Owyhee County, Idaho

Owyhee County ( ) is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,913. The county seat is Murphy, and its largest city is Homedale. In area it is the second-largest county in Idaho, behind Idaho County. Owyhee County is part of the Boise metropolitan area and contains slightly more than half of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, which extends over the Nevada border, into Elko County. The majority of the federally recognized Shoshone-Paiute Tribe that is associated with this reservation lives on the Nevada side; its tribal center is in Owyhee, Nevada.

History

This area was the territory of Western Shoshone, Northern Paiute, and Bannock peoples and their ancestors for thousands of years prior to the arrival of European settlers. Settler interests in securing land and resources spurred conflict and led to the indigenous peoples being forced onto reservations.

On December 31, 1863, Owyhee County became the first county organized by the Idaho Territory Legislature. While Boise, Idaho, Nez Perce, and Shoshone counties were organized under the laws of Washington Territory, they were not recognized by the Idaho Territory until February 1864. The original county seat at Ruby City was moved to nearby Silver City in 1867.

Owyhee County's original boundary was the portion of Idaho Territory south of the Snake River and west of the Rocky Mountains. Less than a month after the creation of Owyhee County, Oneida County was formed in January 1864 from the eastern portion of the county. The formation of Cassia County in 1879 took further territory in the east.

Owyhee County's history is closely linked to the mining boom that dominated Idaho Territory in the second half of the 19th century.

Owyhee County gained its present boundaries in 1930 after an election approved moving a portion of it near Glenns Ferry and King Hill to neighboring Elmore County. In 1934, the county seat was moved from the nearly abandoned Silver City to its present location in Murphy. In the 21st century, both Silver City and Ruby City are ghost towns, remnant of the mining boom.

Etymology

The name "Owyhee" derives from an early anglicization of the Hawaiian term "Hawaii". When James Cook encountered what he named the Sandwich Islands (now the Hawaiian Islands) in 1778, he found them inhabited by Native Hawaiians, whom the Anglo-Americans referred to as "Owyhees". Noted for their hardy physique and maritime skills, numerous Native Hawaiians were hired as crew members aboard European and American vessels. Many Native Hawaiians sailed to the American Northwest coast and found employment along the Columbia River, where they joined trapping expeditions or worked at some of the fur trading posts.

In 1819, three Native Hawaiians joined Donald Mackenzie's Snake expedition, which went out annually into the Snake country for the North West Company, a Montreal-based organization of Canadian fur traders. The three Hawaiians left the main party during the winter of 1819–1820 to explore the then unknown terrain of what since has been called the Owyhee River and mountains. They disappeared and were presumed dead; no further information regarding their whereabouts has been found. In memory of these Native Hawaiians, British fur trappers started to call the region "Owyhee" and the name stuck.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.4%) is water. It is the second-largest county in Idaho by area.

Nearly all of the county is high intermountain desert, with plentiful sagebrush and basalt canyons. The Owyhee Mountains in the west dominate the landscape, with Hayden Peak reaching above sea level. The lowest elevation is at the county's northwest corner, where the Snake River is just above at the Oregon border. The Snake forms most of the county's northern border from Oregon to just west of Glenns Ferry in Elmore County. A tributary of the Snake is the Bruneau River, which flows north from Nevada through the eastern section of the county. The Owyhee River starts in the southwestern part of the county and flows westward into Oregon; it eventually enters the Snake at the state border, south of Nyssa.

Adjacent counties

Canyon County – north
Ada County – north
Elmore County – north
Twin Falls County – east
Elko County, Nevada – south/Pacific Time Border
Humboldt County, Nevada – southwest/Pacific Time Border
Malheur County, Oregon – west

National protected areas

Big Jacks Creek Wilderness
Bruneau - Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness
Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Little Jacks Creek Wilderness
North Fork Owyhee Wilderness
Owyhee River Wilderness
Pole Creek Wilderness
Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (part)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 11,913. The median age was 38.8 years. 26.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 104.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 103.7 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 72.9% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 3.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 12.2% from some other race, and 10.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 24.5% of the population.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 4,232 households in the county, of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 18.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The population density was . There were 4,781 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 76.0% white, 4.3% American Indian, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% black or African American, 16.6% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 25.8% of the population.

Of the 4,076 households, 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.5% were non-families, and 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.29. The median age was 36.0 years.

2000 census

As of the 2000 U.S. census, there were 10,644 people, 3,710 households, and 2,756 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 4,452 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 76.87% White, 0.15% Black or African American, 3.21% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 16.50% from other races, and 2.72% from two or more races. 23.10% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 14.3% were of American, 12.5% German, 10.4% English, and 8.1% Irish ancestry.

There were 3,710 households, out of which 37.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.20% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.70% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.35.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 31.90% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,339, and the median income for a family was $32,856. Males had a median income of $25,146 versus $20,718 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,405. About 14.20% of families and 16.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.80% of those under age 18 and 12.10% of those age 65 or over.

Media

The Owyhee Avalanche County newspaper

Communities

Cities

Grand View
Homedale
Marsing

Census-designated places

Bruneau
Murphy

Unincorporated communities

Claytonia
Murphy Hot Springs
Oreana
Reynolds
Riddle

Ghost towns

De Lamar
Dewey
Dickshooter
Grasmere
Ruby City
Silver City
Wickahoney

Politics

Although Owyhee County was amongst the most Democratic in the state in its early history, it has like most of Idaho gradually turned overwhelmingly Republican. In no presidential election since 1940 has the county selected the Democratic candidate, and no Democrat since Jimmy Carter in 1976 has won more than one-third of the county's vote.

Education

School districts include:

Bruneau-Grand View Joint School District 365
Castleford School District 417
Glenns Ferry Joint School District 192
Homedale Joint School District 370
Marsing Joint School District 363
Melba Joint School District 136
Pleasant Valley Elementary School District 364
Three Creek Joint Elementary School District 416

Residents in a portion of the county are in the area (but not the taxation zone) for College of Western Idaho. In the remainder, it is in the area (but not the taxation zone) for College of Southern Idaho.

Healthcare

The county is served by the Southwest Idaho Health District.

Gallery

Image:Wildhorsesowyhee.jpg|Wild Horses of Saylor Creek

Image:Birds-of-prey-nca-snake-id.png|Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area

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References

External links

Owyhee County website
Owyhee County Parcel Maps
National Register of Historic Places for Owyhee County
Owyhee County Historical Society
County newspaper: The Owyhee Avalanche