Pocatello, Idaho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pocatello
City
City of Pocatello
Downtown Pocatello, 2004
Flag Logo
Nickname(s):  "Poky", "U.S. Smile Capital", "The Gate City"
Motto(s):  "Gateway to the Northwest"
Location of Pocatello in Bannock County and Power County, Idaho.
Pocatello Location in the United States Show map of the United States Pocatello Location in Idaho Show map of Idaho
Country	United States
State	Idaho
Counties	Bannock, Power
Established	1889
Area
• Total	33.40 sq mi (86.50 km2)
• Land	33.24 sq mi (86.09 km2)
• Water	0.16 sq mi (0.41 km2)
Elevation	4,462 ft (1,360 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	56,320
• Density	1,688.1/sq mi (651.78/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain Standard Time (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (Mountain Daylight Time (MDT))
ZIP Code	83201, 83204, 83205, 83206, 83209
Area code(s)	208, 986
FIPS code	16-64090
GNIS feature ID	2411447

Pocatello (ⁱ/ˈpoʊkəˈtɛloʊ/) is a city in southeastern Idaho, USA. It is the main city of Bannock County. A small part of the city, including its airport, is in Power County.

Pocatello is located on the Portneuf River. It sits at an elevation of about 4,462 feet (1,360 meters) above sea level. The city covers a land area of about 33.36 square miles (86.4 square kilometers).

In 2020, Pocatello had a population of 56,320 people. This makes it the 6th largest city in Idaho. Pocatello is home to Idaho State University. It also has factories for companies like Amy's Kitchen and ON Semiconductor. The city is served by the Pocatello Regional Airport.

History of Pocatello

Pocatello in 1892.

A view of Pocatello in 1932.

Early People and Settlers

For hundreds of years, the Shoshone and Bannock tribes lived in southeastern Idaho. In 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition explored the area. Their reports about the region's natural wealth attracted fur trappers and traders. The city of Pocatello is named after Chief Pocatello, an important Northern Shoshone leader from the 1800s.

First Settlements and Growth

One of the first lasting settlements was Fort Hall, built in 1834 by Nathaniel Wyeth. It was just a few miles from where Pocatello is today. When the fur trade ended, Fort Hall became a key stop for people traveling the Oregon Trail.

Thousands of people passed through Idaho. But many more came after gold was found in 1860. The gold rush created a need for supplies and services. The Portneuf Valley, where Pocatello is, became an important route. When the Union Pacific Railroad arrived, "Pocatello junction" grew into a major transportation hub.

The "Gate City"

Pocatello was founded in 1889. It became known as the "Gate City." This is because it was a main entry point to Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. Pioneers, gold miners, and settlers used the Portneuf Gap south of town. Stagecoaches, freight lines, and then the railroad followed. This made Pocatello a busy center for trade and travel.

An advertisement for Pocatello from 1910, inviting homesteaders.

Farming and City Growth

After the gold rush slowed down, many settlers stayed and started farming. With water from the nearby Snake River, the area became a big producer of potatoes, grain, and other crops. More homes and businesses began to appear by 1882.

Joining with Alameda

In 1962, the nearby city of Alameda joined with Pocatello. This made Pocatello the largest city in Idaho at that time. Another nearby city, Chubbuck, chose not to join and remained separate.

The City Flag

Pocatello's old city logo, once called the worst city flag in North America.

Pocatello's city flag, used from 2001 to 2017, was once called the worst city flag in North America. In 2016, a new committee was formed to design a better flag. They worked for a year and a half. In July 2017, the city council chose a new flag. It was picked from 709 different designs.

Geography and Climate

Pocatello has a total area of about 33.36 square miles (86.4 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.

The Portneuf River

The Portneuf River is a key water feature in Pocatello. It flows through the western part of the city. Since 1992, the city has been building a system of trails along the river. These trails connect to other paths in the Portneuf Valley. So far, over 15 miles of trails have been built. The plan is to have 27 miles in total.

Pocatello's Climate

Pocatello has a climate with warm summers and cold winters. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Pocatello was 104°F (40°C). This happened on several dates, including August 2, 1969, and July 31, 2020. The coldest temperature recorded was -33°F (-36°C) on February 1, 1985.

People of Pocatello

In 2022, Pocatello had about 56,582 people living in 21,657 homes. About 29.3% of homes had children under 18. About 25.1% of homes had people aged 65 or older.

The average age in Pocatello was 32.9 years. About 24.8% of the population was under 18. About 12.5% were between 18 and 24.

Economy and Jobs

Idaho State University Administration Building

Pocatello has several important employers. The Idaho Department of Correction runs the Pocatello Women's Correctional Center here. The United States Postal Service also has offices in the city. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is building a data center in Pocatello.

Major Employers

Here are some of the biggest employers in Pocatello:

Arts and Culture

The Museum of Clean.

Pocatello is home to several museums. These include the Idaho Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Clean. There is also the Bannock County Historical Complex and the Fort Hall Replica and Museum.

Idaho State University has the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center. This is the largest performing arts center in Pocatello. It hosts dance, theater, and music events. The main concert hall can seat up to 1,200 people.

The Westside Players is a local theater group. They put on shows at The Warehouse in Pocatello's Warehouse District.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church, built in Pocatello in 1897.

Pocatello has over twenty places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include old churches like St. Joseph's Catholic Church and Trinity Episcopal Church. Other historic places include the Idaho State University Administration Building and the Pocatello Carnegie Library.

Sports and Recreation

Holt Arena (now ICCU Dome) at Idaho State University.

Pocatello is home to Holt Arena. This is a large indoor stadium that opened in 1970 at Idaho State University. It was once called the "Minidome." Holt Arena hosts the Simplot Games, which is a big indoor high school track-and-field meet.

The Pocatello Marathon and Half Marathon are held every year. Runners can use their times from this race to qualify for bigger marathons like Boston and New York.

Outdoor sports are very popular in Pocatello. Pebble Creek, Idaho is a ski resort just south of the city. It offers skiing and snowboarding in the winter.

Pocatello also has a semi-professional baseball team called the Gate City Grays. They play in the Northern Utah League. The Grays play their games at Halliwell Park. They won the NUL championship in 2015 and 2016.

Education in Pocatello

Western Pocatello in 2009, seen from Red Hill on the ISU campus.

Schools for Kids and Teens

Most of Pocatello is served by the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District #25. This district has three public high schools, four public middle schools, and thirteen public elementary schools.

There are also two public charter schools. In addition, there are various private schools and academies, including church-based ones.

The part of Pocatello in Power County is part of the American Falls Joint School District 381.

High Schools

• Century High School
• Highland High School
• Pocatello High School

Middle Schools

• Alameda Middle School
• Franklin Middle School
• Hawthorne Middle School
• Irving Middle School

Elementary Schools

• 

  Elementary school boundaries in Pocatello.
• Chubbuck Elementary School
• Edahow Elementary School
• Ellis Elementary School
• Gate City Elementary School
• Gem Prep
• Greenacres Elementary School
• Indian Hills Elementary School
• Jefferson Elementary School
• Lewis & Clark Elementary School
• Syringa Elementary School
• Tendoy Elementary School
• Tyhee Elementary School
• Washington Elementary School
• Wilcox Elementary School

Higher Education

Idaho State University (ISU) is a public university in Pocatello. It is run by the state of Idaho. It started as a branch campus of the University of Idaho. In 1963, it became the second university in the state.

The ISU campus is in Pocatello. It also has programs in other cities like Idaho Falls and Boise. The university has a large performing arts center. It offers space for performances, including a grand concert hall.

Idaho State's sports teams are called the Bengals. They compete in the Big Sky Conference. Their football and basketball teams play in Holt Arena.

Transportation

Pocatello has a local airport called Pocatello Regional Airport. You can fly to and from other cities from here.

Pocatello Regional Transit provides bus service. Buses run on five routes from Monday to Saturday. There is no bus service in the evenings or on Sundays.

Famous People from Pocatello

Many notable people have connections to Pocatello, including:

• Neil L. Andersen, a religious leader.
• Don Aslett, who started the Museum of Clean.
• Kayla Barron, a NASA astronaut.
• Billie Bird, a comedian and actress.
• Shay Carl, a popular video blogger.
• Taysom Hill, an NFL football player.
• Merril Hoge, a former NFL player and sports analyst.
• C. Ben Ross, a former Mayor of Pocatello and Governor of Idaho.
• Edward Stevenson, a costume designer for famous movies like Citizen Kane.
• Minerva Teichert, a well-known artist.

See also

In Spanish: Pocatello (Idaho) para niños