Twin Falls, ID City Guide and Yellow Pages

More About Twin Falls, Idaho

The history of Twin Falls reaches back at least 10,000 years. Long before Robert Stuart settled in the area in the early 1800s, the land had been occupied by Native American tribes. Arrowheads and other tools were discovered at a site close to Wilson Butte Cave in 1959.

Incorporated in 1905, the city is the county seat of Twin Falls County. The town got its start when Snake River Valley farmer I.B. Perrine began working in 1893 to convince financiers to build a dam and a canal system to irrigate the area. The Twin Falls Land and Water Co. was formed in 1900 and the Milner Dam was finished in 1905. It was supplemented by the Minidoka project of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Known for its great fly fishing, hiking trails and mountain biking in the spring and summer months, Twin Falls is equally renowned for its winter sports -- skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling. The extreme sport of BASE jumping draws plummeters from around the globe to Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls, which daredevils call “one of their favorite spots.”

In fact, a major tourist attraction of Twin Falls is Snake River Canyon. In 1974, famed stunt man Evil Knievel attempted to jump the canyon on his Skycycle X-2. He failed, but he lived to tell the tale. Five miles north of the Perrine Bridge is the stunning Shoshone Falls. Often called the “Niagara of the West,” the Snake River tumbles 212 feet over the 900 foot wide canyon edge into the rushing waters below. The southern falls of Twin Falls is used as a hydroelectric power source.

By proclamation of President Theodore Roosevelt, on May 29, 1905, the Sawtooth Forest Reserve came into being. Today, the 2.1 million-acre Sawtooth National Forest extends into northern Utah. Within the Sawtooth National Forest is the Sawtooth Wilderness, known as “the jewel in the crown” of “the Gem State” -- Idaho. First protected in 1937 as a “Primative Area,” Sawtooth Wilderness was officially created by Congress in 1972. Sawtooth Wilderness contains almost 350 miles of routes through various scenic terrain. Winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular pastimes in the Sawtooth National Forest, with Sun Valley being the most famous of the resorts. Camping and cabins are available and visitors can go bicycling, climbing, fishing, hiking, or horse riding during warmer weather.

The city of Twin Falls is a trade and processing hub. Various vegetables, grains, trout, live stock, and dairy items are processed here. Commercial fish hatcheries are also part of the local economy. Recently, nearly a dozen wineries have been built especially along the Snake River. Yet another attraction for travelers in Southern Idaho are visits to theses new vineyards.

Downtown Twin Falls is known as Olde Town. It’s the place to dine on international cuisines or Pacific Northwest salmon and other local fish dishes. Annie’s Lavender & Coffee Café is a mixture of java house and aromatherapy shop rolled into one. Inspired Living offers unusual interior décor items for the home. Hemingway’s Happy Hounds is a posh kennel for your best friend. The Twin Falls Farmers’ Market runs from May through October on Saturdays. Mercia’s Natural Foods supports local farmers "who raise organic, sustainable and natural crops.”

Residents and visitors alike can enjoy old-fashioned fun with an antique tractor pull at the Twin Falls County Fair and Magic Valley Stampede. The annual event has offered family fun with a petting farm, Ham Bone Express pig racing, and Washboard Willy (“a free-spirited, upbeat, participatory jam session”). It also features concerts, theatrical jousting with the Tournament of Champions, stock-car races, and a photography contest. The Magic Valley Stampede is a PRCA-sanctioned rodeo. Other annual festivities include the Hispanic Fiesta, Oktober Fest, Jazz in the Canyon and Western Days.

The College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls is a comprehensive community college that offers associate’s degrees in arts, science, and applied science and technical certificates in more than 100 disciplines. CSI was established in 1965 and currently enrolls more than 7,000 undergraduate students. On the main campus of CSI is the Herrett Center for the Arts & Science. This free attraction offers “stargazing” in the Centennial Observatory or “a trip to distant galaxies” in the Faulkner Planetarium. The Raymond Gallery features live reptiles and anthropological art and artifacts. The center collects, preserves and displays anthropological relics and natural-history specimens “with an emphasis on the prehistoric American continents.” The Natural History museum contains 18,500 artifacts and specimens. The astronomy center houses the Faulkner Planetarium and Centennial Observatory. The Jean King Gallery of Contemporary Art showcases current modern art.

Written by Kathleen Cooney

• Twin Falls Movers

Newspapers are The Time-News, Idaho Statesman
Twin Falls Sports teams are The Bruins
Local Schools are Twin Falls High School, College of Southern Idaho