Guffey, Owyhee County, Idaho Genealogy

United States &gt; Idaho &gt; Owyhee County &gt; Guffey

Geographic location
The town of Guffey was located in Owyhee County, on the south side of the Snake River, directly south of Melba, Canyon County, Idaho.

Directories
A directory of the residents and businesses of Guffey in 1898 is included in A Historical, Descriptive and Commercial Directory of Owyhee County, Idaho. A copy of the directory is in the Idaho State Archives, the Owyhee County Museum, and other Idaho libraries. It is also through the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City and its many family history centers. The 1898 Directory for Guffey is abstracted and available on the Owyhee County GenWeb site.

The Gem State Rural's 1918-19 Farm Directory of Owyhee County Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon is available online. It lists landowners by town, including those owning land in these two counties, but residing elsewhere. The amount of acreage owned, the location of the land, and a list of crops raised on each farm is also included. The resident land owners of the Guffey area are listed on page 52.

History
Guffey was established in 1897 at the railroad bridge across the Snake River. The first building was built there on 27 May 1897.

In 1898, Guffey had a population of over 100 and several businesses including a general store, express office, post office, hotel, saloon, blacksmith shop, livery stables, stage barns, boarding houses, etc.

The town was the terminus for the Boise, Nampa &amp; Owyhee Railroad. The railroad was planned to extend to Dewey, in the mining district near Silver City, but it was never completed. It was extended to the present site of Murphy, however, which caused the town of Guffey to pass out of existence.