Idaho holds a special place in our mission and work. It is a state with a proud and storied mining history; it is a state built on the pioneering spirit of frontier miners and prospectors, and its mining legacy continues today.

Global Migrations Project started through exploring the mine sites in Central Idaho, near the mining towns of Hailey, Bellevue, Ketchum, Sun Valley, Challis, Stanley, Clayton, Bonanza, Vienna, Galena, Sawtooth City, and many others. But these places are only a small piece of the state’s rich mining history.

In Idaho, the frontier prospectors had to navigate extremely rugged terrain with little support from large population centers. It is a state of extremes, from the hot and dry Snake River Plane to the thick forests of the Panhandle region. Mountains are everywhere, and where there are mountains, there are minerals.

From the simplest prospecting pits and single tunnels dug into remote hillsides to the spectacular silver mines of the Coeur d’Alene region; to the underground battles fought by miners in Silver City. There are hundreds of sites to see and thousands of stories to tell. And even though many may be forever lost to us, plenty of mines exist to explore and learn from.

Global Migrations Project has explored these sites in Idaho as in-depth as possible. It is no small job, as there are more than two hundred and forty-four thousand known mining claims across the state. Many rich mining sites are still well-preserved, although time is taking a toll on the buildings and artifacts; it is a race against the clock and the elements to document what we can.

Please click on the buttons to check out all the sites we have been working on in Idaho.