Idaho Falls History in Brief

The Shoshone-Bannock and Northern Paiute Indian tribes inhabited east central Idaho long before Lewis and Clark made their epic trek across Idaho in 1805.  When the expedition returned form the Pacific Coast, John Colter left the party and journeyed southwest. He discovered Teton Pass and wintered in Teton Valley. Accounts by Lewis and Clark of the richness of the territory attracted trapper and trader to Idaho.

One of the first permanent settlements was Fort Hall, located 30 miles south of Idaho Falls, established as a trading post in 1834. Trappers were followed by missionaries who came to convert the Indians. Father DeSmet held the first religious service in the West in Teton Valley near Driggs, or Pierre's Hole as it was known by trappers who gathered there each summer.

Although settlers by the thousands passed through Idaho on the Oregon Trail, it was not until the discovery of gold in 1860 that Idaho attracted settlers in any numbers. The ensuing gold rush brought a need for goods and services, and towns sprang up to serve as trade centers for the gold fields.

In 1864, Harry Rickets established a ferry to cross the Snake River nine miles north of the present city of Idaho Falls. Late in that same year and in the following year, J.M. (Matt) Taylor, a freighter, recognized the need for a bridge across the turbulent river, so he constructed a log toll bridge. The community was originally know as Taylor's Bridge, then changed to  Eagle Rock.

The name was derived from an actual rock 7 miles upstream. Those who traveled along the river to access the ferry discovered an isolated basalt island in the Snake River that was the nesting site for approx. 20 eagles. A small community, Payne, was built near this location on the railroad track. Today this area is called Osgood. In 1972, a Boy Scout from Idaho Falls constructed a small monument on the west shore of the river, within sight of Eagle Rock. Today, no eagles nest on this rock. Today, the location is visited mostly by fishermen.

Later, the town voted to re-name itself Idaho Falls, after the rapids that existed below the bridge in what was then called Black Canyon. The name was changed to Idaho Falls on August 26, 1891.

As the veins of gold played out, miners and transients abandoned the area. Those who remained, including the early Mormon pioneers, turned to farming and irrigated the arid land. Water turned the desert into rich agricultural land, which now yields most of the state's potatoes, grain, and other crops.

When visiting Idaho Falls, the Bonneville Museum offers permanent exhibits depicting local historical events of pioneer life. Exhibits of natural history illustrate regional wild life, Native Americans, and early explorers.