Small mining town west of Driggs rose and fell in 50 years, and now it’s nearly forgotten

#eastidahonews #museummemories #mining
DRIGGS - About eight miles west of Driggs at the end of Horseshoe Canyon was once the home of a thriving coal mining town.
Sam, named for Henry Floyd Samuels - one of multiple investors of the Brown Bear Mine - was home to about 200 mine workers throughout the 1920s and 30s. They brought their families and built homes. There was a school, a post office and a store.
For about 30 years, the mine played a significant role in the area’s economy before it went bankrupt and the town folded.
Today, the path the mine cars followed has been replaced by a paved road leading through the canyon. At the end of the road is a trail head with campsites, but there are no visible signs that the mine or the town ever existed.
The Teton Valley Historical Museum off ID Highway 33 in Driggs contains the only surviving remnants - a mine car, some tools and a written history of what happened.
Despite the museum’s efforts to document this piece of history, knowledge of Sam and the Brown Bear Mine seems to have faded from memory. Here’s the story of this now forgotten town in a secluded area of eastern Idaho.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE: www.eastidahon...
► Subscribe to East Idaho News: www.youtube.co...
► Support East Idaho News: www.eastidahon...
► Download our free app: marketplace-red...
► Like us on Facebook: / eastidahonews
► Follow us on X: / eastidnews
► Follow us on Instagram: / eastidahonews
► Get East Idaho News merch: www.eastidahon...
► Subscribe to our free newsletter: www.eastidahon...

[@yeahletsunpackthat]

Somewhere in the basement, in a tote, I have rolls of film showing this area and a few others in Oregon from the early 1990’s. I always thought take pictures now, the next time you go back it may look different. And it sure does! Thanks for the report looking forward to the full feature!

[@paulettekelly1146]

This is so cool. The good ole days!

[@bubblesbutterfly1235]

Wow Idaho has such beautiful country… it definitely looks like parts of here in Texas

[@HapticFrequencies]

Having lived in both Texas & Idaho, yes - both have beautiful areas. We're blessed to be living in Northern Idaho where we plan to stay for a long long time...

[@RedRose4141]

Wow approx 42 yrs ago i camped with a few people in sleeping bags under the stars around a big campfire. I'll never forget being the last one to fall asleep. I felt like something was watching me so i scanned my eyes past the camp fire and no joke there was the scariest looking timber wolf staring back at me. I froze in fear didn't make a sound n very slowly buried myself down further in my sleeping bag. I'm not sure how long it took me to fall asleep but i was too scared to look out until i heard other's awake in the morning. Its so beautiful up there. I miss it.

[@mariannejennisch9293]

Kind of like Des Moines Iowa area. There are coal mines under neath that have been covered up.