Cassia County Historical Museum – Burley, Idaho
This museum was established to show the history of Cassia County. It provides people with the opportunity to see Indian artifacts from the Paleo Indians who settled in the area 15,000 to 16,000 years ago. Later the Shoshoni and Paiute people established communities in the area using the natural bounty of the land to hunt, fish and gather on their seasonal rounds. You can check out the fossils that they have or look over the farm tools that were used years ago.
There are a Pullman railroad car and a caboose for you to tour and many pieces of horse-drawn farming equipment. The area also has three log buildings showing a home, schoolhouse and general store from years gone bye.
The main building of the museum showcases a relief map of Cassia County with lighted trails, a kitchen, parlor, saloon and a millinery shop. There is also a room dedicated to the WWII men from the county with many uniforms and memorabilia from the war.
Included will be information on life at the turn of the century. At this time many cattle and sheep were being raised in the area. Eventually, cattlemen and sheepmen began to argue over grazing rights. One feud led to the arrest of the famous hired gunman, Diamondfield Jack Davis in 1897. Diamondfield Jack, who was hired by a cattle rancher to keep sheepherders off his land, was accused of murdering two sheepherders in February of 1896. It wasn’t until November of 1900 that two cattlemen confessed to the murders. Mr. Davis was eventually pardoned in 1902. Documents from the trial proceedings involving Diamondfield Jack are kept in the archives of Cassia County.
Researching the archives of the county will bring out many stories of these days up until present Burley history. If you enjoy research and looking at what life was like "in the old days" then you will certainly enjoy visiting the museum.
Open
April 1st thru October 1st
Closed July 4
Hours
Tuesday-Saturday
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Cassia County Museum is located on the corner of Hiland and Main Street in Burley.
Phone: (208)678-7172
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About Editor
The story I was told is that John Lowe and his wife Ann Elizabeth Ward allowed the indians to camp on their property in Burley. One of their daughters, Alice Irene, traded a pony to an indian boy for a pair a leather gloves about 1900. By looking at a picture of the gloves, can you tell which tribe it was?
George Shepard
Los Osos, CA