A historic area in Idaho opens its doors to its fascinating history

Oakley was first settled in the 1870s by cattlemen and ranchers
Published: Jun. 21, 2025 at 10:53 PM MDT
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TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —On June 21, more than 50 people toured historic homes and buildings in the Oakley area, hosted by the Oakley Valley Historical Museum.

Oakley was first settled in the 1870s by cattlemen and ranchers, with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arriving in the 1880s.

Throughout the years, Oakley grew to 2,000 people, but once the mine in the area shut down, the population dropped. Starting in the 1970s, in order to preserve history, Oakley began home tours to help fund restorations and build the museum.

Some of the homes toured were the Howells Opera House, the  William T. Jack home, and the Oakley jail, which housed the notorious Diamond Field Jack in the 1890s 

“I think a lot of people are interested in coming back and seeing if they have roots in Oakley or how their ancestors lived,” said Dwight Hale, Board member at the Oakley Valley Historical Museum. “We have a lot of exhibits here in our museum, showing how The Pioneers and early settlers in Oakley, how they had to survive and get by in the types of homes they lived in as well.”

More information about the History of the Oakley area can be found at the museum.