Salubria / Cambridge, Idaho

The top photo is my entry into @juliank's photo challenge

The first little town that is "south" of us on Highway 95 is actually almost due west of us, that is just how the road runs. It can really mess with your head when you first move here! The town is Cambridge now, it started life with the far more melodious name of "Salubria." The original site was across the Weiser River and it was a fully functioning pioneer town with a two story school, a Post Office and a saloon. When the railroad said they were coming, some politicking and crossing of palms seems to have helped the Pacific and Idaho Northern Railroad decide to lay the tracks down the other side of the valley, missing Salubria by several miles. A railroad station was all it took for Cambridge to spring to life and Salubria to literally fade away. There is not a single building left of that old town. There is really not a whole lot left of Cambridge, but that little clump of trees in the distance is it. Cambridge, Idaho as seen from the back road into town from Indian Valley.

Can't find it? Let me help:

Don't blink slowly or you might not see it driving right through it, either. It still has a Post Office, school and saloon so it is not doing too badly I guess. There are a lot of empty buildings on "the gut," so it is not really doing wonderfully. This was the restaurant that ways always open, for 20+ years, while the other ones in town would open and close, sell and resell, and spring to life and fade away. Now even Bucky's is closed.

This fabulous old hotel was never been open in all the years we have lived and played around here. We did notice it had a bunch of new signs at one point, before we moved up here. It appears someone opened a Bistro at some point, but it was open and closed between our visits.

The best thing to happen to the local economy in years is probably the development of the local hot spring. The settlers of Salubria used to run all the hogs in the upper valley to the hot spring where they would be scalded after butchering. The old metal ring can still be found in the field where the spring comes up. Now it is piped over to a delightful pool that is not only very popular with the locals, but it brings people in from all over the state for a visit. The "Rails to Trails" system is nearby, and so the campsite at the hot spring has become an annual stop for a large bike tour.

The worse the weather, the more salubrious the water!

To delve a little deeper into the story of Salubria, I recommend this article by Ron Marlow.

Let me know what you think of my new post bling! @fishyculture got permission to take an Alliance banner and customize it - thanks fishy, thanks @thealliance!