The present-day site of Idaho Falls became a permanent settlement when freighterMatt Taylor built a timber-frametoll bridge across a narrow blackbasaltic gorge of the river 7 miles (11 km) downstream from the ferry. The bridge improved travel for settlers moving north and west, and forminers, freighters, and others seeking riches in thegold fields ofIdaho andMontana –especially theboom towns ofBannack andVirginia City.
By the end of 1865, a privatebank, smallhotel,livery stable, eating house,post office, andstage station had sprung up near the bridge. The settlement was initially known asTaylor's Crossing, butpostmarks indicate that by 1866, the emerging town had become known asEagle Rock. The name was derived from an isolatedbasalt island in the river near the ferry, where approximately twentyeagles nested.
In 1874,water rights were established on nearbyWillow Creek and the firstgrain was harvested. Settlement was sparse, and consisted of only a couple of families and smallirrigation ditches. The first child ofEuropean descent was born at Eagle Rock in 1874.
Utah & Northern Bridge, c. 1880, looking north, or upriver, with railroad shops in background
Soon, theUtah and Northern Railway (U&NR) was built, stretching north fromUtah through Eagle Rock and crossing the Snake River at the same narrow gorge as Taylor's bridge. The railway would eventually connect to the large newcopper mines atButte, Montana. The U&NR had the backing ofrobber baronJay Gould, asUnion Pacific Railroad had purchased it a few years prior.[9] Grading crews reached Eagle Rock in late 1878, and by early 1879, a wild camp-town with dozens oftents and shanties had moved to Eagle Rock with a collection of saloons,dance halls, andgambling halls. The railroad company had 16locomotives and 300train cars working betweenLogan, Utah and the once-quiet stage stop. A new iron railroad bridge was fabricated inAthens, Pennsylvania at a cost of $30,000 and shipped by rail to the site, where it was erected in April and May 1879.[10] The bridge was 800 feet (240 m) long and had two spans, with an island in the center. The camp-town moved on, but Eagle Rock now had regular train service and several U&NRbuildings, shops, and facilities which expanded and transformed the town.
As soon as the railroad came through,settlers beganhomesteading the upperSnake River Valley in earnest. The first new settlers carved out homesteads to the north at Egin (near present-dayParker) and at Pooles Island (near present-dayMenan).[11] The Utah & Northern Railway provided easy access, especially to homesteaders from Utah, who soon populated much of the area surrounding Eagle Rock. Some of these men had initially worked building the railroad, then later returned with their families to stake out new farms. These Utah families brought irrigation know-how developed in Utah'sGreat Basin settlements. Through their and others' canal systems, water from the Snake River made the Upper Snake River Valley into one of the most successful irrigation projects in theMountain West.[12] Large-scale settlement ensued and within a decade, there appearedroads,bridges, anddams, which brought most of the Upper Snake River Valley undercultivation.
Then, in 1887, following the construction of theOregon Short Line and a railroad workers'strike in Eagle Rock, most of the railroad facilities were moved toPocatello, where the new line branched off the U&NR. This caused a sharp and immediate drop in population, which nearly killed the town. In 1891,marketers convinced town leaders to change the name toIdaho Falls in reference to therapids below the bridge. Some years later, the construction of a retaining wall for ahydroelectric power plant transformed the rapids intowaterfalls. On June 22, 1895, the world's then-largestirrigation canal, the Great Feeder (located 5 miles northeast ofRirie), began diverting water from the Snake River, helping to convert tens of thousands of more acres of desert into green farmland. The area grewsugar beets,potatoes,peas,grains, andalfalfa, and became one of the most productive agricultural regions of the United States. The city once again began to flourish, growing continuously into the 20th century.
SL-1 reactor core in Idaho Falls following a 1961 accident that killed three peopleThe Idaho National Laboratory, the University of Idaho, Idaho State University, Boise State University, and the University of Wyoming have labs, classrooms, offices, and other facilities just north of downtown. Among these partnerships is the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), shown here, which overlooks the Snake River.
On January 3, 1961, NRTS became the scene of the only fatal nuclear reactor incident in U.S. history. The event occurred at an experimentalU.S. Army plant known as the Argonne Low-Power Reactor, which the Army called theStationary Low-Power Reactor Number One (SL-1). Due to poor design and maintenance procedures, a single control rod was manually pulled out too far from the reactor, causing the reactor to becomeprompt critical, leading to a destructive power excursion. Three trained military men had been working inside the reactor room when a mistake was made while reattaching a control rod to its motor assembly.[13] With the central control rod nearly fully extended, the nuclear reactor rated at 3 MW rapidly increased power to 20 GW. This rapidly boiled the water inside the core.[14][15] As the steam expanded, a pressure wave of water forcefully struck the top of the reactor vessel, upon which two of the men stood. The explosion was so severe that the reactor vessel was propelled nine feet into the air, striking the ceiling before settling back into its original position.[16] One man was impaled by a shield plug and lodged into the ceiling, where he died instantly.[13] The other men died from their injuries within hours. The three men were buried in lead coffins, and that entire section of the site was buried.[16][17][18] The core meltdown caused no damage to the area, although some radioactivenuclear fission products were released into the atmosphere.
The site has since developed into theIdaho National Laboratory (INL), anational laboratory operated by theUnited States Department of Energy. INL and its contractors are a major economic engine for the Idaho Falls area, employing more than 8,000 people between the desert site and its research and education campus in Idaho Falls. Among other projects, INL operates and manages the world-famousAdvanced Test Reactor (ATR).
The Snake River seen through trees along the greenbelt
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.80 square miles (59.05 km2), of which 22.35 square miles (57.89 km2), 98% is land and 0.45 square miles (1.17 km2, 2%) is water.[19]
Natural disasters are rare in the area, although anF2tornado hit the Idaho Falls area on April 7, 1978, causing up to $5 million in damage.[20]
Idaho Falls has an extensive river walk trail featuring running and bike trails, art installations, and points of interest along several miles of the Snake River. It is maintained by the city and periodically receives donations and grants that allow for expansion.[21][22]
Downtown - Historic downtown Idaho Falls sits on several blocks of the original townsite along the east side of the river. It featuresrestaurants,plazas, shops, and cultural amenities including theMuseum of Idaho,Colonial Theatre, Art Museum of Eastern Idaho, Idaho Falls Public Library, and Japanese Friendship Garden. It is home to the Idaho Falls Farmers' Market and many other community events.
The Numbered Streets - The numbered streets area was the first plannedneighborhood in Idaho Falls. The streets run west and east between South Boulevard and Holmes Avenue. Traffic on the odd-numbered streets travels east, and west on the even-numbered streets. Kate Curley Park is located in the neighborhood, as is the Wesley W. Deist Aquatic Center and the Eleventh Street Historic District.
West Side - The West Side housesIdaho Falls Regional Airport andI-15. It has retained more of asmall-town feel than the east side, which has grown and developed much more rapidly since the 1980s.
Snake River Landing - SRL is a large, mixed-use development on the west side of the river near I-15, which includes residential, restaurant, park, and community event space, including a planned mid-sized indoorarena. It now hosts the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, a largeIndependence Day event.[23]
As of the census of 2020, there were 64,818 people, and 23,875 households in the city.[3] Thepopulation density was 2,700.5 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 85.1%White, 0.8%Native American, 1.0%Asian, 0.2%Pacific Islander, 0.6%African American, and 5.5% from two or more races.[3] Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 17.5% of the population.
28.4% of the population was under 18, and 7.3% were under 5. 13.5% of the population were over 65. The gender makeup was 50.5% female, 49.5% male.[3]
As of thecensus[28] of 2010, there were 56,813 people, 21,203 households, and 14,510 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 2,542.0 inhabitants per square mile (981.5/km2). There were 22,977 housing units at an average density of 1,028.1 per square mile (397.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.3%White, 1.0%Native American, 1.0%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 0.7%African American, 5.6% fromother races, and 2.3% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 12.9% of the population.
There were 21,203 households, of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% weremarried couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.6% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.20.
The median age in the city was 32.2 years. 29.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.5% were from 25 to 44; 23.4% were from 45 to 64; and 11.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.
The 2000 census[29] reported there were 50,730 people, 18,793 households, and 13,173 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,972.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,147.6/km2). There were 19,771 housing units at an average density of 1,158.4 per square mile (447.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.09% White, 0.62% African American, 0.76% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 0.06%Pacific Islander, 3.81% fromother races, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.18% of the population.
There were 18,793 households, out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.3% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,512, and the median income for a family was $47,431. Males had a median income of $39,082 versus $23,001 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $18,857. About 7.8% of families and 10.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
The top five ethnic groups in Idaho Falls are:[30]
The community's economy was mostlyagriculturally focused until the opening of the National Reactor Testing Station in the desert west of Idaho Falls in 1949. The city subsequently became largely dependent on high-income jobs from theIdaho National Laboratory (INL), known locally simply as "The Site." Since the 1990s, the city has added a significant retail, entertainment, and restaurant sector, as well as a regionalmedical center.
Idaho Falls hosts the headquarters of the United Potato Growers of Idaho and District 7 of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. It is the home to several small-to-medium-sized national corporations such as North Wind, Inc. and Melaleuca, Inc.[31]
The median home price in Idaho Falls was $224,800 in January 2007.[32]
Public transport in Idaho Falls is run by the Greater Idaho Falls Transit, which runs the GIFT On Demanddemand-responsive transport system.[33]
Downtown Idaho Falls once struggled as the city expanded eastward, but it has been revitalized in recent years due to the efforts of local business owners, the City of Idaho Falls, and other organizations such as the Downtown Development Corporation[37] and the Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce. Today, it is home to a handful of locally owned shops, stores, restaurants, galleries, theaters, and future revitalization efforts.
TheCollege of Eastern Idaho was established in 1969 as a vocational-technical college named Eastern Idaho Technical College. In 2017 it transitioned into Eastern Idaho's onlycommunity college.[38]
A campus of theUniversity of Idaho in Idaho Falls provides access to the university's resources.[39]
Each fall, the varsity football teams of Idaho Falls and Skyline compete in a rivalfootball game called the Emotion Bowl. Each year, after the game, the winning team and its fans traditionally paint the goalposts of the stadium in theirschool colors (orange for Idaho Falls and blue for Skyline).[46] Bonneville and Hillcrest participate in a similar event known as the Civil War.
ThePost Register, a daily newspaper, serves the Idaho Falls area. Online news outlet East Idaho News also provides digital news coverage focused on eastern Idaho communities. The region is also home to more than a dozen AM and FM stations.The Idaho Falls/Pocatello television market is served by five major network affiliates:KIDK (Dabl and also simulcast onFox affiliateKXPI-LD),KIFI-TV (ABC/CBS),KPVI-DT (NBC, licensed to Pocatello), andIdaho Public Television.
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