Pictured: Elk City Mill

On July 15, 1995, the area around Elk City, including Red River, Dixie, Orogrande, Golden, Newsome, Clearwater and Stites celebrated local history with the Centennial of the Elk City Wagon Road. The area had historically been a hunting area for the NimiiPuu  or the Nez Perce as they passed on the NimiiPuu Trail to the buffalo country.  Gold was discovered in Elk City in 1861.  After the miners left, the Chinese stayed on to work the claims until a law was passed that they couldn’t own land, claims or businesses.  Later residents made a living in ranching and the timber industry.  The Elk City Alliance, Friends of the Elk City Wagon Road and the Elk City Ranger Station, U.S. Forest Service banded together and asked the Trust to help them preserve local photographs of the area’s people and history.