Soda Springs, Idaho facts for kids
Soda Springs is a city in Caribou County, Idaho, United States. In 2020, about 3,133 people lived there. It is the main city, or 'county seat,' of Caribou County. This means it is where the county government is located. Soda Springs has been the county seat since 1919. Before that, in the 1860s, it was the county seat for Oneida County.
Quick facts for kids
Soda Springs, Idaho
|
|
|---|---|
Caribou County Courthouse
|
|
| Motto(s):
"Historic Oregon Trail Oasis"
|
|
Location of Soda Springs in Caribou County, Idaho
|
|
 Soda Springs, Idaho
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Idaho |
| County | Caribou |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.47 sq mi (11.58 km2) |
| • Land | 4.43 sq mi (11.47 km2) |
| • Water | 0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2) |
| Elevation | 5,811 ft (1,771 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 3,133 |
| • Density | 707.22/sq mi (273.15/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP codes |
83230, 83276, 83285
|
| Area code(s) | 208 |
| FIPS code | 16-75195 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411921 |
Contents
History of Soda Springs
The city of Soda Springs gets its name from the many natural springs found nearby. These springs have water that is naturally fizzy, like soda pop!
Native American tribes knew about these special springs long ago. Later, in the mid-1800s, the springs became an important landmark. They were a key stop for pioneers traveling west on the Oregon Trail. This was a famous route across North America.
The Soda Springs Geyser
Soda Springs is also home to a unique geyser. A geyser is a hot spring that shoots water and steam into the air. This geyser started in 1937. Town leaders were looking for hot water to create a public swimming pool. When they drilled into the ground, they hit a pocket of highly pressurized carbon dioxide gas and cold water. This caused the geyser to erupt!
At first, the geyser ran for weeks and even flooded parts of the downtown area. To control it, they capped it. Now, the geyser is released on purpose every hour. It is a popular tourist attraction. The water shoots high into the air, and its power has not changed over many years. There are viewing areas with signs that explain how this amazing natural wonder works.
Geography and Climate
Soda Springs is located in Idaho. The city covers about 4.59 square miles (11.89 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
The city has a continental climate. This means it has long, cold, and snowy winters. The summers are usually cool.
| Climate data for Soda Springs Airport | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 58 (14) |
56 (13) |
69 (21) |
80 (27) |
89 (32) |
97 (36) |
101 (38) |
98 (37) |
92 (33) |
85 (29) |
67 (19) |
57 (14) |
101 (38) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 28.6 (−1.9) |
32.2 (0.1) |
40.5 (4.7) |
52.3 (11.3) |
63.0 (17.2) |
73.9 (23.3) |
83.2 (28.4) |
81.8 (27.7) |
71.3 (21.8) |
58.1 (14.5) |
40.6 (4.8) |
30.2 (−1.0) |
54.6 (12.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 8.1 (−13.3) |
10.9 (−11.7) |
18.9 (−7.3) |
26.6 (−3.0) |
34.5 (1.4) |
40.7 (4.8) |
45.2 (7.3) |
44.1 (6.7) |
35.3 (1.8) |
26.3 (−3.2) |
18.3 (−7.6) |
8.1 (−13.3) |
26.4 (−3.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −37 (−38) |
−32 (−36) |
−19 (−28) |
−2 (−19) |
17 (−8) |
10 (−12) |
26 (−3) |
19 (−7) |
12 (−11) |
6 (−14) |
−25 (−32) |
−37 (−38) |
−37 (−38) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.14 (29) |
1.27 (32) |
1.42 (36) |
1.35 (34) |
2.13 (54) |
1.36 (35) |
1.25 (32) |
1.31 (33) |
1.07 (27) |
1.26 (32) |
1.16 (29) |
1.03 (26) |
15.75 (399) |
| Source 1: NOAA (normals, 1971–2000) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: The Weather Channel (Records) | |||||||||||||
People of Soda Springs
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 428 | — | |
| 1910 | 501 | 17.1% | |
| 1920 | 935 | 86.6% | |
| 1930 | 831 | −11.1% | |
| 1940 | 1,087 | 30.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,329 | 22.3% | |
| 1960 | 2,424 | 82.4% | |
| 1970 | 2,977 | 22.8% | |
| 1980 | 4,051 | 36.1% | |
| 1990 | 3,111 | −23.2% | |
| 2000 | 3,381 | 8.7% | |
| 2010 | 3,058 | −9.6% | |
| 2020 | 3,133 | 2.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
In 2010, about 3,058 people lived in Soda Springs. There were 1,204 households, which are groups of people living together. About 830 of these were families.
Most of the people living in Soda Springs were White (96.4%). A small number of people were from other racial backgrounds. About 3.4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Many households (33.4%) had children under 18 living with them. More than half (56.9%) were married couples. The average household had about 2.47 people. The average family had about 3.03 people.
The average age of people in the city was 37.8 years old. About 27.4% of residents were under 18. About 16.4% were 65 years or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (49.7%) and females (50.3%).
Famous People from Soda Springs
- David Archer – a former quarterback in the National Football League (NFL).
- Vic Baltzell – a former fullback in the National Football League (NFL).
- Reed Budge – a politician who served in the Idaho state government.
Images for kids
-
A booth from the Soda Springs Ground Observer Corps.
