An article titled Rag Town People written by Howard Frisk was published in the November issue of IDAHO Magazine. The article was based on his research of the ghost town of Gilmore, Idaho for his book, Ghost Towns of Eastern Idaho.
You can read the first few paragraphs below. The complete article is available from IDAHO Magazine for $1.99 via the link below. Magazine subscriptions are also available. |
Howard Frisk began his creative journey not with words, but with images—capturing the world through the lens of a Kodak Instamatic 104 camera given to him by his mother in his hometown of Seattle. What began as a childhood fascination soon grew into a lifelong passion for photography. His work evolved into freelance assignments, and he began selling his fine art images on various online platforms.
In pursuit of dramatic landscapes, Howard purchased a Jeep Wrangler and set out to explore the remote back roads of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. Along the way, he discovered more than sweeping vistas—he encountered the haunting remnants of history: weathered farmhouses, collapsing barns, and eventually entire ghost towns. These forgotten places became both his inspiration and his subjects. His explorations culminated in a series of five books documenting the ghost towns and abandoned places of Idaho. Each book features a compelling mix of captivating present day color photographs and poignant black-and-white historical images. Numerous photographers collaborated with Howard to capture the haunting beauty of decay, transporting readers to the bygone eras of bustling towns turned silent whispers of the past. While researching the mining communities of Rocky Bar and Atlanta, he stumbled upon the story—or more aptly, the legend—of Peg Leg Annie. In his book Ghost Towns of Western Idaho, she earned a brief mention, little more than a page and a half. But when a friend suggested her tale deserved a book of its own, the idea took root. Although Howard’s previous works were non-fiction, he realized that Peg Leg Annie’s life story existed somewhere between truth and legend—territory best explored through storytelling. The result is his first work of historical fiction: a novel that brings new life to one of Idaho’s most enduring frontier legends. Howard's photographs have been published in numerous regional travel guides, books, calendars, and websites. His work has also been displayed in juried photography exhibitions and art galleries in his hometown of Puyallup, Washington. |
Rag Town People
Gilmore’s Colorful Characters
Story and Photos by Howard Frisk
I mounted the rickety steps of Gilmore’s largest and most prominent abandoned building, the Gilmore Mercantile Company, and peered inside. It was empty, save for a few long wooden poles propped up against the walls to stabilize them. The room was about twenty feet wide and one hundred feet long. Near the front of the mercantile, a group of informational panels placed by the Lemhi County Historical Society and Museum displayed old photographs and captions that offered tidbits about Gilmore’s history, and the purposes of various buildings scattered around the townsite [see “Ghost on the Plain,” IDAHO magazine, September 2017].
With me was Dan Lerwill, whose Facebook page, “A place called Gilmore Idaho,” displays his own photos as well as historical images of the ghost town. His posts include scans of historical documents and stories of the miners and townsfolk who lived there in the late-1800s and early-1900s. Many of his posts recount the trials and tribulations of Gilmore’s most illustrious figures.
I had messaged Dan a few days earlier to explain that I wanted to take photographs of the abandoned buildings and mines in Gilmore for my book, Ghost Towns of Eastern Idaho. Dan offered to give me a one-on-one guided tour and we met in Gilmore, which is about one hundred miles northwest of Idaho Falls on Highway 28. He explained that he’s the unofficial caretaker, who helps to maintain the buildings, which are on the verge of collapsing. He also hosts guided tours for groups.
Dan is not only a walking encyclopedia of the history of the place but he knows about the rugged individualists who lived and worked there, which is important to my books. He said in the late-1880s, a man named Joseph Bush was prospecting on the lower flanks of the eastern side of the Lemhi Range when he discovered a large vein of ore containing lead, silver, and some gold [see “Gilmore’s Mines,” IDAHO magazine, July 2024]. Joseph successfully mined the area for several years. Other miners arrived, and because no town existed yet, many of them lived in tents. This enabled them to pack up and leave during the brutal winter months. The area in Horseshoe Gulch became known as Rag Town.
Joseph dug several mines and worked them for a few years. In 1902, he sold his claims to Edgar and Swartz Ross, who were brothers and investors out of Pennsylvania. The Ross brothers developed additional claims and constructed a town that included many buildings for their mining company, livery stables, a hotel/saloon, general store, school, hospital, and numerous houses. The Ross brothers planned to name their town Gilmer, in honor of their friend Jack Gilmer, owner of the Gilmer–Salisbury Stage Lines. An application to name the post office Gilmer was submitted to the postmaster general in Washington, D.C. It was approved, but with an error. The name Gilmer was misspelled as Gilmore. A request to correct the name was rejected.
Gilmore’s Colorful Characters
Story and Photos by Howard Frisk
I mounted the rickety steps of Gilmore’s largest and most prominent abandoned building, the Gilmore Mercantile Company, and peered inside. It was empty, save for a few long wooden poles propped up against the walls to stabilize them. The room was about twenty feet wide and one hundred feet long. Near the front of the mercantile, a group of informational panels placed by the Lemhi County Historical Society and Museum displayed old photographs and captions that offered tidbits about Gilmore’s history, and the purposes of various buildings scattered around the townsite [see “Ghost on the Plain,” IDAHO magazine, September 2017].
With me was Dan Lerwill, whose Facebook page, “A place called Gilmore Idaho,” displays his own photos as well as historical images of the ghost town. His posts include scans of historical documents and stories of the miners and townsfolk who lived there in the late-1800s and early-1900s. Many of his posts recount the trials and tribulations of Gilmore’s most illustrious figures.
I had messaged Dan a few days earlier to explain that I wanted to take photographs of the abandoned buildings and mines in Gilmore for my book, Ghost Towns of Eastern Idaho. Dan offered to give me a one-on-one guided tour and we met in Gilmore, which is about one hundred miles northwest of Idaho Falls on Highway 28. He explained that he’s the unofficial caretaker, who helps to maintain the buildings, which are on the verge of collapsing. He also hosts guided tours for groups.
Dan is not only a walking encyclopedia of the history of the place but he knows about the rugged individualists who lived and worked there, which is important to my books. He said in the late-1880s, a man named Joseph Bush was prospecting on the lower flanks of the eastern side of the Lemhi Range when he discovered a large vein of ore containing lead, silver, and some gold [see “Gilmore’s Mines,” IDAHO magazine, July 2024]. Joseph successfully mined the area for several years. Other miners arrived, and because no town existed yet, many of them lived in tents. This enabled them to pack up and leave during the brutal winter months. The area in Horseshoe Gulch became known as Rag Town.
Joseph dug several mines and worked them for a few years. In 1902, he sold his claims to Edgar and Swartz Ross, who were brothers and investors out of Pennsylvania. The Ross brothers developed additional claims and constructed a town that included many buildings for their mining company, livery stables, a hotel/saloon, general store, school, hospital, and numerous houses. The Ross brothers planned to name their town Gilmer, in honor of their friend Jack Gilmer, owner of the Gilmer–Salisbury Stage Lines. An application to name the post office Gilmer was submitted to the postmaster general in Washington, D.C. It was approved, but with an error. The name Gilmer was misspelled as Gilmore. A request to correct the name was rejected.
Howard was interviewed by an editor of the Shoshone News-Press about his book, Abandoned Mines of Western Idaho.
These are the questions and answers.
These are the questions and answers.
Historic Burke mine featured in new book
How long have you been writing, how many books have you published, anything similar
to this?
Abandoned Mines of Western Idaho is one of six books in the series about ghost towns,
abandoned mines, and historical sites in the Pacific Northwest. Arcadia Publishing
published the first book, Abandoned Washington State, in 2023. The first printing sold
out, so they ran a second printing. Based on the success of that book, Sutton Publishing
asked me to write Abandoned Idaho, which was published at the beginning of this year.
Because the publishers were pleased with the first two books, they asked me to write
four more books about Idaho: Abandoned Mines of Eastern Idaho, Abandoned Mines of
Western Idaho, Ghost Towns of Eastern Idaho, and Ghost Towns of Western Idaho.
They were published this year and are available on Amazon.
What drew your attention to the Hecla’s mine for the purposes of your book?
Of all the abandoned mines I visited, the Hecla Mine in Burke was the most impressive.
Standing in front of the massive concrete storage bin was a humbling experience. I
believe the Hecla Mine storage bin is the largest remaining mining structure in Idaho,
which made it worthy of being the cover photo of the book. The Hecla Mine now stands
as a monument to the legacy of Idaho’s miners. Monuments need to be appreciated,
and I hoped my book could assist with that.
Was there anything that stood out about it compared to other mines that you covered?
Most of the other abandoned mine structures in Idaho were built of wood, and many of
those have been dismantled or are falling apart. Aside from its massive structure, the
story of how the town of Burke and the Hecla Mine surface structures were rebuilt after
being destroyed by the fire in 1923, is a remarkable story of the triumph of the human
spirit. Another aspect of the Hecla Mine that makes it unique among Idaho’s abandoned
mines is the sheer size of the mining complex. There are roughly a dozen buildings and
structures still standing, making it by far the largest group of remains that I found. The
production is astounding. It produced over one million tons of lead, 160 million ounces
of silver, and 200 thousand tons of zinc. Mining operations besides this one might have
been bigger, but they have vanished.
How did you go about securing the photography and art for your book?
Whenever possible, I drove to these sites and took the photographs myself. The Hecla
Mine occupies private property, which is marked with “No Trespassing” signs. However,
there are many photographs of the Hecla Mine available online. Three of the
photographers that I contacted granted permission for me to include their photographs
in the book. One of them provided photos taken with his drone.
Most people from the area refer to the panhandle area as North Idaho, but your title
says western Idaho. Most of the mines you discuss are definitely in the south western
region of the state, except for the Hecla mine. Do you regard the panhandle as western
Idaho, or did you choose to include it because it was interesting?
The task at hand was to write four books: two on ghost towns, and two on abandoned
mines. This meant I had to divide up the state into two, more or less, equal parts based
on the prevalence of ghost towns or abandoned mines. I also had to consider that some
abandoned mines are not accessible to the public. The geographic center of Idaho is
located close to Stanley. That did not work as the dividing point for northern and
southern Idaho because there are many more ghost towns and abandoned mines south
of Stanley compared to north of Stanley. Based on this, using Stanley as the basis for
dividing Idaho into eastern and western regions worked. The panhandle is on the west
side of the Stanley dividing line, so there’s the explanation.
What interests you most about the history of mining in Idaho?
Gold. Everyone has heard of the California Gold Rush and the Klondike, but I did not
know that there were a series of gold rushes in Idaho. This piqued my curiosity. In my
research, I discovered numerous historical photographs of a variety of miners and
mining activity. Some of these photographs were taken in the very spot where I took my
photographs. I thought it would be illuminating to see side-by-side comparisons of
photographs from the late 1800s and early 1900s next to present-day photographs. This
would show readers how the scenes evolved over a century.
Do you plan on looking at mining in Southeastern Idaho, lots of phosphate mining
there?
One of the other books in the series, Abandoned Mines of Eastern Idaho, includes a
chapter on copper mines on Mackey’s Mine Hill, about thirty miles northwest of Arco.
This is the closest mining area to southeastern Idaho. All the books in the series have
been published, and there are no more in the pipeline.
What is your favorite part of the book?
Comparing the historical and present-day photographs side-by-side. I took historical
photographs with me on my road trips, and sometimes I stood in the same spot as the
photographer did a hundred years earlier. Of the six abandoned mines explored in the
book, the chapter on the Hecla Mine in Burke is by far the most intriguing. The objective
of many mining operations in Idaho was to extract gold or silver. The Hecla Mine was
unique. This mine extracted lead/silver ore known as galena. The underground
workings of the Hecla Mine extended for approximately sixty miles, with shafts as deep
as 9,000 feet. This made the Hecla Mine the deepest mine in North America.
What do you hope the takeaways will be for readers of the book?
I wrote the book with the idea of historical empathy in mind. We know that humans
naturally empathize with others, particularly those facing hardship. Historical empathy
means having these feeling for those who pioneered the American west and endured
hardships that none of us will ever know. I think that readers who experience historical
empathy for Idaho’s miners may better appreciate the lives of comfort that most of us
enjoy today.
Where should readers look to learn more?
My companion website to the series, Abandoned-Idaho.com, has many photographs
that were not included in the books because of space limitations from the publisher.
How long have you been writing, how many books have you published, anything similar
to this?
Abandoned Mines of Western Idaho is one of six books in the series about ghost towns,
abandoned mines, and historical sites in the Pacific Northwest. Arcadia Publishing
published the first book, Abandoned Washington State, in 2023. The first printing sold
out, so they ran a second printing. Based on the success of that book, Sutton Publishing
asked me to write Abandoned Idaho, which was published at the beginning of this year.
Because the publishers were pleased with the first two books, they asked me to write
four more books about Idaho: Abandoned Mines of Eastern Idaho, Abandoned Mines of
Western Idaho, Ghost Towns of Eastern Idaho, and Ghost Towns of Western Idaho.
They were published this year and are available on Amazon.
What drew your attention to the Hecla’s mine for the purposes of your book?
Of all the abandoned mines I visited, the Hecla Mine in Burke was the most impressive.
Standing in front of the massive concrete storage bin was a humbling experience. I
believe the Hecla Mine storage bin is the largest remaining mining structure in Idaho,
which made it worthy of being the cover photo of the book. The Hecla Mine now stands
as a monument to the legacy of Idaho’s miners. Monuments need to be appreciated,
and I hoped my book could assist with that.
Was there anything that stood out about it compared to other mines that you covered?
Most of the other abandoned mine structures in Idaho were built of wood, and many of
those have been dismantled or are falling apart. Aside from its massive structure, the
story of how the town of Burke and the Hecla Mine surface structures were rebuilt after
being destroyed by the fire in 1923, is a remarkable story of the triumph of the human
spirit. Another aspect of the Hecla Mine that makes it unique among Idaho’s abandoned
mines is the sheer size of the mining complex. There are roughly a dozen buildings and
structures still standing, making it by far the largest group of remains that I found. The
production is astounding. It produced over one million tons of lead, 160 million ounces
of silver, and 200 thousand tons of zinc. Mining operations besides this one might have
been bigger, but they have vanished.
How did you go about securing the photography and art for your book?
Whenever possible, I drove to these sites and took the photographs myself. The Hecla
Mine occupies private property, which is marked with “No Trespassing” signs. However,
there are many photographs of the Hecla Mine available online. Three of the
photographers that I contacted granted permission for me to include their photographs
in the book. One of them provided photos taken with his drone.
Most people from the area refer to the panhandle area as North Idaho, but your title
says western Idaho. Most of the mines you discuss are definitely in the south western
region of the state, except for the Hecla mine. Do you regard the panhandle as western
Idaho, or did you choose to include it because it was interesting?
The task at hand was to write four books: two on ghost towns, and two on abandoned
mines. This meant I had to divide up the state into two, more or less, equal parts based
on the prevalence of ghost towns or abandoned mines. I also had to consider that some
abandoned mines are not accessible to the public. The geographic center of Idaho is
located close to Stanley. That did not work as the dividing point for northern and
southern Idaho because there are many more ghost towns and abandoned mines south
of Stanley compared to north of Stanley. Based on this, using Stanley as the basis for
dividing Idaho into eastern and western regions worked. The panhandle is on the west
side of the Stanley dividing line, so there’s the explanation.
What interests you most about the history of mining in Idaho?
Gold. Everyone has heard of the California Gold Rush and the Klondike, but I did not
know that there were a series of gold rushes in Idaho. This piqued my curiosity. In my
research, I discovered numerous historical photographs of a variety of miners and
mining activity. Some of these photographs were taken in the very spot where I took my
photographs. I thought it would be illuminating to see side-by-side comparisons of
photographs from the late 1800s and early 1900s next to present-day photographs. This
would show readers how the scenes evolved over a century.
Do you plan on looking at mining in Southeastern Idaho, lots of phosphate mining
there?
One of the other books in the series, Abandoned Mines of Eastern Idaho, includes a
chapter on copper mines on Mackey’s Mine Hill, about thirty miles northwest of Arco.
This is the closest mining area to southeastern Idaho. All the books in the series have
been published, and there are no more in the pipeline.
What is your favorite part of the book?
Comparing the historical and present-day photographs side-by-side. I took historical
photographs with me on my road trips, and sometimes I stood in the same spot as the
photographer did a hundred years earlier. Of the six abandoned mines explored in the
book, the chapter on the Hecla Mine in Burke is by far the most intriguing. The objective
of many mining operations in Idaho was to extract gold or silver. The Hecla Mine was
unique. This mine extracted lead/silver ore known as galena. The underground
workings of the Hecla Mine extended for approximately sixty miles, with shafts as deep
as 9,000 feet. This made the Hecla Mine the deepest mine in North America.
What do you hope the takeaways will be for readers of the book?
I wrote the book with the idea of historical empathy in mind. We know that humans
naturally empathize with others, particularly those facing hardship. Historical empathy
means having these feeling for those who pioneered the American west and endured
hardships that none of us will ever know. I think that readers who experience historical
empathy for Idaho’s miners may better appreciate the lives of comfort that most of us
enjoy today.
Where should readers look to learn more?
My companion website to the series, Abandoned-Idaho.com, has many photographs
that were not included in the books because of space limitations from the publisher.
