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On October 6th, 2022 Owyhee Motorcycle Club became the first motorcycle-related club or track in the entire country to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places!

In May 1935 seven men started a motorcycle club. They called this club the Western Ramblers Club. The club’s first meeting was held in a Caldwell, Idaho Park. Mike Gamble of Payette, Idaho was elected as the first President. The other six members were: Don Gamble (Payette, Idaho), Francis (Lefty) Johnson (Caldwell, Idaho), Cliff Younger (Caldwell, Idaho), George Dusenberry (Weiser, Idaho), Charley Hughes (Nampa, Idaho), and Rollin A. (Hap) Hatfield (Nampa, Idaho).

The club’s first races were held in ballparks and community parks. There were a lot of events held at the Riverside Ball Park, now known as River Street in downtown Boise. At the time there were three motorcycle clubs; The Boise Motorcycle Club, the Silver Sprocket Club and The Owyhee Motorcycle Club. Only the Owyhee Motorcycle Club is still around today.

It took the original seven members one year to come up with a new name, the “Owyhee Motorcycle Club (OMC).” Over the next four years the club grew to a membership of thirty to forty members. March 12th , 1940 was the official date the club was incorporated as a 501c(4) non-profit with the Idaho Secretary of State. Additionally, the club was the first in the state of Idaho to charter with the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), being assigned charter #351, and is the oldest, continuously operating club in the state. The club still operates as a 501c(4) and is
recognized by the AMA as a historic chartered club.

In 1946 Don Gamble purchased the current 80 acres as a place for its members to gather and for the club to host both social and recreational motorcycle activities. The club still calls these same 80 acres home. Later in 1946 Don sold the property to the Owyhee Motorcycle Club. The property is significant at the statewide level for its role in the development of the sport of off-road motorcycle racing in Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. Throughout its storied history, OMC was a fixture on the circuit of most top motorcycle racers in the region, and developed local talent into professional, hall-of-fame caliber racers. OMC has hosted Idaho State Championships, Northwest Tourist Trophy (NWTT) races, and early and significant motocross events, including the 1972 Inter-Am motocross when Gary Jones became the first American to win overall in an international motocross event held in America.

Owyhee Motorcycle Club has a proud history for its contributions to the state of Idaho of motorcycle clubs, riding and racing. The club continues to function as a strong part of the motorcycling community for today’s generation and future generations to enjoy!