Near Preston in Franklin County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)
A Battle Becomes a Massacre
Massacre at Bear River
— The Largest Indian Massacre in the West —
Stories told by the survivors of the massacre have been handed down through the years and still have the power to chill the blood with their vivid description of the horrors of that day. Heart wrenching accounts describe mothers, whose crying babies threatened to give away the location of other hiding tribal members, jumping into the freezing river with children in arms and having the swift current carrying them away. It is told that one of these mothers in later years comforted herself with the thought the "my baby is asleep in the river now and she's safe." As the soldiers went through the camp looking for survivors after the massacre, one young boy and his grandmother played dead to avoid being killed. The number of dead varies from the Army's official count of 240 to as many as 500. The best estimate by historians and tribal members is between 250 and 350, making the Bear River Massacre on of the largest mass killings of Indians in U.S. history. (Marker Number 6.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Native Americans • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical date for this entry is January 29, 1863.
Location. 42° 9.161′ N, 111° 54.451′ W. Marker is near Preston, Idaho, in Franklin County. Marker can be reached from U.S. 91 near Hot Springs Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2942 US Highway 91, Preston ID 83263, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Earth Will Remember (here, next to this marker); Attack at Bia Ogoi (a few steps from this marker); California Volunteers March to the Bear River (a few steps from this marker); Change and Conflict (within shouting distance of this marker); Shoshone Bear River Winter Home (within shouting distance of this marker); The Shoshone (within shouting distance of this marker); Utah & Northern Railway (approx. 0.8 miles away); Bear River Massacre (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Preston.
More about this marker. The Bear River Massacre Interpretive Site is located on a hilltop overlooking the site of the massacre.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 29, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 18, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 669 times since then and 34 times this year. Last updated on January 29, 2021, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 18, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.