Donnelly, Valley County, Idaho Genealogy

United States &gt; Idaho &gt; Valley County &gt; Donnelly

City Hall
Donnelly City Hall 169 Halferty St Donnelly, ID 83615 Phone: (208) 325-8859

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
There is no meetinghouse in Donnelly. Members attend meetings in Cascade or McCall.

Other
Shiloh Bible Conference‎ 13165 Gestrin Street Donnelly, ID 83615

(208) 325-8239

Directories
The Idaho State Archives in Boise has a collection of city, county, regional and state directories.

History
Early settlers came to the valley in 1886. Settlers held land by “squatter’s rights”. In 1890 the land was surveyed, latter the “squatters” secured land under the Homestead Act. The Post Office was established in 1892, with Lewis Roseberry as the postmaster. So the town was first called Roseberry, after Lewis Roseberry. The first store was also started in 1892, owned by J.W. Pottenger and W.B. Boydsten.

The lower valleys were used by the cattlemen for a summer pasture. When the homesteaders came there were many wars between the homesteaders and the cattlemen. Winter 1888-89 the settlers did not realize how deep the snow would get. Snow fell steady and deep. There was not enough hay or feed to give the cattle, so they tried to drive the cattle over the mountain. It did not work, many of the cattle died. In 1914 Roseberry became the largest town in the valley. Name was change to Donnelly after a prominent railroad man.

Newspapers
Copies of issues of many Idaho newspapers are in the collections of the Idaho State Archives in Boise.