BACKGROUND:

Established January 5, 1875 with its county seat at Paris. Named for Bear Lake, which lies half in Idaho and Half in Utah. In 1863 the first permanent settlement was at Paris, established by forty Mormon families who came in wagons, in ox carts and on foot over very difficult terrain from Cache Valley, Utah.

Background & Photos provided by Digital Atlas of Idaho, Idaho's Natural History Online, Idaho State University at http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/ (accessed: October 8, 2017).