Leesburg, Idaho, human settlement in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States of America
Leesburg is a ghost town in Lemhi County, Idaho, located at high elevation with very few buildings remaining today. It grew rapidly after gold was discovered in 1866, with miners constructing some 40 buildings including stores, butcher shops, a blacksmith shop, and stables to support the workers.
F.B. Sharkey and his team discovered gold along Napias Creek in 1866, triggering rapid settlement with about 2,000 people by summer of that year. The population dropped below 200 by 1870 as gold yields fell short of expectations, and Chinese miners later moved into the area as others departed.
The town was named after General Robert E. Lee, reflecting the sympathies of early residents despite Idaho being a free territory. This choice, along with a nearby settlement called Grantsville, shows how former soldiers from opposite sides of the Civil War found themselves working together in this remote mountain location.
The site is located in a high mountain area with harsh winter conditions, as shown by the heavy snows of 1866-1867, so visiting during warmer months is advisable. The remains are open and accessible, with a few standing structures and old foundations that offer a window into life during the settlement period.
The settlement had an unusual reputation for being peaceful and orderly, with miners known for their honesty who focused on work rather than trouble. In 1926, early residents and their descendants erected a monument with photographs of the first buildings as a way to preserve the memory of those early days.
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