Lemhi County, Idaho
Encyclopedia
Lemhi County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Idaho
. The county was established in 1869, named after Fort Lemhi
(or Limhi), a remote Mormon
missionary settlement from 1855-58 in Bannock
and Shoshone
territory. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 7,806 (2007 estimate: 7,717). The largest city and county seat
is Salmon
.
as it exits on the county's western border with Idaho County
at approximately 3,000 feet (914 m). The river cuts through the center of Lemhi County before turning west. The county's eastern border with Beaverhead County
, Montana
, is the continental divide.
National protected area
of 2000, there were 7,806 people, 3,275 households, and 2,217 families residing in the county. The population density
was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 4,154 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.63% White
, 0.10% Black
or African American
, 0.60% Native American
, 0.18% Asian
, 0.04% Pacific Islander
, 0.77% from other races
, and 1.68% from two or more races. 2.18% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 19.5% were of German
, 18.0% English
, 11.4% American
and 6.5% Irish
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 3,275 households out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.80% were married couples
living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.50% under the age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 22.70% from 25 to 44, 29.50% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 99.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,185, and the median income for a family was $35,261. Males had a median income of $30,558 versus $18,289 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,037. About 10.60% of families and 15.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.80% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. The county was established in 1869, named after Fort Lemhi
Fort Lemhi
Fort Lemhi was a mission approximately two miles north of present-day Tendoy, Idaho, occupied by Mormon missionaries from 1855 to 1857....
(or Limhi), a remote Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
missionary settlement from 1855-58 in Bannock
Bannock (tribe)
The Bannock tribe of the Northern Paiute are an indigenous people of the Great Basin. Their traditional lands include southeastern Oregon, southeastern Idaho, western Wyoming, and southwestern Montana...
and Shoshone
Shoshone
The Shoshone or Shoshoni are a Native American tribe in the United States with three large divisions: the Northern, the Western and the Eastern....
territory. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 7,806 (2007 estimate: 7,717). The largest city and county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Salmon
Salmon, Idaho
Salmon is a city in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States. The population was 3,122 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Lemhi County...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 4569.5 square miles (11,835 km²), of which 4564.16 square miles (11,821.1 km²) (or 99.88%) is land and 5.35 square miles (13.9 km²) (or 0.12%) is water. The highest point is Scott Peak at 11,393 feet (3472 m) above sea level, and the lowest point is the Salmon RiverSalmon River (Idaho)
The Salmon River is located in Idaho in the northwestern United States. The Salmon is also known as The River of No Return. It flows for through central Idaho, draining and dropping more than between its headwaters, near Galena Summit above the Sawtooth Valley in the Sawtooth National...
as it exits on the county's western border with Idaho County
Idaho County, Idaho
Idaho County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 16,267. The county seat is Grangeville...
at approximately 3,000 feet (914 m). The river cuts through the center of Lemhi County before turning west. The county's eastern border with Beaverhead County
Beaverhead County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Beaverhead National Forest * Big Hole National Battlefield* Nez Perce National Historical Park * Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge-History:...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, is the continental divide.
Adjacent counties
- Idaho CountyIdaho County, IdahoIdaho County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 16,267. The county seat is Grangeville...
- (west 1) - Valley CountyValley County, IdahoValley County is a rural county located in west central Idaho in the United States. Established in 1917, it was named after the Long Valley of the North Fork of the Payette River, which extends over 30 miles from Payette Lake at McCall south to Cascade to Round Valley.The valley was formerly a...
- (west 2) - Custer CountyCuster County, IdahoCuster County is a rural mountain county located in the center of the U.S. state of Idaho. Established in 1881, it was named for the General Custer Mine, where gold was discovered five years earlier . The population was 4,342 at the 2000 census; it is estimated to have fallen to 4,166 by 2007...
- (south 1) - Butte CountyButte County, IdahoButte County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. It was established in 1917, and its county seat and largest city is Arco. As of the 2010 census, the county had a population of 2,891...
- (south 2) - Clark CountyClark County, IdahoClark County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 1,022 . The county seat and largest city is Dubois...
- (east) - Beaverhead CountyBeaverhead County, Montana-National protected areas:* Beaverhead National Forest * Big Hole National Battlefield* Nez Perce National Historical Park * Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge-History:...
, MontanaMontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
- (north, northeast) - Ravalli CountyRavalli County, Montana-National protected areas:*Bitterroot National Forest *Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge*Lolo National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000 , there were 36,070 people, 14,289 households, and 10,188 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile...
, MontanaMontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
- (north)
National protected areaProtected areaProtected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s
- Challis National Forest (part)
- Salmon National Forest (part)
- Targhee National Forest (part)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,806 people, 3,275 households, and 2,217 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 4,154 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.63% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.10% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.60% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.18% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.04% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.77% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.68% from two or more races. 2.18% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 19.5% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 18.0% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 11.4% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 6.5% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 3,275 households out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.80% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.50% under the age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 22.70% from 25 to 44, 29.50% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 99.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,185, and the median income for a family was $35,261. Males had a median income of $30,558 versus $18,289 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $16,037. About 10.60% of families and 15.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.80% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.
Unincorporated communities
- CarmenCarmen, IdahoCarmen is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States. Carmen is located on U.S. Route 93 north of Salmon. Carmen has a post office with ZIP code 83462....
- CobaltCobalt, IdahoCobalt is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho....
- Elk BendElk Bend, IdahoElk Bend is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho.Elk Bend was originally established in the mid-1960s as a collection of real estate development projects. These projects were named the Salmon River Estates , with Salmon Meadows and its annex added later...
- GibbonsvilleGibbonsville, IdahoGibbonsville is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States. Gibbonsville is north of Salmon. Gibbonsville has a post office with ZIP code 83463.-Climate:...
- LemhiLemhi, IdahoLemhi is an unincorporated community on the Lemhi River in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States. Lemhi is located on Idaho State Highway 28, south of Tendoy and northwest of Leadore. Lemhi has a post office with ZIP code 83465....
- MayMay, IdahoMay is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States. May is south of Salmon. May has a post office with ZIP code 83253....
- North ForkNorth Fork, IdahoNorth Fork is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho.Its name is derived from confluence of the south-flowing North Fork of the Salmon River with the north-flowing main Salmon River, which makes a near-right angle turn here to flow westward across the state to Riggins...
- PattersonPatterson, IdahoPatterson is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States. Patterson is southwest of Leadore....
- ShoupShoup, IdahoShoup is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States. Shoup is located on the Salmon River northwest of Salmon. Shoup has a post office with ZIP code 83469.Shoup was named for George L. Shoup, first governor of Idaho....
- TendoyTendoy, IdahoTendoy is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States. It is located at on State Highway 28, at an altitude of 4,842 feet...