Owyhee County Historical Society Museum & Library

Membership Meeting
2026-09-18 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Boise) | Owyhee County Historical Society, 17085 Basey Street, Murphy, ID, 83650, United States
Join us on September 18th at 6pm as we enjoy out bi-monthly membership meeting with historic presenter to follow. More details soon.

OUTPOST DAYS
2026-06-06 - 2026-06-07
HOWDY EVERYONE!
Its time for OUTPOST DAYS!
Join us June 6-7th, for all kinds of Western fun. The Museum will host a pancake breakfast Saturday morning. Followed by lost arts demonstrations throughout the day. The Snake River Stampede Stagecoach will be on display along with Blacksmithing, Horny Toad Races, Ft. Boise Garrison encampment, and an online auction.
This year we will cut the ribbon on the new Pete Rathbone Wrench Collection addition to the Annex at 11am!
This is the biggest fundraiser for the Owyhee County Historical Museum and it only happens once a year! The museum will be fully open with free admission.
Come spend the day with the family and enjoy the old west the right way here at the Owyhee County Museum. More information can be found on our website under Outpost Days tab at the top.

If you want to be a vendor or sponsor this event email the Director: director@owyheemuseum.org or call 208-495-2319.

Membership Meeting
2026-05-15 18:00 - 20:00
Join us on May 15th at 6pm for our Membership meeting. This month we have Jerry Eichhorst. This presentation will use a combination of maps, old and recent pictures, and emigrant diary quotes to share the best of the Oregon and California Trails in Idaho. There are hundreds of miles of emigrant trails in southern Idaho used by people migrating with covered wagons to the Pacific Ocean in the 1840s to 1860s. Several cutoffs and alternative routes traversed Idaho through the era as better wagon roads were sought by the emigrants. The humorous, informative, and tragic stories of the emigrants bring these trails to life.
Jerry Eichhorst is an amateur historian with a passion for the Oregon and California Trails. He has been involved with these emigrant trails in Idaho for over 30 years. As a diary researcher with over 2700 accounts of emigrants traveling in Idaho, he has made numerous discoveries about the trails in Idaho through extensive research and compiling of the accounts. Jerry has been President of the Idaho chapter (www.IdahoOCTA.org) of the Oregon-California Trails Association (OCTA) for over 15 years.

Spring Bazaar & Chili Cook-off
2026-03-28 10:00 - 16:00
The OCHS Spring Bazaar & MRW Chili Cook-off will take place March 28th from 10-4pm. Come on down for local craft vendors and homemade food from Mrs. Murphys Kitchen. The Kitchen is looking for donations of pies and desserts if you can help contact, Deb Lindner at 208-880-7929.
If you are interested in having your delicious chili dished out and judged for the chili for the cook-off call or email Lou Monson at 208-495-2154 or info@mrwfire.org

Wild West Seminar
2026-03-14 09:00 - 15:00
Yeehaw! Join us for the Idaho Wild West Seminar at the Owyhee County Museum. Immerse yourself in the captivating history of the Wild West in the great state of Idaho. This in-person event offers an opportunity to explore the legends and lore of cowboys, outlaws, and pioneers who shaped the Idaho frontier and beyond. While the event is free, lunch tickets are available for $20 per person. These tickets provide a delectable lunch this year featuring enchiladas, a taco bar with beef and chicken, refried beans and Spanish rice. Dessert to be Tres Leeches cake or Caramel flan. To secure your lunch spot, advance registration is required. Tickets are on sale now find them on our website:
https://owyheemuseum.square.site/product/wild-west-seminar/OR54V23BVRFU23OFZOKAXXB2?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=F4UPKII3HEZLI7EVW7IYAOYM

Agenda
9:00 –9:15: Welcome and Announcements
9:15-10:00: Gun Histories – Joe Hickey
10:00-10:30: Weapons of the Cassidy Gang – Bill Betensen
10:30-10:45 – Break
10:45-11:15: Women Missionaries – Marie Clyne
11:15-12:00: Idaho Vigilantes – Jeff Wade
12:00-1:00 – Lunch
1:00-1:15: Cowboy Poetry – Jerry Schaefer
1:15-1:45: Wyatt Earp in Idaho – Mike Youngman
1:45-2:15: Colonel Dewey and Wife – The Clyne’s
2:15-3:00: The Immigration of Ex-Confederate Soldiers to Idaho – Jerry Schaefer
