Day 73. July 17, 2019. Fairfield Idaho

It's Day 73...it's also July 17 2019...and we are in Fairfield Idaho

From Oregons John Day River area we would continue our trek sorta southeast....leaving the state in through a small town called Nyssa. All across the area the importance of agriculture to the area's economy is obvious. Continued about 150 miles up the road where we would spend the night pulled off to the side of the road just outside Fairfield for some shut eye...but not before some reading about this place called Idaho.

I first wanted to read a bit about the state of idaho...and not surprisingly....how little I actually knew about it....

I would learn that as is the case for most of this area....it was first discovered by white settlers in the early to mid 1800's When Lewis and Clarke would trek through the area on their way to the west coast,,,Idaho would present some of the most harrowing and legendary treks for the early explorers given the steep mountainous terrain riddled with deep canyon river areas and just about every other type of landscape one could imagine. The harsh winters in the area certainly did not help. Near the middle of the century, French Canadians would discover gold in the Pend Orielle River (Ponderay).

The area would be considered a territory for many years...while states all around it would form...initially as part of the Oregon and Washington territories...but once state lines had been determined for those two states the area would be referred to as part of the Colorado territory for a short period of time before achieving statehood in 1890.

Ironically, as I headed east...I would quickly learn that I was headed directly into the real Wild West of the time. The first indicator would be the historical markers. I had spent a good amount of time standing in front of historical markers all across the west in Washington and Oregon....but they were different. To this point....historical markers tended to talk about the discovery, settlement, and development of the area....and the fearless pioneers that had made the journey on foot. Moving into Idaho...the content of historical markers would immediately shift to that of conflict. Brutal and bloody conflict all across the area. It quickly became clear that as the native americans fought to the death in valiant effort to protect their cherished land...the lands that they...and their ancestors had called home for literally centuries from what they considered...well...because it was I guess....an invasion and a takeover. These strange looking new peoples began trekking through....and then staying on their land and simply calling it their own. One of the first of these conflicts I would read about would be The Bannock War...

The Bannock War of 1878 was a significant armed conflict that unfolded across the rugged landscape between Northeastern Oregon and Idaho. The war itself would last nearly 3 months while battles raged between the US Military and Paiute warriors indigenous to the area. The Bannock people had evolved as a distinct group of the Northern Paiute Nation of Idaho. They had migrated during the 18th century south...to the Snake River plain...forming alliances, and living in peace with the Shoshone people of the area. It would be this group of native americans that would become known as the Bannock peoples. The natives of the area had suffered losses due to European introduced disease...so the melding of the two tribes proved beneficial for all in the forms of security, protection and healing. The tribe would also develope a horse culture enabling them to explore a broader area including treks along the Bannock Trail through Montana and into Canada on Buffalo hunts...hence the name.

As Lewis and Clark explored the area initial contact had been peaceful. Expeditions from not only the US...but Canada as well had become engaged in trade with the tribes of the area.....They would trade everything from horses and firearms...to of course furs and even jewelry's from both cultures. They would maintain this relationship for decades while maintaining their independance....but their dependance on this trade would become more of an issue as the area reached the end of the 18th century. The issue heightened for the native americans as White Settler growth in the area increased...this would lead to a decrease in trade with the native americans as settlers turned more towards traditional forms of commerce, Settlements would grow in the area with regular supplies coming in from the east. Tensions would only heighten when gold was discovered in the area driving the growth rates and traffic even higher...and all the illicit activity that came with the gold rush era...just ask Canyon City Oregon. Just as importantly...competition in the area for game and water resources would only ad to the tensions.

Tensions would boil over and everything would come to a head when the US Military faced off with Bannock Paiute Warriers in 1878. Fierce battles would break out across the region lasting for months. Record keeping of the time makes it tough to get an accurate casualty count...but it known that Paiute-Bannock Warriors would number over 500, and that the US would commit over 1000 troops to the war...it is also known that the US would spend half a million dollars on the conflict and that conflict... would leave settlers in the area terrified....no one seemed to know where the next battle would break out. The Bannok people had spent decades trading for firearms so in most cases they were as armed as the US forces...and...they knew the land in far greater detail.

Even so...The US would throw so much money...and so many soldiers at the conflict that ultimately...the bannock people would surrender. Many would return to the safety of the Fort Hall Reservation....but while safe from Military conflict at Fort Hall...their activities were heavily restricted so nearly all of their autonomy and connection with the land was lost.

In the end...the US Military would round up over 500 Paiute people from Oregon, Idaho, even Nevada...and intern them with Bannock Prisoners at the Yakima Indian Reservation in the southeastern area of the Washington territory. This would not be the last time The Yakima Indian reservation would serve the US Military as an internment camp. During world war 2 over 1000 persons of Japanese ancestry would be rounded up from throughout the Yakima Valley. An order signed by President Franklin D Roosevelt called for the evacuation of all people of Japanese descent across the west coast....These evacuees were compelled to board specially chartered trains that took them to an assembly center at the Portland Livestock Exposition grounds in Oregon....from where they would eventually be interred on the Yakima Indian Reservation as well other camps across the area.

It was at this point in my reading that I had to pause for a second....I think my brain might have been locking up...first....how had I made it around the sun 54 times and did not know that after....The US Military killed nearly 300,000 Japanese people when the nuclear bomb was used during world war 2...that we then established 10 internment camps across the country where some 120,000 Japanese Americans were imprisoned?? Clearly...more learning and enlightenment to be gained here. What were the strategies employed...and in fact....how many American lives had been saved because we took action...rather than the Germans or Japanese doing perhaps the very same thing....only with Americans at the opposite end of wars gun barrel?? But....had to put that one down for now and get back to our trek through Fairfield Idaho.

Fairfield? For us...after driving through the Idaho National Forest and into the foothills of the Sawtooth National Forest... it was literally a place to grab a few hours of sleep alongside a strech of road bearing the historical marker for the Bannock War. And I gotta say...I might be getting a bit addicted to this whole pull over, eat, explore, sleep, and then go again concept! For the folks that call Fairfield home...some 400 or so of them...Fairfield is the county seat…and in fact the only city in Camas County Idaho. The town represents nearly half of the county’s population so if space and time to yourself is your aim, it doesn’t get much better than this. The cities official website refers to the town as a quaint little community nestled in the foothills of the Sawtooth National Forest. Finding much in the way of history requires some digging but what is clear is that the area, beyond having deep roots in Native American history, was born in agriculture and still resides there today. With the Soldier Mountains, as well as the Smokey Mountains (both part of the Sawtooth National Forest) well within reach, the area is also known for just about any kind of outdoor activity one can think up.

If the 15 seconds of fame game is your thing…Fairfield was featured in a season 2 episode of the X-Files., in which Scully and Mulder would investigate a ficticious zoo.

Fairfield's dusty mainstreet...yep...a lot of dirt roads around here...along with a mom and pop ski area, a gas station, and a market gives the locals just about anything they need. For Medical needs....or any serious shopping....folks treck 60 to 80 miles away to visit places like Hailey...or Twin Falls Idaho.

Standing along side the historical marker watching the sun come up...A few deep breaths while looking in one direction...wide open rolling grasslands....as far as I could see.....in another direction....The Sawtooth Mountains cutting a shape into the early morning light...making how they got their name pretty clear....all the while...absorbing how easy it is to understand why so many fought and died.....why so much blood was shed....to keep this land. Or....to take this land...

As we drove through and out of Fairfield later that morning...I started thinking through all the other things I had read about Idaho in general....like....

The extreme diversity of the state. From places like where we are right now in Fairfield....to places like Eagle...or Ketchum Idaho....both very popular... much more densly populated and each boast a highly educated demographics, strong educational systems....and..median home prices ranging from 700...to over 900 thousand dollars...placing them as some of the highest median home prices in the country. On to Boise...the states largest city at nearly a quarter of a million folks....and was named the nations fasted growing city in 2018.

A youtube channel called Placeaholic might have said it best when summarizing Idaho...nicknamed the Gem State....

are there more wild, and rural areas to live in...ya.....are there more populated places to live....sure....but....the Gem State is the perfect place to reside if you enjoy easy access to both.

It would also be in reading, watching video's, and learning more about this place....that I would learn that the United States is the only country on the planet that has "designated wilderness' areas. A focus and movement that began early on in the country's history. More than any other country....the US has committed to, and enforces a committment to the countries wilderness areas and the habitat that live there. Much different than state and national parks, wild life reserves...or even national monuments....Essentially the designated wilderness act took public lands out of the hands of federal agencies and placed them under a congretional act of protection. It would take years...but in 1964 the Wilderness Act was signed into law....entering nine million acres into the governments wilderness protection. Of the nine million acres....the largest area of protection is the Selway Bitteroot wilderness and it's 1.3 million acres are right here in Idaho. Just one example of how "protected" these areas are would be rafting activity along the selway river....During the rafting season....only one launch per day is allowed onto sections of the river....meaning...if you want to experience a piece of what true Wilderness is, into todays United States....you sign up and get on the list to be on one of these launches under careful guide activity....or ... thousands apply for a permit to self launch...but with only 60 launch dates available each year.....a very low percentage actually get to see and do things that are truly special...some even call epic.

These places are truly protected from man....in fact the original legislation even states that man is meant only to be a visitor in these areas...never to stay. In some areas....hiking and horseback are the only options in or out...mountain bikes are not even allowed into the areas as they are considered "mechanised" And of course it goes without saying...no motors.

Thinking through all of this as I drove through the expansive landscape...I sorta lost track of where I was....not to mention where we were going.

Then I drove past a sign that Read "Old State Hiway"

I wonder what we'll learn there?