Shelley, Idaho facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shelley, Idaho
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Location of Shelley in Bingham County, Idaho.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Idaho |
| County | Bingham |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.81 sq mi (4.68 km2) |
| • Land | 1.81 sq mi (4.68 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,633 ft (1,412 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 4,409 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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4,466 |
| • Density | 2,472.87/sq mi (954.83/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
83274
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| Area code(s) | 208, 986 |
| FIPS code | 16-73450 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0397154 |
Shelley is a city in Bingham County, Idaho. The population was 4,409 at the 2010 census. The mascot for the city's high school is a russet-burbank potato that wears a crown, robe and scepter.
Since 1927 Shelley has been home to the "Idaho Annual Spud Day", which is celebrated on the 3rd Saturday of September. It typically features a parade, live bands, a Spud Tug, a spud-picking Contest, and free baked potatoes.
History
Shelley was established in 1904. It was named for John F. Shelley, who moved to the area in 1892. He'd moved to the area intending to open a small store, and needed lumber and other supplies to build it. Since the site was some distance from the nearest existing community, he asked the railroad company to make a special stop to offload the supplies he'd ordered. They consented, provided he could offload the supplies in under 20 minutes. His daughter, Lottie, wrote the following in her personal history:
With the help of Chris Mickelson and others, the lumber was thrown off the train on both sides of the track. Later a spur was put in here by the railroad company.
Now they needed a name for the town. Mother suggested 'Shelco'; Father said, 'Shelton,' so they drew cuts and Mother won." Shelco was submitted to the railroad company and they replied: 'Call your town what you wish, but we have already named the spur, Shelley '. That is how the town got its name.
– Charlotte Shelley
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John F. Shelley
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John F. Shelley and his wife stand in the background. In the foreground are the rest of his family: Mary, Tom, Charlotte (Lottie), Docia, Hannah Davis
On September 4, 1902 a large fire destroyed seven buildings on State Street. Only two buildings, a general merchandise store and Nalder's furniture store, were saved. Soren Yorgensen, a local Justice of the Peace and proprieter of the first hotel in Shelley recounts the experience as follows:
...One windy afternoon in the heat of the summer, a fire started in a small grocery store operated by James Jensen. It did not take long until the wind was fanning a flame that wiped out quite a long string of frame buildings - two saloons, restaurant, Odd Fellows Hall, Post Office and Confectionery, Grocery Store, and dwelling.
– Soren Yorgesen
Geography
Shelley is located at 43°22′46″N 112°7′26″W / 43.37944°N 112.12389°W (43.379490, -112.123846).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.81 square miles (4.69 km2), all of it land.
Shelley is located on the eastern side of the Snake River, facing the Blackfoot Mountains.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 537 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,223 | 127.7% | |
| 1930 | 1,447 | 18.3% | |
| 1940 | 1,751 | 21.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,856 | 6.0% | |
| 1960 | 2,612 | 40.7% | |
| 1970 | 2,614 | 0.1% | |
| 1980 | 3,300 | 26.2% | |
| 1990 | 3,536 | 7.2% | |
| 2000 | 3,813 | 7.8% | |
| 2010 | 4,409 | 15.6% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 4,466 | 1.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
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Curt Brinkman Park features a skateboarding park that was created by James Simpson in 1994. Shelley High School is in the background.
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A gazebo on the greenbelt in Shelley, ID overlooks the Snake River as it flows over some rocks. This gazebo was destroyed in 2009.
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The annual Spud Day Potato Festival at the Shelley City Park attracts thousands as seen from a helicopter in September 2011.
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Shelley High School, nicknamed 'the Spud Cellar', houses the community's 600 high school students.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,409 people, 1,445 households, and 1,123 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,435.9 inhabitants per square mile (940.5/km2). There were 1,531 housing units at an average density of 845.9 per square mile (326.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.0% White, 0.3% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 7.0% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.0% of the population.
There were 1,445 households, of which 49.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.6% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 22.3% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.05 and the average family size was 3.53.
The median age in the city was 27.8 years. 36.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 19.2% were from 45 to 64; and 9.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.
Notable people
- Lavina Fielding Anderson, LDS scholar and author
- Curt Brinkman, Paralympic athlete
- Lewis Croft, actor
- Brad Daw, member of the Utah House of Representatives
- Hadley Foster, men's college volleyball coach
- Ogden Kraut, religious author
- Darwin Young, former member of the Idaho House of Representatives
- Dan Dockstader, President Wyoming State Senate, two-time Wyoming state delegate to National Republican Convention (2012, 2016)
- John L. Moore, former state senator, Idaho state delegate to 1932 National Democratic Convention.
See also
In Spanish: Shelley (Idaho) para niños
