Idaho's Bunker Hill

For nearly a century, the Bunker Hill Company was one of the premier mining and smelting corporations in the United States. Located in Kellogg, Idaho, in the remote Coeur d'Alene region, Bunker Hill played a key role in the nation's industrial development. But at the same time it was the catalyst for unprecedented labor strife and environmental desecration. And today it is of one of the EPA's largest Superfund sites. In this richly detailed history, Katherine G. Aiken traces Bunker Hill's evolution from the discovery of the mine in 1885 to the company's closure in 1981. Throughout the company's long history, Bunker Hill management was relentless in its pursuit of profit. But success came at a price. Each time managers sought production increases, workers became restless and dissatisfied. The resulting labor-management conflicts were nothing short of legendary. The history of Bunker Hill is also very much the story of the people who lived in Idaho's Silver Valley and worked for the company. Oftentimes a tale of strife, Bunker Hill's history is at the same time a story of cooperation, dedication, and ingenuity. Following closure of Bunker Hill, the company records were placed in the University of Idaho Library Special Collections. Rarely has such a complete corporate record been available for research. Taking full advantage of this resource, Aiken offers an in-depth profile that illustrates major trends in American corporate culture. Katherine G. Aiken is Professor and Chair in the Department of History, University of Idaho, Moscow. She is the author of Harnessing the Power of Motherhood: The National Florence Crittenton Mission, 1883-1925.