De Lamar, Idaho, human settlement in Owyhee County, Idaho, United States of America
De Lamar is a mining settlement in Owyhee County, Idaho, now a ghost town situated at high elevation near Silver City. Only a handful of buildings remain standing across roughly 650 hectares of abandoned mines, old foundations, and ruins spread across the landscape.
The settlement was established in the late 1880s when Joseph Raphael De Lamar, a former ship captain, discovered silver deposits and started mining operations. The mine produced significant wealth for a brief period before declining around 1890, leading to the town's gradual abandonment.
De Lamar grew as a mining community where families and workers built their lives together. Social gatherings such as dances, weddings, and weekly celebrations were central to daily life, creating a place where work in the mines and community bonds shaped how people spent their time.
The site sits on federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and is accessible about 10 kilometers west of Silver City. Visitors should bring appropriate clothing for changing weather conditions and treat the old structures and land with respect.
A notable aspect is that the settlement operated a seasonal post office from 1917 to 1930, opening only during summer months. This reveals that some residents remained present in the site for decades after mining ceased, keeping a thread of habitation alive much longer than expected.
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