Givens Hot Springs, Owyhee County, Idaho Genealogy

United States &gt; Idaho &gt; Owyhee County &gt; Givens Hot Springs

Former name
Givens Hot Springs was formerly known as Enterprise.

Geographic location
Givens Hot Springs is located 11 miles southeast of Marsing, not far from the Snake River.

Cemeteries
There is a small cemetery at Givens Hot Springs. Some of the headstones have been copied and are available online (7 interments - 25 Nov 2009 - Findagrave.com)

Directories
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 Givens Hot Springs area are listed on pages 43-44.

History
These natural hot springs were known to the Indians and were discovered by the Oregon Trail emigrants traveling along the south branche of that trail.

In 1879, the Milford Givens family stopped at the springs and decided to stay. A bath house was built around the springs. In 1903, a hotel and restaurant, with an ice cream parlour and picnic grounds, were added.

The Givens Hot Springs school was established in 1907. A Hot Springs Ferry operated a mile downriver.

The hotel burned in 1939 and was never rebuilt. The bath house was torn down in 1952 and a new facility was built on the same site.

Additional References:
Givens Hot Springs History

The Oregon Trail in Idaho: Givens Hot Springs.

Historical
The Idaho State Archives in Boise has copies of the following newspaper published at Givens Hot Springs:


 * Enterprise times -- 1988:1:14-1988:10