Grant, Idaho facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grant, Idaho
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E 100 N or "Farm to Market Road" in Grant, Idaho
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 Grant, Idaho
Location in Idaho
Grant, Idaho
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Idaho |
| County | Jefferson |
| Elevation | 4,790 ft (1,460 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
83442
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| Area code(s) | 208, 986 |
| GNIS feature ID | 372901 |
Grant is a small, unincorporated community located in Jefferson County, Idaho, in the United States. An unincorporated community means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town does.
Contents
Discovering Grant's Location
Grant is a quiet, rural community found near the famous Snake River. It's about 5.3 miles (8.5 km) west-southwest of Rigby and 12.1 miles (19.5 km) north of Idaho Falls.
The Early Days of Grant: A Look at Its History
Grant was once known as Poverty Flat. This area was mostly covered in sagebrush, with animal trails guiding the first pioneers here in the late 1870s and early 1880s.
First Settlers and Homesteads
The first people to settle in Grant were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were the second generation of families who had arrived in the Salt Lake valley in the mid-1800s. Alfred Kossuth DaBell and James Ottowell Webster started the first homesteads in Poverty Flat in 1888.
They spent that first winter with family in the nearby town of Lewisville. Then, in the spring of 1889, they began building their farms. The first person to live permanently in Poverty Flat was Jeppe Peter Hansen, who came from Denmark. He arrived just before the DaBells and Websters returned from Lewisville.
Building a Community: Church and School
Between 1891 and 1892, the community worked together to build a small structure. This building served as both a church and a school. During this time, the Grant School District was officially created.
The Grant Ward of the LDS Church was also established that year. It was named after Heber J. Grant, who was the 7th President of the LDS Church.
Post Office and Local Store
The first postmaster, Frederick C. Hanson, was appointed on March 3, 1893. The post office was connected to the "Grant Store." This store was a very important part of the community and stayed open for over 100 years, until the late 1990s. By 1900, the Grant Ward had grown to include 77 families and 389 people.
Growth and Community Events
Grant's population was estimated to be 200 people in 1909. The community continued to grow a lot throughout the early 1900s. This growth led to the construction of several new buildings and even a baseball diamond.
The "Grant Hall," built in 1900, became a popular social spot for the area. People from all over the Snake River valley would come to attend weekly dances there.
On July 4, 1920, a group of local cowboys and farmers held a rodeo on the baseball diamond. This event became an annual tradition. Eventually, it moved to Rigby, Idaho, where it is still held every year on Flag Day. Today, it is known as the Jefferson County Stampede.
