Window on the Clearwater
Traditional news Today's technology
triviahead.JPG - 10433 Bytes

Ray Norton is the winner!

Moose City is the answer for Week 281 of Orofino History Trivia a special feature to celebrate the history and heritage of Clearwater Country.

Join in the discovery!

Tuesday: Parts of its old jail survived until 1924.

Wednesday: Something else was built on the site.

Thursday: Founded in the late 1860s

Friday: Two population influxes

Saturday: In its glory days, it had a jail, saloon, butcher shop, restaurant, three general stores and hotel.

Monday: It was named after an animal sometimes found in Clearwater County.

After the discovery of gold near Pierce in 1860, miners flocked to the area in 1861 and began prospecting streams all around the Clearwater drainage. According to Ralph Space's book, The Clearwater Story, most were experienced miners from the California gold rushes.

Mines were found around Moose Creek and Independence Creek by a wandering band of prospectors in 1862. This placer ground paid them well for a short time, but was limited.

The second influx of people to the area was in the late 1860s and was stimulated by other prospectors. It is said that fully 200 people flocked to the area and that resulted in the founding of Moose City with a restaurant, saloon, jail, hotel, butcher shop and three general stores. The diggings produced for three years supporting the population. In the 1870s the diggings began to fail and Moose City was soon abandoned, though a few people continued to mine the area for 12-15 years, Space said.

Until 1924, parts of the jail could still be seen, but shortly thereafter the Forest Service built a work camp on the site and tore down the jail building. At the writing of his book in the mid 1960s, Space said nothing was left of Moose City except a few level spots and a historical sign.

Trivia Archives

Sponsored by:

Want accurate, daily news for Orofino and Clearwater County?

Subscribe to:

Window on the Clearwater
Traditional news Today's technology

It's a bargain at $3 per month, $18 for 6 months or $30 per year. (Idaho residents, please add 6% sales tax)

Subscribing is easy:

  • Drop us a check with your email address and we will sign you up. (See the mailing address at left)
  • Pay online: Click this Registration link and follow the Pay Pal instructions.

Window on the Clearwater
P.O. Box 2444
Orofino, ID 83544
Orofino 476 0733
Lewiston 208-503-7107
Toll Free 1-866-376-9810
Fax: Toll Free 1-866-376-9810
Email