Northwest Magazines

Worth A Stop - Murray, Idaho

Prospecting for History

Murray, Idaho

You can still find gold nuggets around this town and lots of interesting stories. Some of the stories are old, some are new, and they may or may not be true.

There was a time when the town of Murray, Idaho, had a population larger than Boise's. In 1883, 2000 miners, prospectors, and camp followers converged on this remote spot after A.J. Prichard found placer gold. By 1885, 10,000 people had migrated to the area.

Today Murray is a semi ghost town, meaning there are still people here, about 60. Rumor has it that one full-time miner is still recovering 10 to 16 ounces of gold each day at his claim.

Leila Grebil runs the Bedroom Gold Mine Bar, a large old building that serves as a saloon and community center. Grebil's uncle, a former owner, anxious to dig but tired of the cold, dug a mine entrance from one of the bedrooms many years ago, hence the landmark's name. Grebil mentions another landmark, the town post office, once a log cabin.

The Sprag Pole Bar and Museum, run by Lloyd Roath, is a must-see for the whole family. Once a stagecoach stop, the Sprag Pole is a compound of five connected buildings and 10,000 square feet of history. You won't find another mining or historic collection quite like it. There is a blacksmith shop, school room, barber shop, and doctor's office. No surprise, one exhibit illustrates panning, hydraulic, underground, and dredge mining with actual equipment and historic photographs.

The town of Murray might surprise you with its ghost town look and feel, but its history will amaze you.

Murray is north of Wallace in Idaho's Silver Valley. Take exit 43 from I–90 and follow the Coeur d'Alene River about 30 miles.

By Mike Brodwater

Northwest Travel Magazine January/February 2007