Atlanta, Idaho | |
---|---|
Unincorporated community | |
Coordinates: 43°48′6″N 115°7′36″W / 43.80167°N 115.12667°WCoordinates: 43°48′6″N 115°7′36″W / 43.80167°N 115.12667°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Idaho |
County | Elmore |
Elevation | 5,383 ft (1,641 m) |
Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
• Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-6) |
ZIP code | 83601 |
Area code(s) | 208 |
Website | atlantaidaho.net |
Atlanta is an unincorporated community in Elmore County, Idaho, United States.
It was founded in 1864 during the Civil War as a gold and silver mining community and named by Southerners after a rumored Confederate victory over General Sherman in the Battle of Atlanta, which turned to be wholly false, but the name stuck. Mining activity near Atlanta preceded its establishment as a mining community. The John Stanley party discovered gold on the nearby Yuba River on July 20, 1864, just two days prior to the battle back in Georgia. That November, John Simmons made the discovery of the Atlanta lode which contained both gold and silver.
Atlanta is at an elevation of 5,383 feet (1,641 m) above sea level surrounded by the Boise National Forest, located near the headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Boise River, approximately 2 miles (3 km) east of the mouth of the Yuba River. The Sawtooth Mountains are directly north, the Sawtooth Wilderness starts about a mile (1.6 km) north of Atlanta, at the base of Greylock Mountain, which summits at 9,363 feet (2,854 m).
Idaho City is approximately 35 miles (56 km) due west, as the crow flies. Galena Summit on State Highway 75 is about 25 air miles (40 km) to the east-northeast.
Atlanta is about 40 miles (64 km) from two paved highways. It is east of State Highway 21, accessed on unimproved U.S. Forest Service roads. Atlanta is north of U.S. Highway 20, which is accessed by heading south on USFS roads through Rocky Bar, Featherville, and Pine. The junction with US-20 is just east of the Anderson Ranch Reservoir on the South Fork of the Boise River Atlanta can also be accessed by following the unimproved road from Arrowrock Dam which climbs with the Middle Fork of the Boise River.