Warrens - Idaho Ghost Town

WARREN

NAME: Warren
COUNTY: Idaho
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 2
CLIMATE: Cool winter and summer.
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime.

COMMENTS: Just out of McCall.
REMAINS: Many ruins.

The town received its name after a James Warren, one of three prospectors who found a vein of gold in 1862 that resulted in many more sharing in the riches amounting to more than $14 million by 1884. The town has a storied past that revolves more around four characters of the time and place named Judge Poe, Three-Fingered Jack, Cougar Dave and the slave girl, Polly Bemis. The most fascinating is that of Polly Bemis. Orientals were not well respected in mining camps and Polly was Chinese. In an interview by Countess Gizicka for Field And Stream of July, 1921, the writer said: “She stands not much over four feet, neat as a pin, wrinkled as a walnut, and at sixty-nine is full of dash and charm . . . Polly told me … ‘My follucks in Hong Kong had no grub. Dey sell me, slave girl. Old woman, she smuggle me into Portland. I cost $2,500. Don’t looka it now! Old Chinese man, he took me along to Warrens in Pack Train.” Polly met and married a Charlie Bemis in Warren. Bemis died in 1922. Before her death at eighty-one, she requested to be buried where she could still hear the roar of the foaming Salmon River. Warren was active until about 1932 when the stabilization of gold prices caused the demise of hundreds of gold camps including Warrens. Reached best from McCall, the town is well preserved. Submitted by Henry Chenowith.	Warren Courtesy James N. Kobus Warren Courtesy James N. Kobus Warren Courtesy James N. Kobus Warren Courtesy James N. Kobus

The town received its name after a James Warren, one of three prospectors who found a vein of gold in 1862 that resulted in many more sharing in the riches amounting to more than $14 million by 1884. The town has a storied past that revolves more around four characters of the time and place named Judge Poe, Three-Fingered Jack, Cougar Dave and the slave girl, Polly Bemis. The most fascinating is that of Polly Bemis. Orientals were not well respected in mining camps and Polly was Chinese. In an interview by Countess Gizicka for Field And Stream of July, 1921, the writer said: “She stands not much over four feet, neat as a pin, wrinkled as a walnut, and at sixty-nine is full of dash and charm . . . Polly told me … ‘My follucks in Hong Kong had no grub. Dey sell me, slave girl. Old woman, she smuggle me into Portland. I cost $2,500. Don’t looka it now! Old Chinese man, he took me along to Warrens in Pack Train.” Polly met and married a Charlie Bemis in Warren. Bemis died in 1922. Before her death at eighty-one, she requested to be buried where she could still hear the roar of the foaming Salmon River. Warren was active until about 1932 when the stabilization of gold prices caused the demise of hundreds of gold camps including Warrens. Reached best from McCall, the town is well preserved. Submitted by Henry Chenowith.

Warren
Courtesy James N. Kobus

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