Bonneville County, Idaho
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Bonneville County is a
county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
located in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...
. As of the 2020 census, the population was 123,964, making it the fourth-most populous county in Idaho and the most populous in eastern Idaho. Its
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
and largest city is
Idaho Falls Idaho Falls is the List of cities in Idaho, fourth most populous city in Idaho and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, Bonneville County. It is the state's most populous city outside the Boise metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United St ...
. Bonneville County was established in 1911 and named after
Benjamin Bonneville Benjamin Louis Eulalie de Bonneville (; April 14, 1796 – June 12, 1878) was an American officer in the United States Army, fur trapper, and explorer in the American West. He is noted for his expeditions to the Oregon Country and the Great Basi ...
(1796–1878), a French-born
officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...
in the U.S. Army,
fur trapper A fur is a Softness, soft, thick growth of hair that covers the skin of almost all mammals. It consists of a combination of oily #Guard hair, guard hair on top and thick #Down hair, underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching t ...
, and explorer in the
American West The Western United States (also called the American West, the Western States, the Far West, the Western territories, and the West) is census regions United States Census Bureau As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the mea ...
. Benjamin was the son of Nicholas Bonneville of France, an Illuminati member who had written the "Illuminati Manifesto for World Revolution" in 1792, which played a significant role in the French revolution . Bonneville County is part of the Idaho Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.


History

Bonneville County was established February 7, 1911, by the state legislature from the north and east parts of Bingham County, Idaho. It was named for Capt. B.L.E. Bonneville, of the U.S. Army, who explored throughout the
Snake River The Snake River is a major river in the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States. About long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. Begin ...
area in the 1830s. A settlement developed at the site of the Idaho Falls, Idaho ferry on the Snake River in 1864. This settlement was to be known as
Idaho Falls Idaho Falls is the List of cities in Idaho, fourth most populous city in Idaho and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, Bonneville County. It is the state's most populous city outside the Boise metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United St ...
after 1891. Today, Bonneville County stretches up from two desert floors through a fertile valley of plush crops and into heavily forested peaks. The area that became Bonneville County was first associated with Oneida County which stretched through most of southern and southeastern
Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...
. It was later reapportioned and formed the northern end of Bingham County. It wasn't until 1911 that Bonneville County was formed, and Idaho Falls became the County seat. During all of this time, and even before people started making boundaries and setting up towns, villages and governments, there was a rich part to the region. Indians roamed much of the county in travels to Camas Harvest, and in 1808 John Corter came through the area. In 1810, Major Andrew Henry saw the country, and in 1832, the man whose name was later to be immortalized by the institution of the county, Captain B.L.E. Bonneville, visited the area. The first
bona fide In human interactions, good faith () is a sincere intention to be fair, open, and honest, regardless of the outcome of the interaction. Some Latin phrases have lost their literal meaning over centuries, but that is not the case with , which is ...
town in the county, Keenan, was in the extreme eastern portion of Bonneville County near Caribou Mountain. Keenan boasted a population of nearly 1,000 people. It was about this same time, 1870, that Caribou City also sprang up and Eagle Rock, the forerunner of present-day Idaho Falls, began to acquire a population. There was a time during this growth and settlement period when it appeared Caribou City would outgrow Eagle Rock. The
gold rush A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, ...
into the Caribou region was not considered a small one despite the brevity of the settlements. An estimated $50 million was taken out of the region in gold dust and nuggets. Aside from the gold on Caribou Mountain, cattle raising was the first major industry. Before the coming of the railroad, Matt Taylor bought and trailed a herd of cattle into the valley. As more settlers came, they too started herds and stock raising became a profitable, growing industry. Experiments proved that many farm products could be raised in the area and farms spread over the valley. In 1888, a group of farmers planted small acreages of potatoes. That fall they sold them for 90 cents per hundred weights, and a new industry was created. During the early 20th century, more experiments had shown that sugar beets could be grown successfully. In 1902, Mark Austin surveyed the possibilities and recommended that a sugar factory be built east of
Idaho Falls Idaho Falls is the List of cities in Idaho, fourth most populous city in Idaho and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, Bonneville County. It is the state's most populous city outside the Boise metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United St ...
. In 1903 the cornerstone for the building was laid. That fall the factory was in production and the small town of Lincoln built up around it. From the building of the ferry in 1863 to 1900 the face of Bonneville County changed considerably. The
Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...
and Northern Railroad Company made Eagle Rock a division point, built maintenance shops and the town grew. In 1885, Eagle Rock had a population of 1,500. In 1887 the railroad shops moved to Pocatello, leaving Eagle Rock almost a ghost town. With the development of irrigation, the town took on a new life and it became the most important shipping point between
Ogden, Utah Ogden ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Weber County, Utah, Weber County, Utah, United States, approximately east of the Great Salt Lake and north of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,321 in 2020, according to the United States Census ...
and
Butte, Montana Butte ( ) is a consolidated city-county and the county seat of Silver Bow County, Montana, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. The city covers , and, according to the 2 ...
.


Idaho Falls

On August 26, 1891, the name of Eagle Rock was changed to Idaho Falls due to the
cataract A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens (anatomy), lens of the eye that leads to a visual impairment, decrease in vision of the eye. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colours, blurry or ...
in the river on the west edge of the city. The town became a city on April 6, 1900, with Joseph A. Clark as its first Mayor. Idaho Falls was on its way and headed for a future that would one day see it as headquarters for an atomic energy installation; but in the year of 1900, it was still a city under the control of Blackfoot. Blackfoot was the county seat of Bingham County which still harbored Idaho Falls and it was to be 11 years before Idaho Falls became the county seat.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.8%) is water. The
Snake River The Snake River is a major river in the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States. About long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. Begin ...
flows northwest through the Bonneville County, beginning at the
Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
border as the Palisades Reservoir. The river exits the county about midway on its northern border, turns and re-enters approximately west to flow southwest through Idaho Falls.


Adjacent counties

* Madison County - north * Teton County - north * Teton County,
Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
- northeast * Lincoln County,
Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
- southeast * Caribou County - south * Bingham County - west * Jefferson County - northwest


Major highways

* -
Interstate 15 Interstate 15 (I-15) is a major Interstate Highway in the Western United States, running through Southern California and the Intermountain West. I-15 begins near the Mexican border in San Diego County and stretches north to Alberta, Ca ...
* -
US 20 U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Highway, United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major ...
* -
US 26 U.S. Highway 26 (US 26) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that runs from Seaside, Oregon, to Ogallala, Nebraska. When the U.S. Numbered Highway System was first defined, it was limited to Nebraska and Wyoming Wyoming ...
* - US 91 * - SH-31 * - SH-43


National protected areas

* Caribou National Forest (part) * Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge (part) * Targhee National Forest (part)


Demographics


2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 104,234 people, 36,629 households, and 26,787 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 39,731 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 90.6% white, 0.8% Asian, 0.8% American Indian, 0.6% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 5.1% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 11.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.4% were English, 17.4% were German, 9.9% were American, and 7.8% were Irish. Of the 36,629 households, 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.9% were non-families, and 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.32. The median age was 31.7 years. The median income for a household in the county was $50,445 and the median income for a family was $58,346. Males had a median income of $46,498 versus $29,008 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,218. About 8.1% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.


2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 82,522 people, 28,753 households, and 21,449 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 30,484 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 92.79%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.49%
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.65% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.07%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 3.72% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. 6.91% of the population were
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race. 25.3% were of English, 14.3% German and 12.2% American ancestry. There were 28,753 households, out of which 40.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.00% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.40% were non-families. 21.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.33. In the county, the population was spread out, with 32.10% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 10.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 99.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $41,805, and the median income for a family was $48,216. Males had a median income of $38,745 versus $22,514 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the county was $18,326. About 7.40% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 12.20% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.


Communities


Cities

*
Ammon Ammon (; Ammonite language, Ammonite: 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''ʻAmān''; '; ) was an ancient Semitic languages, Semitic-speaking kingdom occupying the east of the Jordan River, between the torrent valleys of Wadi Mujib, Arnon and Jabbok, in present-d ...
*
Idaho Falls Idaho Falls is the List of cities in Idaho, fourth most populous city in Idaho and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, Bonneville County. It is the state's most populous city outside the Boise metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United St ...
* Iona * Irwin * Ririe (partially) * Swan Valley * Ucon


Census-designated place

* Lincoln


Unincorporated communities

* Beachs Corner *
Bone A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, ...
* Osgood * Palisades


Ghost towns

* Herman * Caribou City


Politics

Like most of Idaho, Bonneville County has been powerfully Republican for many decades. The last Democratic nominee to win it was
Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...
in 1948. It is very conservative for an urban county; underlining this,
Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served a ...
is the last Democrat to manage even 40 percent of the county's vote.


Education

School districts include: * Bonneville Joint School District 93 * Idaho Falls School District 91 * Ririe Joint School District 252 * Shelley Joint School District 60 * Soda Springs Joint School District 150 * Swan Valley Elementary School District 92 College of Eastern Idaho includes this county in its catchment zone, and this is the only county in its taxation zone.


See also

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Bonneville County, Idaho


References


External links


County website
{{coord, 43.38, -111.60, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-ID_source:UScensus1990 Idaho counties 1911 establishments in Idaho Populated places established in 1911 Idaho Falls metropolitan area counties