The town of Spencer, Idaho
is named after Hiram H. Spencer
of Ogden, Utah

Hiram H. Spencer was born in Ohio in 1851 and came to Ogden, Utah, in 1874. He was a lumberman, member of the Ogden City Council, and mayor of Ogden. He was also the manager of
the Eccles Lumber Company. He was the president of the Ogden Rapid Transit, and a
vice-president of Amalgamated Sugar.

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Hiram had business dealings in Idaho and built a summer home in the area which was later named after him.

Hiram's wife Effiebelle had a daughter named Eldesta "Dessie" Walker who was married to Alexander "Sandy" Walker. Their daughter was Mary Walker Tarran married to Herbert Tarran. Their son Fredrick "Fred", daughter Sandy Tarran McClure, and son Robert Tarran own the original property where Hiram would spend his summers. This website is in dedication to Hiram and Effie and the town of Spencer.

Spencer, Idaho

Population 38...the Utah and Northern Railroad arrived here in 1879, bringing with it the birth of this town. The community draws its name from Hiram H. Spencer, a merchant and shipper who lived in the area during the line’s construction. Although the town never attracted a large population, it has garnered national attention for its opals. In 1948, deer hunters stumbled upon a large deposit of the precious stones, which are formed underground in still pools of water. Layers of microscopic silica spheres reflect light in such a way to produce the gem’s radiant rainbow colors. The Spencer Opal Mine offers tourists a chance to dig for their own opals.

Clark County was established February 1, 1919 from a portion of Fremont County. The new county was named after Samuel K. Clark, who was an early settler on Medicine Lodge Creek and the first state senator from Clark County. The settlement of Dry Creek began in 1880 after the arrival of the first steam locomotive. Dry Creek was later named Dubois after Fred Dubois, a prominent U.S. Senator from Idaho. In 1910 Dubois boasted a population of 600 people (Historical Society, 1985). Spencer Idaho is located fourteen miles north of Dubois and was named for Hyrum H. Spencer a shipper, President of Ogden Rapid Transit, and Vice President of Amalgamated Sugar. Spencer Idaho contains the largest Opal Mine in the United States. The Spencer Opal Mine was discovered in 1948 by two deer hunters who filed a mining claim in 1952. The mine was bought by the Stetler family in 1968 and is still owned and operated by the Stetler family.

From a stagecoach station and Pony Express route, to a railroad stop, and a consistent thoroughfare for transporting goods Clark County Idaho continues to maintain its rural community setting. After losing its importance as a railroad center in 1927, with the relocation of the Roundhouse to Lima Montana, the county lost most of its population. Today the County relies on livestock and agriculture for its livelihood. The two largest communities in Clark County, Dubois and Spencer, house the majority of commercial businesses. Dubois consists of a resident population of 647 while Spencer is much smaller with a population of 38. The remainder of the county’s population lives in rural areas of the County.

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