Around about 1868, most of the gold mining in California was either dying out, or moving to the more expensive rock mining. The original placer miners had dispersed throughout the Northwest looking for other opportunities.
Within Idaho Territory miners had established mining towns in Florence, on Crooked River, and back in the Buffalo Hump area. These mining activities were all going strong, and more people were flocking to the area. Some of the more adventurous miners, tiring of the crowds, went in search of a new find and wandered the breaks of the Salmon River, but eventually venturing back in toward Red River and the current Crooked River mines.
Small pockets of gold were found throughout that country, but eventually two young miners, Heinreich Midas and Ville Sanchez, discovered gold high in the mountains. These two enterprising young miners staked their claims, and then laid out a townsite for the hoards they knew would follow. They named this town Midasville, and staked out 40 lots on a hillside overlooking their mining claim.
Midasville was a huge success until one day a newcomer, the great Pettifogger "Lucky" Wallace, came to the area and discovered a flat spot about 100 feet to the North of the current townsite. This newcomer, Lucky, started brewing beer and selling it over a wagon gate placed on two barrels. Pretty soon, someone had stolen his barrels, but he stayed anyway and a town formed around him. This new town, Lagerville, absorbed the entire populace of Midasville.
Thusly, the gold ran out in the Midas-Sanchez mine. There were several mines still operating in the area and supporting the newly-formed Lagerville in style. But Heinreich Midas died penniless and was used as a Halloween prop for many years. Ville Sanchez returned to his native Canada never to be seen again.
As quickly as the mining died out, logging became the leading industry in Lagerville. Many illiterate loggers were proud to have the name Lagerville and flocked to decimate the Old Growth Forest in the area. Sometime later,they learned that the lager in Lagerville was actually a form of beer rather than loggers. This pleased them enormously that their two favorite things were the same word but different spelling. To celebrate this prime coincidence, they started the Lagerville Logger's Lager Days in September 1890. The loggers would compete in beer guzzling and other beer games and the Lagers, as the beer makers were called, competed in logging contests such as single buck and double chop. A great time was had by all contestants and all spectators.
This continued well into the 20th century until the Great Bark Beetle Infestation of 1930 - 1934 wiped out the Old Growth Forest. To save the forest for future logging, Spoted owls were brought in to eradicate the bark beetle so the Old Growth Forest would grow back. Once the bark beetle was wiped out and the Old Growth Forest grew back, the Spoted owl had become so accustomed to this new Old Growth Forest that it could not live anywhere else.
The proliferation of spoted owls in the area led to an expansion
in the economy. Quick to take advantage of the situation, the locals began their own manufacturing and distribution of Spoted owl products such as "Spoted Owl Helper" and "Spoted Owl Piñatas"and other Spoted Owl festivities. The businesses in the area, however, were once again beaten back by the government and their allies, the
environmentalists. While mining, logging, and laging still remain
productive industries in the area, Lagerville had bigger visions of where it could be.
They wanted to be "the biggest town with less than a hunnert
people in the area". So they started working at attracting tourists. The first attempts, the Mumbly-Peg Shootouts by Limpin' Joe Watson didn't generate the fanfare expected.
Wasn't long, though, before they hit upon the real solution: Lager. They advertised as a fishing and hunting destination, and supplied their guests with large quantities of lager. It was perfect.
Perfect as could be for the technology of the time. However, in
the year 2000 they established an internet presence, only 5 years after Lagerville Loggin' Lager Days was renewed. The internet presence re-established Lagerville as not only a hunting, fishing, drinking paradise, but also as a place to live and raise a family. By mid-year of 2000, there were over a hunnert people that called Lagerville home.
(history of lagerville contains contributions from the historian Porad)
Tag Taggart with his record muley
