Editing Emmett, Idaho (section)

==History==

Emmett is a town on the southern bank of the Payette River that grew up around a ferry crossing of the Payette River. Emmett was originally called Martinsville, named after Nathaniel Martin who, along with Jonathan Smith, built the ferry crossing.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History -|url=http://emmettconnections.com/history/|access-date=2022-02-08|language=en-US}}</ref> Next, the name was changed to "Emmettville," because it was primarily a post office named after Emmett Cahalan, the son of Tom Cahalan, an early settler of the area. The post office was later moved but the town retained the name. A few years later the "ville" was dropped and the post office and town became simply Emmett. In 1883 James Wardwell had the town platted, and in 1900 the town was incorporated as Emmett. Later, in March 1902, the Idaho Northern railroad came to the valley.<ref>[http://www.gemcountymuseum.org/history-railroad.html], Gem County Historical Society, accessed 2011-07-20</ref>

After the closing of the mines in 1906, the power lines were extended to Emmett. A series of irrigation projects made it possible for more rapid expansion of the town as the major service center for a farming and fruit-growing valley. In the early 1900s fruit packers adopted the label of "Gem of Plenty" because of the fertility of the valley. During the mining era the valley was known as the "garden" for the mining regions.
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.emmettid-realestate.com/history.htm |title=Emmett Idaho & Gem County: Area History |access-date=2011-07-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111112031239/http://www.emmettid-realestate.com/history.htm |archive-date=2011-11-12 }}, United Country Musick & Sons Auctions / Real Estate Accessed 2011-7-11</ref>

While campaigning for a return to [[United States Congress|Congress]] in 1934, [[Robert M. McCracken]] died in an automobile accident near Emmett. His vehicle went through a guard rail and tumbled down Freezeout Hill.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y55fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wzEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4949,978128|newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |agency=Associated Press |title=Robert McCracken, Candidate for Congress, killed |date=May 17, 1934 |page=1 }}</ref>

Until 2001, the city was home to a [[Boise Cascade]] manufacturing facility.<ref>[http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/02-13-2001/0001426962&EDATE= Boise Cascade Announces Closure of Plywood, Lumber Operations in Idaho], Boise Cascade, 2001-02-13. Accessed 2009-03-31.</ref> The Black Canyon diversion dam on the [[Payette River]], built in the early 1920s, is east of the city.<ref>[http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/dams/id00282.htm USBR - Black Canyon Dam] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090607005951/http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/dams/id00282.htm |date=June 7, 2009 }}</ref>

Rising some {{convert|5906|ft}} [[Height above mean sea level|above sea level]], Squaw Butte, named by [Confederate Settlers new to the area]; [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] who used this area as their winter resort, stands at the north end of the valley. The [[Payette River]] was named after [[Francois Payette]], a [[fur trade]]r from [[Quebec]] who was put in charge of old [[Fort Boise#Old Fort Boise (1834–54)|Fort Boise]] in 1818 and traveled through the area. Permanent settlement began in the early 1860s, after gold discoveries in the [[Idaho City, Idaho|Boise Basin]] brought people over the established stage and pack train routes. Two of these trails joined at the Payette River north of the present river bridge in Emmett.