Montpelier, Idaho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Montpelier, Idaho
City
Montpelier, Idaho, downtown view.
Location of Montpelier in Bear Lake County, Idaho.
Country	United States
State	Idaho
County	Bear Lake
Named for	Montpelier, Vermont
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• Total	2.32 sq mi (6.00 km2)
• Land	2.32 sq mi (6.00 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	5,981 ft (1,823 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	2,597
• Estimate  (2019)	2,538
• Density	1,094.91/sq mi (422.70/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP codes	83220, 83254
Area code(s)	208, 986
FIPS code	16-53920
GNIS feature ID	0396914

Montpelier is a city in Bear Lake County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,597 at the 2010 census, down from 2,785 in 2000. The city is the largest community in the Bear Lake Valley, a farming region north of Bear Lake in southeastern Idaho along the Utah border. It was settled in 1863 by Mormon pioneers on the route of the Oregon Trail. Nearby to the east is the border with Wyoming.

History

Like most western towns, the name has been changed numerous times. First it was known as Clover Creek by Oregon Trail travelers, later it became Belmont and finally was given the name Montpelier by Brigham Young, one of the founding fathers of Mormonism, after the capital of his birth state of Vermont. The city was first settled in 1864.

In 1892 the railroad was extended to Montpelier, with a terminal being located here until 1972. The railroad brought a population that made Montpelier the county's "Gentile Town" as opposed to nearby Mormon-run Paris that was the county seat. Both cities would have tabernacles built in their city limits.

U.S. Routes 89 and 30 intersect in Montpelier.

In 1896 Montpelier was the site of a bank heist by Butch Cassidy and members of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch, Elzy Lay and Bob Meeks, who were supposedly trying to get enough money to bail out fellow gang member Matt Warner. This historical footnote has become a notable component of the town's identity and is commemorated by a plaque on Washington Street (Highway 89).

Geography

Montpelier is located at 42°19′13″N 111°18′13″W / 42.32028°N 111.30361°W / 42.32028; -111.30361 (42.320416, -111.303703), at an elevation of 5,981 feet (1,823 m) above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.33 square miles (6.03 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,597 people, 1,006 households, and 680 families living in the city. The population density was 1,114.6 inhabitants per square mile (430.3/km²). There were 1,234 housing units at an average density of 529.6 per square mile (204.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.2% White, 0.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 2.0% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.9% of the population.

There were 1,006 households, of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.4% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.17.

The median age in the city was 36.4 years. 29.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.4% were from 25 to 44; 23.9% were from 45 to 64; and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

See also

In Spanish: Montpelier (Idaho) para niños