Polly Bemis - Legacy

Legacy

In 1987 the cabin was restored, her body was reburied by the cabin. The cabin, known as Polly Bemis House, became a museum and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. At the dedication ceremonies in 1987, Idaho Governor Cecil Andrus stated, "The history of Polly Bemis is a great part of the legacy of central Idaho. She is the foremost pioneer on the rugged Salmon River." Bemis was inducted into the Idaho Hall of Fame in 1996. Polly Bemis is the subject of an extensive and ongoing series of paintings by Chinese-American artist Hung Liu. The University of Idaho has described her as "Idaho's most famous Chinese woman," and offered an anthropology course called "The World of Polly Bemis".