Mountain Home in Elmore County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)

Mountain Home Irrigation District

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 26, 2017

1. Mountain Home Irrigation District Marker

Inscription. The Town site of Mountain Home was chosen by the Union Pacific Railroad as a stop because of a readily available supply of water. The railroad utilized steam operated pumps in trench wells to fill storage tanks with this water in order to supply the needs of their thirsty steam locomotives. Today only area residents enjoy this refreshing water.
Efforts by early residents to build canals from nearby Canyon Creek to irrigate area lands proved ineffective. To deal with the problem the Mountain Reservoir and Canal Co. was formed in 1888. In 1891 an earthen dam constructed on Rattlesnake Creek became their first storage facility and was aptly named the Mountain Home Reservoir. As the need for more water grew, further expansion led to the construction of Long Tom Reservoir in 1906 and Little Camas Reservoir in 1908. Increases in the height of the reservoirs between 1902-1915 allow the District to currently supply 32,740 acre-feet of water to 4,400 acres of farmland around Mountain Home. In 1926 the company was renamed the Mountain Home Irrigation District.

Erected by Pioneer Federal Credit Union; Mountain Home Historical Museum; The DIF-IT Committee and E Clampus Vitus, Chief Truckee Chapter #3691 Lewis and Clark Outpost #1805. (Marker Number 2005.)

Topics and series. This historical

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marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the E Clampus Vitus series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1888.

Location. 43° 8.234′ N, 115° 39.808′ W. Marker is in Mountain Home, Idaho, in Elmore County. Marker can be reached from American Legion Boulevard (State Highway 51) near East 8th Street North, on the left when traveling west. This marker is located next to the Desert Mountain Visitors Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2900 American Legion Boulevard, Mountain Home ID 83647, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Rattlesnake Station (approx. ¾ mile away); Site 5 ★ Rattlesnake Creek (approx. ¾ mile away); Mountain Home Arrives in a 50-pound Soapbox (approx. 1.7 miles away); Oregon Trail 1864 (approx. 6.9 miles away); Site 4 ★ Hot Springs (approx. 7.2 miles away); Site 6 ★ Kelton Road (approx. 8 miles away); Site 3 ★ Hot Springs Creek (approx. 8.6 miles away); Site 7 ★ Canyon Creek (approx. 8.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mountain Home.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 26, 2017

2. Mountain Home Irrigation District Marker

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 26, 2017

3. Mountain Home Irrigation District Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on November 16, 2017. It was originally submitted on November 16, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 412 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 16, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.