Goff, Idaho

The following description of the town of Goff was taken from the Grangeville Standard, Industrial Edition Newspaper.  December 1904

     One of the most picturesque places along the Salmon River is the stage station and post office known as Goff.  It is the home of J.O. Levander, whose enterprise has made this station the beautiful point that it is.

     Goff is situated at the mouht of Race Creek, six miles below Pollock.  it is the supply point for about a dozen fine farms situated along Race Creek, as well as a large part of the ever-busy mining country along the Salmon river.  Mr. Levander first settled at Goff in the spring of 1896.  He conducted a general merchandise store, a post office and a hotel.  He also had a feed barn and made a business of keeping travelers.  His station is the first stop over on the stage line between the Meadows and Grangeville and the only place between the two points where a lay over is made longer than it takes to change the horses. 

     Two years ago Mr. Levander erected the fine hotel and residence shown in the accompanying cut. (*the microfilm was very faint and a copy of the photo was not able to be copied)  It is a real treat to the eye of the stranger who is making his first trip up the Salmon river.  He is told that it is a short distance to Goff.  He looks up the river and sees nothing but barren hills for miles.  He is usually joked and no explanation given.  He is just reconciling himself to a long wait and commenting in his own mind upon the estimate of defiance made by his fellow travelers, when he suddenly comes to the little cove in the hillside which he would have never guessed was there.

 

The following is derived from information in various other publications.
      It is supposed that Goff was a road station that was named after Mr. John Goff about 1871.  John O. Levander started the first Post Office there for the settlement about 1895.

      Mr. Levander was born in Sweden.  He came to the U.S. when he was a teenager.  He became a freighter in Boise for several years and then began raising stock. 

     There was once a ferry across the river near Goff, and later a swinging bridge was constructed near the town.  There was still a hotel there in the early 1900's.

 

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