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Custer County IDGenWeb is a free genealogical site about the history of the county. It is a member of IDGenWeb, which is a member of USGenWeb®. We hope you find helpful clues for your research of Custer county ancestors.

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Temporary County Coordinator: Norma Hass normahass01@gmail.com

State Coordinator: Kerry Hairston kerry.hairston@gmail.com

COUNTY FORMATION

Custer County was formed from Alturas and Lemhi counties January 8, 1881. The county was named for the General Custer mine, which honored the ill-fated cavalry officer General George Custer who died at the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Challis is the County Seat.

"The county lies almost in the center of the state. Fur traders with the Donald Mackenzie expedition were the first white men in the county in 1818 and Michael Bourdon discovered the Challis area in 1822. Mining became the county's chief industry in the late 1870's and 1880's with rich placer mines and silver-lead and silver-copper ores. Mackey was founded in 1901. After the mines played out, livestock raising and eventually tourism and recreation became the principal industries. Most of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area is within the county's boundaries." - The Idaho Almanac, 1977 Edition, published by the State of Idaho.

Custer County contains Mount Borah, the state's highest peak (12,668 feet) as well as portions of the Sawtooth, Salmon River, White Cloud, Pioneer, Lost River, and White Knob Mountains.