If ever there was a U.S. Post Office that was deserving of the word: quaint & charming, this Murray, Idaho Post Office is it. Tucked away in the wilds of northwestern Idaho, in an old mining town, the Murray, Idaho Post Office screams out nostalgia and the Wild, Wild West.
In 1883 the town of Murray, Idaho didn't even exist, but the discovery of gold in the area led to a gold rush. Soon the town burgeoned full of 2,000 adventurous souls who came to stake a claim and get rich. Like many small towns of the era, the discovery of gold gave birth to Murray, and like many of those same small towns the absence of gold led to its virtual demise. By 1898 all that remained of the once booming town was a bunch of empty buildings and a handful of hopeful holdouts.
Today, Murray is a stop of for tourists mostly passing through to Montana. But there are tours from Couer' d' Alene that take vans full of curious folks out to see a real live ghost town with fewer than 30 people living within its boundaries! That's Murray. Many original buildings are still standing, and this tiny post office proudly serves the handful of families that still need it.
Though it is small, it is mighty and durably constructed to withstand the cold Idaho winters. If you find yourself visiting Boise or Couer' d' Alene, look for tours heading up to Murray. The town of Murray will surprise you with its ghost town look and feel, but the history of the place will captivate you.
Murray is north of Wallace in Idaho's Silver Valley. Take exit 43 from Interstate 90 and follow the Couer' d' Alene River about 30 miles. read more