During the gold and silver rush of the 1880s, it was easy to get people to come to Silver City. But today, it's a bit different.
"We heard about the job from a niece who lived in Illinois. She called her brother who lives in Alabama and he called his brother who lives in Nampa and they called us," said Bobby Owens, a winter watchman in Silver City.
Owens, an Oklahoma native, had been in Nampa for 24 years, but his last year in Idaho was different than most.
"I walk around and check the houses twice a day. It's so quiet and peaceful," he said.
There's really nothing but deer and show shoe rabbits to keep a man company in Silver City during the winter, but not surprisingly, the city always seems to have power.
"All solar power," Owens said. "They say this is the first town in Idaho on electricity, Silver City."
There's a handful of buildings in this historic town and there are actually people moving in. The population has gone up by about 30 since 2000, but they're moving to a historic district. That means new buildings look like they were built in the 1800s, and if the hustle and bustle of the valley ever get to you, you probably understand the mindset of Bobby Owens.
"It's peaceful. Like a whole other world up here," he said.
