Freezeout Hill Monument
Emmett, Gem County
- Grants: 1994
Location: 415 East Main Street, Emmett, Idaho 83617
The Freezeout Hill Pioneer Monument was located adjacent to old Highway 16, the Old Freezeout Road, as it enters Emmett. Many wagons with settlers entered the Emmett Valley down this steep hogback from the rim of the valley. In the winter of 1864 a freighter and another wagon of valley residents came upon the grade. The weather was bitter with freezing rains, snow and wind. The frozen earth made it impossible to descend. They attempted to rough-lock and lower their wagon, but it slid out of control and into a gulch. They returned to the top and camped with the freighter. Upon reaching home many told the story with the words, “We likely froze to death. We were froze out of the valley.” The name stuck and the Freezeout Hill Monument was erected in 1928. Before the move, it was vandalized regularly. The Trust helped to move it to a safer spot in the courthouse courtyard.
