Givens Springs

The Givens name went on more than the springs. Milford Riggs Givens, who lived from 1850 to 1922, gave it to the small town on the south bank, earlier called Enterprise, and in 1904 a Caldwell paper described the place as a resort established for invalids in 1882. The family's monument went up beside the state sign in 2011, placed with the Snake River chapter of E Clampus Vitus and the Avard T. Fairbanks Foundation, an Oregon Trail medallion set in its stone. In 1991 a great-grandson of the homesteaders and his wife bought the springs.

What the plaque says

Givens Hot Springs Milford and Martha (Mattie) Shirley Givens pulled up Missouri roots and headed west in 1878, apparently bound for Portland, Oregon where relatives were settled. Their journey eventually led them along the South Alternate Route of the Oregon Trail. Reaching the hot springs area, Mattie recognized the potential of the site that now bears the family name and declared, "This is where I want to live." In the spring of 1881 the Givens took up Squatter's Rights on 154 ½ acres that included two hot springs and land along the banks of the Snake River. They built a comfortable 2-story house and planted shade and fruit trees. Their property became a popular site to bathe and wash clothes. Soon, learning of the value of therapeutic soaking in the hot water springs, miners from Silver City, local residents and Oregon Trail travelers frequented the Given's property. Milford augmented income by hauling his catch of sturgeon, deer and antelope to sell to the restaurants and butcher shops of Silver City. In 1889 the Givens decided to visit family in Portland, apparently unaware that leaving the property would allow others to obtain the land under the same law that permitted them to hold Squatter's Rights. Mattie's brother, Tim Shirley who lived nearby became aware of the interlopers intent. He rushed to Silver City to file Homestead Rights. President Grover Cleveland recognized the Homestead claim on December 19, 1894. Early the next year Tim deeded the property over to his sister, Mattie. With the help of family and other carpenters, a swimming pool, pool house and hotel were built about 1902. The hotel burned in 1939, however the pool house survived the fire and continued to operate until the current structure was built in 1952. The following contributors, to recognize the historical importance of this site, herein present this monument and bronze plaques on this 10th day of September, 2011 and in the year of our order 6016. Old Oregon Trail Givens Springs Natural hot water available here has been a popular attraction for thousands of years. A winter village site for about 5000 years, these hot springs had large pit houses typical of plateau communities northwest of here from 4300 to about 1200 years ago. After that, small huts used by Great Basin tribes became fashionable. Deer, rabbits, and river mussels sustained this winter camp. After 1842, emigrants using an Oregon Trail alternate also patronized Givens Springs. 358 Text prepared by the Idaho Historical Society Marker made & installed by Idaho Transportation Department

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• World Center for Birds of Prey — 24 mi
  The hilltop where the peregrine falcon was bred back from DDT, and where condors for the Grand Canyon country still hatch.

More markers nearby

• Steamer "Shoshone" — 7.3 mi
• Owyhee Country — 8.0 mi
• Froman's Ferry — 10 mi
• Northwest Nazarene University — 14 mi