Custer City
Custer City
Custer City
Custer City in 1880's
Custer City in 1880's

Custer City - Idaho Parks & Recreation Photo
Custer City - Idaho Parks & Recreation Photo

A short distance up the river from the Yankee Fork Gold Dredge is the historic mining town of Custer City, named after the infamous General Custer.

Custer location map

Lode ores were found on the mountains surrounding Jordan Creek and the Yankee Fork in 1875. The richest claim, the General George Custer, was named after General Custer who was killed the same year of the discovery, in 1876.

Founded by Sammy Holman in 1879, Custer was the smaller sister to Bonanza. Unlike Bonanza, Custer was a narrow, one street town which extended for half a mile from the Centaurs Dairy and the General Custer mill at the upper end, to the Nevada Hotel and the Miners Union Hall at the lower end. Chinatown, with about thirty residents, was situated right below the lower end of Custer.

During the 1880's it was second in importance to nearby Bonanza, reaching a peak population of only 300. Bonanza was a sister city and the business and social center until fires in 1889 and 1897 destroyed much of Bonanza. Many merchants re-established their businesses in Custer, gradually making it the new business and social center for the Yankee Fork area. Custer sported a new school house, jail, Miner's Union Hall, post office, and baseball team. Economically supported by the operations of the Lucky Boy and Black mines, Custer eclipsed Bonanza and became the largest of the two towns with a population of 600.

By 1903, the glory days of mining were slipping away as the mines played out one by one. Business slumped and with the closing of the last major mine in 1911, Custer virtually became a ghost town.

In 1990, Custer was chosen as the focal point for the Land of the Yankee Fork Historic Area and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation joined the Forest Service in managing Custer. This led to the establishment of the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park and Historic Area.

Five Stamp Mill, Custer City, Idaho
Five Stamp Mill, Custer City, Idaho - 1997

Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997
Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997

Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho
Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997

The Challis National Forest took ownership of the area in 1966, and in 1981, Custer was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Through the efforts of the Friends of Custer Museum, the site was kept open for public enjoyment.

In 1990, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation joined the Forest Service in managing Custer. This led to the establishment of the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park and Historic Area.

When I visited in July 1997, not much was going on. More recently the buildings have been fixed up and there is a Museum in the old school house and the Empire Saloon is a gift shop with old fashioned sodas to refresh yourself after you’ve gone on a guided or self guided tour of the town.

You can listen to fun tales of the miners and some of the old residents of the town as you take a guided tour in the Museum.

Empire Saloon - 2006 -  Stephen Marks Photo
Empire Saloon - 2006 - Stephen Marks Photo

Custer School House - 2006 - Stephen Marks Photo
Custer School House - 2006 - Stephen Marks Photo

Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997
Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997
Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997
Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997

Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997
Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997
Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997
Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997

School House (now museum), Custer City, Idaho - 1997
School House (now museum), Custer City, Idaho - 1997
Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997
Historic Mining Town, Custer City, Idaho - 1997

Check this website for additional information.

An interesting account: Custer Ghost Town: Noisy, ore crushing place with a love story

A detailed history of this area will be found here: History on Yankee Fork Road - Bonanza, Custer, & the Yankee Fork Dredge

A number of buildings have been preserved/restored and it is an interesting mining history site.