Idaho Falls

History

The first European settlements in the area around Idaho Falls were sparse cattle and sheep ranches. No significant development took place until 1864, when a man named Harry Rickets built and operated a ferry on the Snake River at . The ferry served a new tide of westward migration and travel on the Montana Trail following the Bear River Massacre of Shoshone Indians in 1863. The present-day site of Idaho Falls became a permanent settlement when freighter Matt Taylor built a timber-frame toll bridge across a narrow black basaltic gorge of the river downstream from the ferry. The bridge improved travel for settlers moving north and west, and for miners, freighters, and others seeking riches in the gold fields of Idaho and Montana especially the boom towns of Bannack and Virginia City. By the end of 1865, a private bank, small hotel, livery stable, eating house, post office, and stage station had sprung up near the bridge. The settlement was initially known as Taylor's Crossing, but postmarks indicate that by 1866, the emerging town had become known as Eagle Rock. The name was derived from an isolated basalt island in the river near the ferry, where approximately twenty eagles nested. In 1874, water rights were established on nearby Willow Creek and the first grain was harvested. Settlement was sparse and consisted of only a couple of families and small irrigation ditches. The first child of European descent was born at Eagle Rock in 1874. Soon, the Utah and Northern Railway (U&NR) was built, stretching north from Utah 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 new copper mines at Butte, Montana. The U&NR had the backing of robber baron Jay Gould, as Union Pacific…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which , 98% is land and 0.45 square miles (1.17 km2, 2%) is water. Natural disasters are rare in the area, although an F2 tornado hit the Idaho Falls area on April 7, 1978, causing up to $5 million in damage. 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. Formerly known as the "Greenbelt", the city maintains the area and periodically receives donations and grants that allow for expansion. Notable Idaho Falls neighborhoods include: * Downtown - Historic downtown Idaho Falls sits on several blocks of the original townsite along the east side of the river. It features restaurants, plazas, shops, and cultural amenities including the Museum 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 planned neighborhood in Idaho Falls. The numbered streets run west and east between South Boulevard and Holmes Avenue. 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 houses the Idaho Falls Regional Airport. * Snake River Landing - 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 the Mountain America Center. Idaho Falls experiences a semi-arid climate, bordering on a humid continental climate, with warm summers and cold winters (Köppen BSk). Precipitation is…

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Black-billed Magpie

  Pica hudsonia (Sabine, 1823) · Aves
  2,499
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  2,097
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  1,886
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,805
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,625
• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  1,617
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,461
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  1,451

Largest nearby schools

• THUNDER RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
  High · IDAHO FALLS · 1,708 students · 22.5:1 ratio
• IDAHO FALLS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · IDAHO FALLS · 1,334 students · 20.5:1 ratio
• SKYLINE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · IDAHO FALLS · 1,321 students · 19.7:1 ratio
• HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL
  High · AMMON · 1,161 students · 23.2:1 ratio
• BONNEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
  High · IDAHO FALLS · 1,128 students · 22.1:1 ratio
• BLACK CANYON MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · IDAHO FALLS · 880 students · 21.5:1 ratio
• EAGLE ROCK MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · IDAHO FALLS · 776 students · 16.5:1 ratio
• TAYLORVIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · IDAHO FALLS · 776 students · 16.9:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.9 — 2026-08-30
  22 km W of Auburn, Wyoming
• M 2.7 — 2026-06-16
  26 km NE of Soda Springs, Idaho
• M 2.8 — 2025-11-01
  6 km SSW of Bancroft, Idaho
• M 2.9 — 2025-10-16
  15 km WSW of Freedom, Idaho
• M 2.5 — 2025-09-20
  17 km E of Irwin, Idaho
• M 2.5 — 2025-06-24
  14 km ENE of Soda Springs, Idaho