Fort Lemhi
Encyclopedia
Fort Lemhi was a mission approximately two miles (3 km) north of present-day Tendoy
, Idaho
, occupied by Mormon
missionaries from 1855 to 1857.
Approximately twenty-seven Mormon men left the Salt Lake Valley
on May 18, 1855, as instructed by Brigham Young
with Thomas S. Smith serving as the leader of this group and George Washington Hill as their main Shoshonean language interpreter. The party reached the Salmon River
valley (then in Oregon Territory
) on May 27 and selected a permanent site for its mission on June 15, 1855. The mission was named Fort Limhi for King Limhi
who was one of the kings cited in the Book of Mormon
. In Mormon scripture, King Limhi organized an expedition that lasted 22 days, the same duration it required the Mormon missionaries to reach the Salmon River Country. Consequently, they named their mission after King Limhi, and Limhi eventually became "Lemhi" .
The community grew to over 200 people. The settlers brought stock raising and irrigated farming to the region, and dug ditches which are still in use. At least three of the Mormon missionaries at Fort Lemhi married Shoshone women.
Due to high prices for cattle to supply the US Army sent to participate in the Utah War
and anger at the Mormons aiding their traditional enemies the Nez Perce, the Bannocks under the leadership of Shoo-woo-koo and some Shoshone acting in alliance with them stole the Mormon missionaries' cattle herd and many of their horses. A few of the Mormons were killed in this process, and the fort was abandoned in about February 1858.
Fort Lemhi was reoccupied in 1862 by miners, who grew vegetables there for sale.
The name Lemhi became applied to the Lemhi River
and valley surrounding the mission site, as well as to the Lemhi Shoshone
whom the mission served, the Lemhi Pass
and eventually Lemhi County.
The site is on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Tendoy, Idaho
Tendoy is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States. It is located at on State Highway 28, at an altitude of 4,842 feet...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, occupied by Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
missionaries from 1855 to 1857.
Approximately twenty-seven Mormon men left the Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
on May 18, 1855, as instructed by Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
with Thomas S. Smith serving as the leader of this group and George Washington Hill as their main Shoshonean language interpreter. The party reached the Salmon River
Salmon River (Idaho)
The Salmon River is located in Idaho in the northwestern United States. The Salmon is also known as The River of No Return. It flows for through central Idaho, draining and dropping more than between its headwaters, near Galena Summit above the Sawtooth Valley in the Sawtooth National...
valley (then in Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
) on May 27 and selected a permanent site for its mission on June 15, 1855. The mission was named Fort Limhi for King Limhi
Limhi
In The Book of Mormon, Limhi was the third and final king of the second Nephite habitation of the land of Lehi-Nephi. He succeeded his father, Noah. Led by Ammon, he escaped from the Lamanites with his people to Zarahemla.-See also:* King Noah...
who was one of the kings cited in the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. In Mormon scripture, King Limhi organized an expedition that lasted 22 days, the same duration it required the Mormon missionaries to reach the Salmon River Country. Consequently, they named their mission after King Limhi, and Limhi eventually became "Lemhi" .
The community grew to over 200 people. The settlers brought stock raising and irrigated farming to the region, and dug ditches which are still in use. At least three of the Mormon missionaries at Fort Lemhi married Shoshone women.
Due to high prices for cattle to supply the US Army sent to participate in the Utah War
Utah War
The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between LDS settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858...
and anger at the Mormons aiding their traditional enemies the Nez Perce, the Bannocks under the leadership of Shoo-woo-koo and some Shoshone acting in alliance with them stole the Mormon missionaries' cattle herd and many of their horses. A few of the Mormons were killed in this process, and the fort was abandoned in about February 1858.
Fort Lemhi was reoccupied in 1862 by miners, who grew vegetables there for sale.
The name Lemhi became applied to the Lemhi River
Lemhi River
The Lemhi River is a river in Idaho in the United States. It is a tributary of the Salmon River, which in turn is tributary to the Snake River and Columbia River.-Course:...
and valley surrounding the mission site, as well as to the Lemhi Shoshone
Lemhi Shoshone
The Lemhi Shoshone are a band of Northern Shoshone, called the Akaitikka, Agaideka, or "Eaters of Salmon." The name "Lemhi" comes from Fort Lemhi, a Mormon mission to this group. They traditionally lived in the Lemhi River Valley and along the upper Salmon River in Idaho...
whom the mission served, the Lemhi Pass
Lemhi Pass
Lemhi Pass is a high mountain pass in the Beaverhead Mountains, part of the Bitterroot Range in the Rocky Mountains The pass lies on the Montana-Idaho border on the continental divide, at an elevation of 7373 feet above sea level.-History:...
and eventually Lemhi County.
The site is on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.