Warm River
Posted by: Volcanoguy
N 44° 06.910 W 111° 19.229
12T E 474355 N 4884714
History sign about the community of Warm River.
Waymark Code: WMC7RX
Location: Idaho, United States
Date Posted: 08/05/2011
Views: 5
This history sign is located on Idaho Hwy. 47 at the community of Warm River and deals with the community history.
Marker Name: Warm River
Marker Type: Roadside
Marker Text: A Place of Community on the Frontier
Rounding the curve, music fills the air. A moment later, a festive string of colored lights appear. That was the sound and sight that greeted many people coming into Warm River. They were headed to the Rendezvous Dance Hall where the sound of laughter and the aroma of hamburgers filled the air on a Saturday night.
The Rendezvous was the creation of Fred Lewies and his wife Bertha. Fred incorporated the Town of Warm River in June of 1947, and Bertha became its first mayor. Warm River’s legacy dates back to 1896 when settlers arrived from Europe establishing farms and ranches. Years later, Warm River was the stopping point for many travelers on a slow journey on a narrow muddy road to Island Park, and West Yellowstone, Montana. In 1907 Warm River’s popularity soared when the town became one of the stops for visitors traveling along the Oregon Short Line Railroad to West Yellowstone.
During the next sixty years the town in the canyon with its community of farmers, ranchers, and lumbermen grew quietly. In 1957 the new highway to Yellowstone was completed bypassing Warm River. The town faded into the shadows -- leaving only memories of a time when Warm River was a place of community and friendship. The Rendezvous is gone. But if you listen closely you may hear faint sounds of music from a time when this part of Idaho was still considered a frontier.
County: Fremont
Group Responsible for Placement: Mesa Falls Scenic Byway
City: Not listed
Date Dedicated: Not listed
Marker Number: Not listed
Web link(s) for additional information: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark.
If possible please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location.
Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Idaho history please include that in your log.