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Twin Falls, Idaho
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- For the motion picture, see Twin Falls Idaho (film)
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 34,469 at the 2000 census; a 2006 estimate found 40,380 people.
Twin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region and the seventh largest in the state. As the largest city in a 100-mile (166-kilometer) radius, Twin Falls serves as a regional commercial center for both south-central Idaho and northeastern Nevada.
Twin Falls is the principal city of the Twin Falls, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area - the state's largest - which officially includes Jerome and Twin Falls Counties.
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Encyclopedia
- For the motion picture, see Twin Falls Idaho (film)
Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The population was 34,469 at the 2000 census; a 2006 estimate found 40,380 people.
Twin Falls is the largest city of Idaho's Magic Valley region and the seventh largest in the state. As the largest city in a 100-mile (166-kilometer) radius, Twin Falls serves as a regional commercial center for both south-central Idaho and northeastern Nevada.
Twin Falls is the principal city of the Twin Falls, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area - the state's largest - which officially includes Jerome and Twin Falls Counties. The resort community of Jackpot, Nevada, in Elko County is unofficially considered part of the greater Twin Falls area.
History
Excavations at Wilson Butte Cave near Twin Falls in 1959 revealed evidence of human activity, including arrowheads, that rank among the oldest dated artifacts in North America. Later native American tribes predominant the area included the Northern Shoshone and Bannock.
The first people of European ancestry to visit the Twin Falls area are believed to be members of a group led by Wilson Price Hunt, which attempted to blaze an all-water trail westward from St. Louis, Missouri, to Astoria, Oregon, in 1811 and 1812. Hunt's expedition met with disaster when much of his expedition was destroyed and one man was killed in rapids on the Snake River known as Caldron Linn near present-day Murtaugh. Hunt and the surviving members of his expedition completed the journey to Astoria by land.
In 1812 and 1813, Robert Stuart successfully led an overland expedition eastward from Astoria to St. Louis which passed through the Twin Falls area. Stuart's route formed the basis of what became the Oregon Trail. Some 150 years later, Robert Stuart Junior High School in Twin Falls was named in his honor.
While other explorers passed through the Twin Falls area throughout the first half of the 19th Century, none saw fit to stay in what was then considered a particularly inhospitable region of the American West.
The first permanent settlement in the area was a stage stop established in 1864 at Rock Creek near the present-day townsite. By 1890 there were a handful of successful agricultural operations in the Snake River Canyon, but the lack of infrastructure and the canyon's geography made irrigating the dry surrounding area improbable at best.
To address this issue, in 1900 the Twin Falls Land and Water Company was formed largely to build an irrigation canal system for the area. Three years later I. B. Perrine, who had been a successful farmer and rancher in the Snake River Canyon, obtained private financing under the provisions of the Carey Act of 1894 to build Milner Dam on the Snake River near Caldron Linn. Completed in 1905, Milner Dam and its accompanying canals made commercial irrigation outside the Snake River Canyon practical for the first time. As a result Perrine is generally credited as the founder of Twin Falls.
Twin Falls city was founded in 1904 as a planned community, designed by celebrated Franco-American architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray, with proceeds from sales of townsite lots going toward construction of irrigation canals. The city is named for a nearby waterfall on the Snake River of the same name. In 1907 Twin Falls became the seat of the newly-formed Twin Falls County.
The original townsite follows a unique design. It is laid out on northeast-to-southwest and northwest-to-southeast roads. The northwest-to-southeast roads were numbered and called avenues, while the northeast-to-southwest roads were numbered and called streets. Only two central streets, the northwest-to-southeast Main Avenue and the northeast-to-southwest Shoshone Street, were named. It is purported that the reason this was done was to allow sun to come into every room in the home at some point during the day. This system created situations where one side of a street may have an entirely different address than the other, and where the corner of "3rd and 3rd," for example, was in more than one location. In 2003 the numbered northeast-to-southwest streets were renamed to alleviate decades of confusion. Later city roads, such as Blue Lakes Boulevard, Addison Avenue and Washington Street, are laid out in standard north-south and east-west orientations.
After Milner Dam was constructed agricultural production in south-central Idaho increased substantially. Twin Falls became a major regional economic center serving the agriculture industry, a role which it has sustained to the present day. The city became a processing center for several agricultural commodities, notably beans and sugar beets. In later years other food processing operations augmented the local economy. By 1960 Twin Falls had become one of Idaho's largest cities even though its origins were still within living memory for many.
Twin Falls became the center of national attention in September 1974 thanks to an attempt by Evel Knievel to jump the Snake River Canyon in a specially-modified rocket cycle. Watched by millions on television, the attempt ultimately failed due to high winds and a premature deployment of Knievel's parachute. The foundation of the launch ramp, which lies on private land, can still be seen.
During the last quarter of the 20th Century, gradual diversification of the agriculture-based economy allowed the city to continue to grow. Major Twin Falls employers in 2006 included computer maker Dell, Inc., Glanbia., and Jayco, a recreational vehicle manufacturer.
In recent years Twin Falls has become quite multicultural. Thanks in large part to a refugee center operated by the College of Southern Idaho, since 1995 significant numbers of people from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the former Soviet Union have settled in Twin Falls. The city also has a sizeable Hispanic population.
Crime Rate
According to Twin Falls crime levels are "much higher" than Idaho's average levels. This includes violent crimes. 'Sperling's Best Places' states that Twin Falls' crime rate per capita is almost two times as high as the national level.
Government
The City of Twin Falls has a council-manager form of government. The seven-member Twin Falls City Council is directly elected in non-partisan municipal elections to four-year terms. The mayor, who holds little executive power, is periodically selected among current city council members to chair meetings. City council meetings are usually held on Mondays.
The city's day-to-day operations are overseen by a city manager, who is appointed by the city council. The city government through various citizen boards oversees parks and recreation, planning and zoning, sanitation and garbage collection, street maintenance, wastewater collection, and maintains police and fire departments. Twin Falls Public Library, Twin Falls Municipal Golf Course and Joslin Field-Magic Valley Regional Airport are also under the city's jurisdiction.
Education
Twin Falls is home to the College of Southern Idaho, a large community college in the northwestern part of the city. Several Idaho universities, including Boise State University, Idaho State University, and the University of Idaho, also offer classes on the CSI campus.
Public schools are administered by the Twin Falls School District, including Twin Falls High School, the alternative Magic Valley High School, two junior high schools and seven elementary schools. Also, Twin Falls is home to newly established Xavier Charter School.
On March 14, 2006, Twin Falls voted to build an additional high school, which was named Canyon Ridge High School in November 2006. Voters also approved plans to make improvements to existing school buildings and convert the junior high schools to middle schools. These projects are scheduled to be completed for the 2009-10 school year.
Private schools include Lighthouse Christian School, Magic Valley Christian School, St. Edward's Catholic School and Twin Falls Christian Academy.
Media
Twin Falls is served by one local daily morning newspaper, the Times-News. Boise's Idaho Statesman and USA Today are also widely available in the city.
Over-the-air television stations include:
Cable television subscribers also receive stations from Boise and Salt Lake City, Utah.
Several commercial radio stations broadcast in the Twin Falls area, including (but not limited to):
- 94.3 KTPZ - The Music Monster (Top 40)
- 95.7 KEZJ - Idaho Country (Country)
- 96.5 KLIX - Kool Oldies (Oldies)
- 98.3 KSNQ - The Snake (Classic Rock)
- 99.9 KZDX - The Buzz (Modern AC/Top 40)
- 102.1 KIRQ - IRock (Modern rock)
- 102.9 KMVX - Mix 103 (Adult contemporary)
- 103.7 KSKI (Modern rock)
- 104.7 KIKX (Classic rock)
- 106.1 KKMV - Kat Kountry (Country)
- 106.7 KYUN - Canyon Country (Country)
CSN International, an international Christian radio station is also broadcast from Twin Falls, Idaho.
Transportation
Although Twin Falls has the distinction of being the largest Idaho city not directly on the Interstate Highway System, the city is served by several major highways including U.S. Route 30 and U.S. Route 93. Access to Interstate 84 is afforded by a junction with U.S. Route 93 approximately 5 miles (8.3 km) north of the city in Jerome County. Idaho State Highway 74 provides direct access from downtown Twin Falls to southbound locations on U.S. Route 93, including Hollister, Rogerson, and Jackpot, Nevada.
Trans IV, a small public transportation system operated by the College of Southern Idaho, is also available.
Limited commercial air service is provided at Joslin Field-Magic Valley Regional Airport. As of August 2008 daily flights to Salt Lake City International Airport are operated by SkyWest Airlines using the Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia.
Geography
Twin Falls is located at (42.561420, -114.463715).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.0 square miles (31.1 km²), all of it land.
The Snake River Canyon forms the city's northern limits, separating it from Jerome County. There are three waterfalls in the immediate area. Shoshone Falls is located approximately five miles east of Twin Falls city. Pillar Falls is located approximately 1.5 miles upstream from the Perrine Bridge while Twin Falls, the city's namesake, is located upstream of Shoshone Falls.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,469 people, 13,274 households, and 8,867 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,870.1 people per square mile (1,108.1/km²). There were 14,162 housing units at an average density of 1,179.2/sq mi (455.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.77% White, 0.22% African American, 0.74% Native American, 1.09% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 3.71% from other races, and 2.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.89% of the population.
There were 13,274 households out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 12.1% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,641, and the median income for a family was $48,632. Males had a median income of $34,742 versus $20,934 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,439. About 9.8% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.
Trivia
In 1999, Bruce Willis, a resident of nearby Blaine County, chose Twin Falls to serve as the fictional Midland City in the film adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's novel Breakfast of Champions. Several Twin Falls locations, notably the Rob Green auto dealership on Blue Lakes Boulevard North, are prominently featured in the film.
The Perrine Bridge, which spans the Snake River Canyon immediately north of the city, is one of only a handful of artificial structures worldwide where BASE jumping is legal. In September 2005 Miles Daisher of Twin Falls set a BASE jumping world record by jumping off Perrine Bridge 57 times in a 24-hour period. In July 2006 Dan Schilling jumped off the bridge 201 times in 21 hours to raise money for charity. Unlike Daisher, Schilling was hoisted to the top of the bridge by a crane after every jump.
Notable musicians who spent parts of their childhood in Twin Falls include Gary Puckett, Paul Durham of Black Lab, Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe and Doug Martsch of Built to Spill.
Sports Reporter John Tudehope, was born in Twin Falls before
moving to the greater Los Angeles area.
Built to Spill's 1994 song "Twin Falls," which mentions Harrison Elementary, is based on Martsch's experiences growing up in the city. Ben Folds Five released a live cover of "Twin Falls" on their 1998 album Naked Baby Photos.
Despite its title, the 1999 film Twin Falls Idaho is neither set in nor has anything to do with the city.
W. Mark Felt, the informant in the Watergate scandal known as Deep Throat, graduated from Twin Falls High School in 1931.
Shoshone Falls is taller than Niagara Falls by about 36 feet.
Twin Falls had the first live call-in radio show in the nation. It was called "Party Line" and was hosted by L. James Koutnik on KLIX radio. The FCC attempted to time delay the program but the host, and his willing conspirator, station owner Charlie Tuma, thwarted this effort and continued to allow live callers on the air.
In the video game Resistance 2, the player must activate anti-aircraft towers in Twin Falls in order to stop an alien invasion. Also, one of the main characters is from Twin Falls.
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