Lemhi County Historical Society Inc

What it reported doing in 2025

The lemhi county museum celebrates and honors lemhi county history, showcasing the artifacts of the multicultural peoples that have settled in the valley since the late 1800s. Located in the rural community of salmon, Idaho, the birthplace of sacajawea, the lemhi county museum is proud to exhibit and share the rich history of the area. Five historical topics are on permanent exhibit in the primary museum at 210 main street and exhibit at 204 main: 1. Shoshone artifacts exhibit: the largest existing collection of shoshoni artifacts. 2. Mining artifacts exhibit: the 1866 discovery of gold and the resulting community of miners, ranchers, and lumberman. 3. Ranching exhibit: aspects of life in the american west. 4. Chinese artifact exhibit: photographs and artifacts from the local chinese population that arrived with the discovery of gold. 5. Ray edwards estate exhibit: a collection of chinese, japanese, and tibetan relics donated by the ray edwards estate as a tribute to his mining and ranching ancestors. 6. A river of history: connecting past, present, and future: the museum has created a new and evolving exhibit commemorating the history and continuing importance of the regions rivers. It is located next door to the primary museum at 204 main street and features river-related artifacts and photographic exhibits. We also host a number of lectures in this venue examining the history and ecosystems of the various regional rivers. This building will also house new exhibits, traveling exhibits, and the shirley walker lemhi county history research center. The lemhi county historical society and museum offers historical tours and holds various events throughout the year including commemorations and luncheons. The museum is also involved in key projects to restore and preserve local historical sites including the gilmore mercantile and the fred and thelma ramey salmon grange museum.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 51.6%; rating input score 52
• Program expense ratio: 89.3%; rating input score 89
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 2 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 22
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: Fail
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 46.7%; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.79; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 47.7%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 32.4% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 10.8% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 12.3% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings