Location of historical marker:  Idaho 11 – Milepost 28.6

 

Oro FinoOro Fino City was the commercial center of Idaho's earliest gold camp in the great days of 1861.  It flourished here for more than a year.

 

Pierce City was only two miles away, but another town sprang up near some rich gold strikes.  In its first few weeks, Oro Fino City had "about 90 houses – more going up every day; nine or 10 stores, more saloons than are needed, two smith shops, two butcher shops, three families, and about 500 inhabitants."  But with the gold rush over, the place was abandoned.  The deserted town burned to the ground, August 10, 1867.

 

The picture was taken at the Orofino Fourth of July parade in 1900.  The mining camp Oro Fino was founded about forty miles north of the present city of Orofino.  In 1861 Oro Fino had six restaurants, two hotels, 20 whiskey shops, 10 gambling saloons, two bakeries, one watchmaker, one bookstore, one barbershop and three doctors' offices.

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