Every once in a while I drive into a town which is just too nice to leave. I pulled into MacKay, Idaho in the early afternoon with the plan to hop out and stretch my legs. , maybe take a few photos and then keep going. I found MacKay to be a cute town with some great historic buildings, all surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Lost River Range. With snow-covered mountains in every direction, I decided to stay for a while. I’m really glad I did, especially since it was a near-perfect, cool, sunny spring day.
MacKay was founded as a company town for the White Knob Mining Company in 1801 and named for the company’s owner John William Mackay. While the mines above Mackay closed down many years ago, MacKay has held on, bolstered by the agricultural businesses that have grown up in the surrounding area. I loved some of their historic buildings in town, especially the Clock Cigar Company which has been restored to show some of the businesses which have come and gone in the building over the years. While the original post clock out front has long since disappeared, the town had a replica made to the exact specifications and it looks great. I also enjoyed the L7 Bar and Grill which was the friendliest place I’ve stopped in a long time. I hope you enjoy these photos from tiny MacKay, Idaho, small town charm in the Lost River Valley.