Central Idaho
Central Idaho | |
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Region | |
UTC−6 (MDT) | |
Area code(s) | 208, 986 |
Central Idaho is a geographical term for the region located northeast of Boise and southeast of Lewiston in the U.S. state of Idaho. It is dominated by federal lands administered by the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Idaho's tallest mountain, Borah Peak, is located in this region. A large part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area is within Central Idaho.
The counties of Blaine, Butte, Camas, Custer, and Lemhi are included in the region. The southern Central Idaho region — particularly Blaine and Camas counties — is also known as the Wood River Valley after the Big Wood River. Blaine and Camas counties are also considered to be part of the Magic Valley region of Southern Idaho.
Demographics
In the 2020 Census, the five county region had a combined population of 40,172 people; only 2.1% of the entire state's population.[1] Camas, Butte, and Custer counties are among the least populated in the state, each having less than 5,000 residents; Butte County lost 10.43% of its population in the last decade according to a 2024 estimate,[2] making Central Idaho one of, if not the least populated area in Idaho.
The largest city in the area is the town of Hailey located in Blaine County, with a population of 8,689. Other notable cities include Stanley, Challis, Salmon, Fairfield, and Arco.
History
The area of Central Idaho has been inhabited since at least 12,000 years ago by the Northern Shoshone, Bannock, and Northern Paiute peoples, where the cycle of sockeye salmon runs sustained the Native American population. As colonization and expansion of the United States progressed into the western region of the continent, these tribes were forcefully removed from their homes in the late-1800's; despite this, traditional hunting and harvesting continued in parts of the Sawtooths.[3][4]
After removal of the natives, Idaho developed an economy that relied on agriculture, lumber, and mining.
The Central Idaho area, while being used for
Meanwhile, Arco, Idaho became the first city in the United States to have its entire power supply generated from nuclear power. On July 17, 1955, electricity produced from an experimental nuclear reactor at the Argonne National Laboratory (now the Idaho National Laboratory), supplied the entire city's population of 1,200 electricity for more than an hour, becoming the first city in the United States to be entirely sustained by nuclear power for its electrical demands.[5]
25 years after Pope's proposal, in 1960,
Today, herding continues to be a core part of the area, as well as recreation. The area remains sparsely populated, as the mountainous terrain, aforementioned environmental protections, and lack of infrastructure provide barriers to excessive human development.
Central Idaho has also been the origin site of multiple
Culture
Most residents of the area continue to value the historical importance of industry and natural resources of the area.
Residents and visitors participate in recreation; namely
Ghost towns are an important marker of culture in Central Idaho. Bayhorse, Idaho is a ghost town located in Custer County. Originally opened as a gold mine, then converted into a silver mine, the town gradually became abandoned as silver prices fell. The city was placed on the National Register of Historic Places,[7] and was purchased by the state for public enjoyment. Another ghost town, Shoup, Idaho, celebrates the mining history of the area through historical preservation of the gravity-fed gas pumps and general store, as well as other historical buildings in the area that once fed the mining town.
The
The Sawtooth Salmon Festival, established in 2000, and held at the Stanley Museum in Stanley every August, commemorates the spawning of salmon in the Salmon River with live entertainment, educational tours and presentations, vendors, and food and drink.[9]
The
Cities
Notes
- ^ If Blaine and Camas counties are considered to be part of the Magic Valley rather than Central Idaho, then the area would be 11,722.4 sq miles. Since Blaine and Camas are generally considered to simultaneously be part of both areas, this article (as well as the Magic Valley article) both include Camas and Blaine county in their area calculations.
- ^ Population density is calculated by 2020 Census figures[1] divided by area, including Blaine and Camas counties. See note a for more details.
See also
References
- ^ a b "2020 Census Demographic Data Map Viewer". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ "Population of Counties in Idaho (2024)". World Population Review. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ a b "'A Crown Jewel of Idaho Recreation': The history and significance of Idaho's Sawtooth National Recreation Area". Conservation Voters for Idaho. 3 March 2022.
- ^ a b c Emily Wakild (9 December 2022). "High refuge in the Sawtooths".
- ^ "AEC Press release for BORAX-III lighting Arco, Idaho". United States Department of Energy, Argonne National Laboratory. 1999. Retrieved 2012-07-26.
- ^ "Central Idaho". Visit Idaho. Idaho Department of Commerce - Tourism Development. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
- ^ Steve Dent (6 October 2023). "Trailing of the Sheep is one of the most popular fall festivals in the country". Idaho News 6.
- ^ "Stanley's Sawtooth Salmon Festival: Celebrate The Miraculous Journey Of Endangered Salmon And Steelhead". Stanley Sawtooth Chamber of Commerce. 29 June 2022.
- ^ "Annual Sawtooth Festival Unites Locals And Visitors; Raises Nonprofit Grant Money Through Art, Crafts, And Food". Stanley Sawtooth Chamber of Commerce. 29 June 2022.