Would like to move to White Bird, Idaho..?

[schoolbusdriver]

My husband and I are also looking to maybe move to the White Bird area. Our children are grown (also homeschooled) and may or may not come with us. We'd love to have a small farm, enough to make a living on. My husband is a welder (33 years) and I'm a school bus driver. I'd like to know what the winters are like there. We, too, are coming to Idaho in June just as soon as school is over. Thank you for any information, I really enjoyed reading the posts.

[Cdarocks]

Mama, there are a 100-150 people max that live in White Bird. The chances of one of them popping up on this forum are small. I agree with much of what Farmer Dan has said to you...I am not sure White Bird is the place though. May I ask why you selected it? You said you have a home based business. Who do you plan to sell to? Is there a need for your service/product in White Bird? It sounds like you are coming out in June. I hope that is just to explore the area. You really need to do that before you relocate your kiddos. No offense to the good people of White Fish. I would explore some other small towns in Idaho also, if that is where you want to be. Maybe I have completely misread this situation and if so, I apologize. I know you are trying to make a better life for your children and I applaud you. I wish you all the best!

[67usmc05]

Mama
Strongly suggest you look at another location, perhaps Grangeville if you're interested in Central Idaho. My wife and I and some good friends of ours have purchased land outside of White Bird. We know several people in the area and are over there a couple of times a year. Our land (9 acres) is five miles east of White Bird up on a ridge, almost to the National Forest boundary. We love the area. But we love it for the reasons that you might not find attractive. It's isolated. The closest anything is in Grangeville, 22 or so miles away, and that's a small town. Our nearest neighbor (now) is 1000 yards up the road from us. The next one is two miles down the road from us. Perfect. Perhaps not so much for a single mother with children. Up on the plains around Grangeville, you may be able to find a small place that's not too far from town that will allow you to do the things you're interested in and still be close to town. Whatever you decide, good luck. Idaho is beautiful country.

[hmiller857]

I am a 61 yr old single, retired black woman who would like to relocate to Meridian, Idaho. Is it safe for me to move there? I heard that there is hardly any blacks. I would love to live there! Can anyone help me?

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by Mamaj456

Is there anybody here that is from White Bird, Idaho that may be able to give me some personal insight?

Since White Bird only has about 80 people, I doubt there are any members here from there.

I haven't stopped in White Bird for decades, but it isn't a town as much as an old, rural, post office address. 100 years ago, the post office actually built small post offices here to service the big remote areas with very little population, but still needed postal service.

Many of the 'towns' had no name until the P.O. gave them one.

Howe, Idaho is one of these 'towns'. Postal service was consolidated there, so the post office is now closed, and the town's only service station/grocery and it's only saloon, both closed and shuttered, burned down in ca. 2014, so while the town is still on the map, there really is not a town left. Just a sign on either end of what was once a town.

There may be a few homes left in the townsite, but folks who live around Howe now go to Arco for their gas, groceries, etc., and the farmer's co-op probably delivers the bulk quantity needs of the farmers and ranchers to their places outside the old townsite.

While I haven't been through White Bird for a very long time, I expect it's similar there, but it does have a schoolhouse, and the post office is still active, so I'm guessing it also has a gas station, a convenience/grocery store, a bar, and a church, along with some older houses and probably a defunct business area on Main St.

White Bird is the longest grade in Idaho, a very steep and winding road that climbs up to prairie surrounding Grangeville, the only town of any size, and since White Bird can be treacherous during the winter, White Bird probably survives because it's at the bottom, and can meet the daily needs of the folks who live in that area.

There won't be much at all in the way of services there, I'm sure; no dentist, no doctor, and likely no local police force. It's typical of these small towns to have the county provide law enforcement, so a single deputy probably lives there or near by.

Life would be daylight deprived in White Bird, because it lies in the bottom of a steep narrow canyon.

Grangeville, the 'big' town in the area has about 3,000 people. It's about 15 miles away, up at the top of White Bird hill.

Hell's Canyon lies just to the east of White Bird, so outfitting, hunting/fishing guides, river running, and ranching/farming are going to be the main activities that keep the town going, along with some motels and hunting lodges.

There might be some logging activity left there, but probably not much, and I believe that in the 1800s, there were a couple of mines in the area, but they are all played out by now, I'm sure.

[markpemble]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/v-neck/43407773862I spent an afternoon in White Bird last week. 80% of the people I saw were children under 15. There is a pleasant creek that runs through town and the kids were having a super time splashing in the cool water.