The Silver Valley
The Coeur d'Alene mining district in northern Idaho was among the richest silver, lead and zinc districts in the world. Towns such as Wallace, Kellogg, Mullan and Burke, the last squeezed into a canyon so narrow that the railroad and creek ran through town, were photographed by local photographers. Real photo cards of mines, mills, miners and the crowded canyon towns are among the most collected Idaho cards. The district's labor conflicts of the 1890s and the great fire of 1910, which burned much of Wallace, add historical weight to cards from the area.
Logging and the great fire
Northern Idaho's forests supported a large logging industry, with camps, flumes, log drives on the rivers and big sawmills at places such as Potlatch, a company town built by the lumber company of the same name. The Big Burn of 1910 swept across northern Idaho and western Montana, and real photo cards of burned forests and towns record it. Logging camp real photos with crews, horses and equipment are popular with occupational collectors.
Irrigation and the Snake River Plain
In the early twentieth century, irrigation projects turned parts of the dry Snake River Plain into farmland, and new towns grew quickly. Twin Falls, Burley, Rupert and others were laid out and promoted, and postcards show canals, dams, new main streets and farms. Construction views of dams and canals and early real photos of brand-new towns are collected.
Boise and the capital
Boise's capitol, streets, hotels and natatorium, a large hot-spring-fed swimming hall, appear on many cards. Printed views of the capitol are common; real photos of streets, events and the natatorium are more interesting.
Sun Valley
The Union Pacific Railroad built Sun Valley as a ski resort in 1936, and it became famous for its celebrity guests. Early Sun Valley cards, including linens and real photos of the lodge, skiers and the first chairlifts, interest skiing and resort collectors.
Places and subjects to look for
- The Silver Valley: Wallace, Kellogg, Burke and Mullan, with mines, mills and canyon streets.
- The Panhandle: Coeur d'Alene, Sandpoint, lake steamers and logging towns.
- The Palouse: Moscow and the wheat country, with grain elevators and farm scenes.
- The Snake River Plain: Twin Falls, Idaho Falls, Pocatello and irrigation projects.
- Central Idaho: Boise, mining camps in the mountains and early resorts.
- Railroad towns along the Union Pacific and Northern Pacific lines.
Lake steamers
Steamers carried passengers and freight on Lake Coeur d'Alene and Lake Pend Oreille, and connecting electric railways brought excursionists from Spokane. Postcards of the steamers, landings and lake resorts are popular with maritime and regional collectors.
Real photos versus printed views
Idaho's scenery, from Shoshone Falls to the Sawtooths, was printed and later issued as chrome cards, and those views are common. Real photo cards of mining towns, logging camps, new irrigation towns and small main streets were made in small numbers by local photographers, and they carry most of the value in an Idaho collection.
What is common
Printed views of Shoshone Falls, the capitol and later chrome scenic and highway cards are plentiful.
Why early Idaho real photos are scarce
In 1910 Idaho had only about a third of a million people, spread across a large and mountainous state. Photographers who made postcards of small towns and camps often printed only a few dozen of each view. Many of those cards were mailed to family elsewhere and lost over the years. When one survives, it may be the only photograph of that street, mine or camp anywhere, which is why Idaho collectors and local historians value them so highly.
Ranches and the high country
Cattle and sheep ranching filled much of southern and central Idaho, and real photos of roundups, sheep camps and ranch towns are collected by Western enthusiasts.
Questions about Idaho postcards
Are Wallace and Burke postcards valuable? Real photos of the mines, mills and canyon streets are among the more collectible Idaho cards.
Are Idaho logging postcards collectible? Yes, especially real photos of camps, crews and log drives.
Are early Sun Valley postcards worth anything? Early views of the lodge and skiing interest resort and skiing collectors.
Do you buy collections with Idaho cards? Yes, complete collections, by mail.