The South
Bannock County Historical Museum, in operation
for nearly 30 years, offers both permanent
and rotating exhibits about the history
of the Lava Hot Springs area and development
of the surrounding rural communities of
Arimo, Inkom, Downey, McCammon, Virginia
and Swan Lake.
Lava Hot Springs has been a gathering
place to rest and bathe in the hot springs
for centuries. Native people from many
tribes used the waters as a spiritual
place of healing and hunting. Visit
our "Poha-Ba, Land of Healing Water",
a permanent interpretive exhibit depicting
the use of hot waters by Native Americans
before the coming of white man, to learn
more about the Native Peoples use of this
area.
Traders and trappers came to this area
in the early to mid 1800’s. One notorious
trapper, Bob Dempsey, set up a trading
post a mile from the current business
district of Lava Hot Springs. He was
champion of the Native Peoples and became
friends with Chief Tendoy of the Lemhi
tribe. They spent many a night sharing
conversations at the Dempsey trading post.
Bob Dempsey fell in love with the chief’s
beautiful daughter Margaret, and asked
Chief Tendoy for her hand in marriage.
The chief was happy with this arrangement
and the two were married and had many
children. Originally, the settlement
that is now Lava Hot Springs was called
Dempsey. A creek located at their trading
post is now called Dempsey Creek. Visit
South Bannock County Historical Museum
to learn more about Bob Dempsey and the
era of Trappers and Traders!
The U. S. Government purchased the land
for the State Foundation (Hot Pools) in
a treaty with the Shoshone Indians in the
late 1800s and granted ownership to the
State of Idaho in 1902. The railroad
tracks were connected, from Montpelier (50
miles to the west) at Lava Hot Springs in
1882. (Please visit the museum’s new “digital
theater” to view an archival photo
of this connection which took place directly
above the hot springs. It also depicts the
railroad camp in 1882.) The arrival
of the railroad in 1905 brought the first
tourists to the Lava Hot Springs area and
people have sought out the famous hot springs
ever since.
More
of Lava's History
|
Open Year Round
Hours: Daily, 12pm-5pm
Fees:
Admission is free but donations
are gratefully accepted.
Poha-Ba, Land of
Healing Water Exhibit |
