The Origin of Frozen Dog
The origin of “Frozen Dog” is traced to Colonel William C. Hunter, an early Emmett settler who planted orchards on a ranch he called the Frozen Dog. In the 1880s he moved to Kansas City and began publishing a fictitious Idaho newspaper called the Howling Wolf. He also wrote a book entitled Frozen Dog Tales.
In his youth the builder and original owner of the Digs, Jon L. Elsberry, worked in the Frozen Dog orchards on the same road where the property now sits. His father, Paul, taught him the value of hard work through the family’s sand, gravel, and redi-mix business in Emmett; his mother, Evelyn, taught him everything else. After graduating from the University of Idaho and earning a master’s degree in technical writing, Jon decided to travel while he was young and able to reach the mountain tops.
He began in Australia, teaching English for two years in the Outback town of Condobolin, New South Wales—the geographical center of the state—where he coached and played semi-pro rugby and learned that “digs” means lodging or home. From there he taught in Gore, New Zealand, and later in Deal, England, near the White Cliffs of Dover. Along the way he journeyed across Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway, explored Japan, and toured much of Europe. Wherever he went he sought out bed and breakfasts for their warm hospitality. The Frozen Dog Digs continues that tradition.
When he returned to Emmett, Jon and his father began building the house on Frozen Dog Road in 1979. Together they hand-built roughly three-quarters of the modern tri-level Tudor/ranch structure. Design details reflect the travels: Tudor beams and exposed wood inspired by Stratford-upon-Avon, Japanese garden elements and ironwork from his time in Japan, and the sports court, sports bar, and memorabilia that grew from a lifetime of playing and coaching baseball, football, basketball, rugby, and darts. In 1995 the house opened as Frozen Dog Digs Bed & Breakfast. Jon later added suites, the waterfalls of fossilized Three Rivers rock, the spa, and the outdoor spaces that guests enjoy today. The Digs remains a place shaped by family work, world travel, and a love of genuine hospitality.
The Frozen Dog Digs is as unique as its name. Not a typical Victorian-style B&B, the Digs is a modern handcrafted tri-level tudor/ranch structure nestled into the famous Emmett valley foothills. Seasonal fruit from the local orchards and gardens complement the chef's entree that varies daily. Stay 30 days and taste 30 different gourmet breakfasts!
