The Cambridge Museum in Idaho has been researching and recording history of Advent Gulch and will be releasing a book about those homesteaders, their church and school, plus items of interest.
A reunion was held in 1990 at the Cambridge (Idaho) Church, and materials were gathered at that time. Since then we have continued to gather materials. Folks have been very generous with sharing their pictures and stories. However, more is better, and we need pictures of the following families: Dick, Meeker, Barclay and Shield. Pictures of the gulch, homes, animals and social gatherings would be very welcome. We’re looking for more pictures and stories of the people who lived there 1900–1940.
These items can be emailed to shansen@ctcweb.net or mailed to the Cambridge Museum, P.O. Box 35, Cambridge, ID 83610. Pictures will be most important to the success of the book. Members of the Cambridge Adventist Church are part of the volunteer group working to make this book as interesting as possible.
Before the Idaho Conference built the first academy in Caldwell, Idaho, the conference committee came to Advent Gulch to check out the lay of the land, as this was the largest concentration of Adventist children in the conference. It was decided the gulch was too remote and small for an academy. At the time, the gulch school offered 10 grades.
The first homesteaders to arrive came in 1900. The first school was held in a tent. In 1909 the school was built halfway between the edges of the settlement. Water was brought several miles across the hills and through rimrock to provide irrigation water as well as household water for the homesteaders.
Advent Gulch was accurately named, as there were rolling hills on either side, some very steep. The men transported green lumber from a mill on Cuddy Mountain to the town of Cambridge to augment their income. The homesteaders raised horses and cattle and planted orchards.
Generally the families of the Advent Gulch were a happy people and usually good neighbors. Many went on to serve in the mission field and to be teachers and pastors. One of the men was a conference officer.
Any help you can provide through stories and pictures would be greatly appreciated.
The school/church in Advent Gulch.
