Soda Springs in Caribou County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)
Memories of Conda - a company community
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 22, 2017
1. Memories of Conda - a company community Marker
Captions: (center left) The town of Conda; (bottom left) The Conda Store; (bottom, 2nd from left) Winter travel to Conda, located about eight miles northeast of Soda Springs, could be challenging. The Conda Bus offered a more reliable alternative.; (bottom, 3rd from left) Company housing; (upper right) When modern roads and snowplows came into use, The Bus was abandoned and all but forgotten,; (bottom right) In 1998, Jerry Shutleff, a Soda Springs native and local building contractor restored The Bus as a memorial to the Conda community.
In 1920, the ambitious Anaconda Copper Mining Company built the community of Conda to house its phosphate miners and their families. About 300 people resided in Conda during the mining heyday. The town closed in 1984.
At its peak, Conda hosted 82 homes, school, meeting hall, bunk house, store, and offices. Company housing rented for $12.00 a month, which included water for lawns and gardens. Two times a week, free movies were shown twice daily so that shift workers could attend.
From 1922 to 1936, the Company offered free travel for miners and their families between Conda and Soda Springs on "The Bus." The unique rail car rambled along the Union Pacific rail lines between the two communities even in winter.
In the 1960s, J.R. Simplot, new owner of the Conda Mine, gave The Bus to the Willard Poulsen family, past residents of Conda. The Bus was moved to Soda Springs Golf Course and painted red. In 1983, the Poulsens gifted The Buss to the city of Soda Springs and it was installed in Corrigan Park. A few years later The Bus was placed under a canopy and restored to its original appearance.
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Location. 42° 39.291′ N, 111° 36.163′ W. Marker is in Soda Springs, Idaho, in Caribou County. Marker is on East 2nd Street South (U.S. 30) near South Main Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 31 East 2nd Street South, Soda Springs ID 83276, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Conda Mine - A phosphate fortune unearthed (here, next to this marker); Coach History (within shouting distance of this marker); Hooper Spring (within shouting distance of this marker); General Patrick Edward Connor (within shouting distance of this marker); Dr. Ellis Kackley (within shouting distance of this marker); The Dinkey Engine (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Brigham Young Summer Home (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Grand Vision (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Soda Springs.
More about this marker. This marker is located in Corrigan (City) Park.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 22, 2017
2. Memories of Conda - a company community Marker with The Bus behind it
The marker is on the left.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 22, 2017
3. The Bus
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 22, 2017
4. "The Galloping Goose"
City of Soda Springs
May 1983
Willard "Bill" Poulsen
Betty Poulson
Berlin Poulsen
Jackie Poulsen
(editor: I'm not sure the "Galloping Goose" name is correct.)
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 22, 2017
5. The Bus
Credits. This page was last revised on August 7, 2017. It was originally submitted on August 7, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,169 times since then and 150 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 7, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
