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Silver City is an iconic day trip here in Idaho. Located about 70 miles southwest of Boise, Silver City experienced a ton of success during its heyday as a booming mining town in the late 19th century. Today it’s considered a ghost town, although a few people still live and run businesses in the town. At its peak, the town was home to around 2,500 residents. Today it stands as an eerie reminder of Idaho’s past. The town contains about 70 original buildings which are still standing, making it one of the best preserved mining towns in the Gem State. One of the most prominent structures still standing is the Idaho Hotel. Looking much like it did 150 years ago, a night spent at this historic hotel is like being transported to the past. Check it out.
The hotel was originally established in 1863, perhaps making it the oldest running hotel in Idaho. It's one of the most notable structures in Silver City, standing prominently over the surrounding buildings.
The hotel hasn't gone through many renovations since it first opened. The exterior's appearance is much like it would have looked back when the town was bustling with miners.
It may look a little rough around the edges, but it's easy to see how grand a hotel this was back in the day. Every little detail, down to the doorknobs, is impressive.
The bar room was added in 1871, and lavishly decorated with the largest and most impressive mirror that money could buy. As soon as you sit down at the bar, you'll feel like you've been transported to the Wild West!
In order to arrange a stay at this historic hotel, you'll check in at the original front desk. Antiques are abundant throughout the hotel in display cases, showcasing treasures from the hotel's past.
The hotel ended up closing for an extended period of time in 1942 and wasn't opened again until 1972 when it was purchased by a new owner, Edward Jagels. Jagels spent the rest of his life preserving the hotel and making it available for the public. He recognized the importance of the Idaho Hotel's place in Silver City history.
There are all sorts of reminders in the hotel of past eras. It's truly as if time has stood still at the hotel for the past hundred years. All of Silver City has been without electricity since the 1940s, but the hotel provides limited use of their solar power system.
Only 13 of the original 40 rooms are available for rent. The rooms themselves are cozy but humble. There are no televisions, outlets, or in-room bathrooms. However, every room is decorated with original, vintage furniture.
This was the place to be back during the town's height. Many social functions were held at this hotel, including weddings, funerals, banquets, and balls. It was also the site of many altercations, including fist fights and shootings. The most famous shooting happened in 1868 between J. Marion Moore and Samuel Lockhart and ultimately ended up being fatal.
The Idaho Hotel is one of the Idaho's greatest and oldest treasures. It's crazy to think about the amount of people who have stayed at the hotel over the 154 years it's been standing.
This historic hotel is a living, breathing time capsule of one of Idaho's most incredible eras. You'll definitely always remember a night spent at this amazing piece of history.
Have you stayed at the Idaho Hotel? It’s pretty amazing that such a unique part of history is still available to us today.
