The Cokeville area in Lincoln county, Wyoming shares a fascinating history. Cokeville was not originally a Mormon settlement, but was settled gradually by many groups and individuals who saw opportunities on the banks of Smiths (named after noted mountain manJedediah… Read More >

So you’ve done all the normal Bear Lake things- been to the beach, returned with a sunburn; grabbed the traditional meal of a burger, french fries and a famous raspberry shake; taken in the zipline at Bridgerland Adventure Park; maybe… Read More >

For generations, the railroad was the dominant force in southeastern Idaho, and its payroll the largest in the country. The Oregon Short Line Railroad laid the original track through southeast Idaho. Organized in 1881, the line was intended to be… Read More >

J. Patrick Wilde was a noted recorder of life in Bear Lake. His prolific collections of historical tales and legends fill several volumes. His book, “Tidbits: Odd and Obscure Amazing- Amusing Facts, Stories Statistics of Bear Lake History” contained an… Read More >

The storied Oregon Trail stretched from Missouri through southern Wyoming into the Bear River Valley, along the shores of Bear Lake, continuing through present-day Montpelier and Soda Springs. There spurs separated the Main Trail and The Hudspeth Cutoff before converging… Read More >

After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began to colonize the western frontiers. Commonly called ”Mormons,” they had been driven from their homes in Illinois & Missouri.They were… Read More >

Newcomers to the Bear Lake Valley are often surprised to see a covered wagon or two in the lakeside area. Heads often turn at the sight of a semi-load of the wagons on highways, on their way to destinations across… Read More >