indicate the level to which a name has been verified.Type Political Subdivision & Settlement
Usage American (West)
Meaning & History
The name "Idaho Falls" is a product of reinvention, marketing savvy, and a bit of poetic license.
Originally, the area was known as Taylor’s Crossing, named after freighter Matt Taylor, who built a toll bridge across the Snake River in the 1860s to support traffic along the Montana Trail. As the settlement grew, it became known as Eagle Rock, inspired by a basalt island in the river where eagles nested.
But by the late 1880s, Eagle Rock was struggling. A labor strike and a windstorm had driven away the railroad shops—its economic lifeblood. In an effort to rebrand the town and attract settlers, land promoters pushed for a name change. In 1891, they chose “Idaho Falls” to evoke the image of abundant water—an appealing prospect for farmers in the arid West.
Here’s the twist: there weren’t actually any waterfalls at the time—just rapids and cascades in the Snake River. But the name worked. It conjured visions of fertility and power, and it stuck.
Later, the city made good on the name. In 1910, voters approved a bond to build a hydroelectric dam and powerhouse, which not only provided renewable energy but also reshaped the river and created the iconic falls that now define the city’s landscape.
Originally, the area was known as Taylor’s Crossing, named after freighter Matt Taylor, who built a toll bridge across the Snake River in the 1860s to support traffic along the Montana Trail. As the settlement grew, it became known as Eagle Rock, inspired by a basalt island in the river where eagles nested.
But by the late 1880s, Eagle Rock was struggling. A labor strike and a windstorm had driven away the railroad shops—its economic lifeblood. In an effort to rebrand the town and attract settlers, land promoters pushed for a name change. In 1891, they chose “Idaho Falls” to evoke the image of abundant water—an appealing prospect for farmers in the arid West.
Here’s the twist: there weren’t actually any waterfalls at the time—just rapids and cascades in the Snake River. But the name worked. It conjured visions of fertility and power, and it stuck.
Later, the city made good on the name. In 1910, voters approved a bond to build a hydroelectric dam and powerhouse, which not only provided renewable energy but also reshaped the river and created the iconic falls that now define the city’s landscape.