Ruby City, Idaho Explained

Ruby City is a ghost town in Owyhee County, Idaho, United States. It was located along Jordan Creek about a mile below Silver City.^[1]

Ruby City was a mining town settled in November 1863.^[2] The town was the first county seat of Owyhee County and was born to serve the rich mines in the vicinity.^[1] The Owyhee Avalanche, first newspaper in Owyhee County, started in Ruby City in 1865, but was moved to nearby Silver City just over a year later. The post office, which opened in 1864, closed in 1867.^[2] In 1867, the county seat was also moved to Silver City, along with the better buildings and the end was in sight for Ruby City.^[1]

Nowadays, only remains of a cemetery mark the town's location.^[1]

In popular culture

The 1993 Western film The Ballad of Little Jo was set in Ruby City, Idaho, where Jo Monaghan eventually settles down.^[3]

See also

• List of ghost towns in Idaho

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ruby City - Idaho Ghost Town. Ghosttowns.com. September 17, 2023. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230630161539/https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/id/rubycity.html. June 30, 2023.
2. Web site: Ruby City, Idaho. Western Mining History. September 17, 2023. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230131154941/https://westernmininghistory.com/towns/idaho/ruby-city/. January 31, 2023.
3. Web site: THE BALLAD OF LITTLE JO (1993) SYNOPSIS. AFI Catalog of Feature Films. September 17, 2023.