About Pocatello, Idaho:
Chief Pocatello
History of Pocatello
Outdoor Life
The Gate City and Gateway to the Northwest
From the Idaho State University website:
About Pocatello
The Pocatello metropolitan area is home to approximately 85,000 people. With Idaho State University and several large industries, Pocatello serves as the educational and commercial center for Eastern Idaho.
Pocatello offers shopping, theater, movies, museums, parks, golf courses, and a zoo, as well as a hot springs resort and ski area within 1/2 hour drives. The Fort Hall Reservation, home to the Shoshone-Bannock tribes, houses a tribal museum. Pocatello is the annual host to numerous national events and touring performances. more
Pocatello has been ranked on of the top ten small cities to raise a family and has been ranked on the Forbes List of Best Small Towns for Business making it a wonderful place to live and work.
If you are going through our city on the way to somewhere else or if you are considering making Pocatello your home we encourage you to stop for a few hours or even a few days and see what makes us proud of our city.
About Pocatello, Idaho and its Culture
The City is rich in music and art. The calendars of the Jensen Grand Concert Hall of the Stephens Performing Arts Center list a wide variety of concerts and entertainment.
First Friday Art Walk is hosted by the downtown merchants throughout the entire year. The work of area artists and musicians is on display and don’t miss the antique shops! There are many venues for the aspiring gymnast, actor/actress and dancer, to train or to participate in local events.
The Portneuf Wellness Complex was built to enhance and improve the health of Southeast Idaho.
Pocatello is home to three museums. The Idaho Museum of Natural History on the campus of Idaho State University; the Bannock County Historical Museum; and the very unique Museum of Clean. Just a few miles north is the Shoshone Bannock Tribal Museum on the Fort Hall reservation.
Children and adults will enjoy the wildlife exhibits at the Pocatello Zoo where you will see the grizzly bear in his natural habitat, elk, deer, bison, cougar, eagles and many other animals of the mountain west.
In addition to the usual franchises and national American fare, our many restaurants offer diverse cuisine, including Mexican, Greek, Thai, Chinese, Italian, East Indian among others.
For those who may be looking to reside here, Pocatello has been ranked one of the top ten small cities to raise a family. Idaho State University offers excellent educational opportunities and community interests such as sports, music and art. Portneuf Medical Center is a state-of-the art health care facility.
About Pocatello, Idaho and Recreation:
Some of the West's best historical and recreational areas are within a day's drive (or less). Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Sun Valley are just a few places easily accessible. Fishing, hunting, water and snow skiing are mere hours away.
Pocatello is proud of its parks and recreational opportunities. In addition to its many neighborhood parks and playgrounds, Ross Park is home to the Pocatello Zoo, the Aquatic Complex and the Fort Hall Replica. The recently completed Brooklyn's Playground is the first fully-inclusive playground for Pocatello. It is ADA compliant and a place where children of all abilities can play and interact.
There are two municipal 18-hole golf courses in Pocatello. The privately owned Juniper Hills Country Club offers golf, tennis, swimming, dining and social events.
The Greenbelt runs for 12 miles along the Portneuf River and is great for hiking, biking, and bird watching. Fishing, boating, cross country and downhill skiing, climbing, and water skiing round out the many outdoor recreational opportunities in and near Pocatello.
About Pocatello, Idaho and Business
Pocatello has also been ranked on the Forbes list of Best Small Towns for Business. The city and outlying areas provide a plentiful and available labor force. Idaho State University's Business & Technology Center provides assistance and training for new and existing businesses.
Pocatello was founded in 1889 as pioneers, miners and trappers came via the Oregon Trail, and Fort Hall, to the North, was one of the major stopping points. The railroads and freight lines soon followed and the area became a trade and transportation center. After the gold rush and the coming of the railroads, the region turned to agriculture and ranching. It is now the fifth largest city in Idaho. The city is named after Chief Pocatello, a Shoshoni Indian from the Fort Hall Reservation. A statue of Chief Pocatello has been placed at the south entrance to the city.
By Louise Crawford