Gem County
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More About Gem County |
Gem County was established on March 19, 1915, with its county seat at Emmett. It was the 37th county created in the state. It was named for the state nickname, "Gem State." Fur trappers were in the area as early as 1818 and Alexander Ross explored Squaw Creek in 1824. Prospectors and miners moved through the county in 1862 en route to the gold rush in the Boise Basin, and by the next year, irrigation began along the Payette River.
Return to County Profiles Main Page, or page to next county, Gooding.
County statistics:
County Seat: Emmett
Population: 16,437 (2009 estimate)
Gem County website
Borders: Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Payette, Valley and Washington counties
What To See And Do:
Gem County Historical Society and Museum: This museum, located in Emmett, features a "Village" that has several historical buildings. They include the Little Red Schoolhouse (a one-room schoolhouse display), the Hunt Memorial House (turn-of-the-century cottage with the belongings of Idaho's fifth Governor, Frank W. Hunt), a Blacksmith Shop (with a variety of tools) and the Bunkhouse (a tribute to Idaho's cattle and sheep industry).
(Sources include The Idaho Blue Book.)