsWe5B3C0.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/georgboise/WellsFargo.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/georgboise/Hotel.jpg

Best,

George

Title: Re: A few more pics of Bayhorse...
Post by Jonny on May 25^th, 2007, 10:16pm

I love that old west stuff, gimmie an old western movie anytime before this star wars crap!

Thanks for the pics, bro!

Title: Re: A few more pics of Bayhorse...
Post by Kevin_M on May 25^th, 2007, 10:25pm

Quote:

This is an overview of the townsite from the mill road.

Really nice view that one. Old ruff Idaho times.

Chewy's Hideaway Honeymoon Hotel. Choice of views, boarded or unboarded. Along the left side, mountaintop boathouse under construction.

http://usera.imagecave.com/georgboise/Hotel.jpg

Title: Re: A few more pics of Bayhorse...
Post by cynjeep89 on May 26^th, 2007, 6:11am

George and Liz,

Loved seeing the pics and reading the info you posted. The scenery is beautiful.

I especially liked the Wells Fargo building...still looks fairly sturdy in the pics.

Good news on the ticks and snakes...not two of my favorite things either.

Thanks for sharing!

Cyn