The City of Pocatello Come Discover Pocatello the gate city to the West! Pocatello , the seat of Bannock County , can trace its roots to 1882, when residential and commercial development began to appear. Pocatello 's history began long before it officially became a city in 1882.   Before then the name Pocatello was called Biagamugep.
Other pronunciations of Pocatello in history were; in 1857, Kocatillo, 1859 Pocataro, Pocatillo, Pocatilla, Poughatello, Pokatillo. Pocatello was named for the Shoshone Indian Chief Pocatello born in 1815 to Widzhebu (Cunning Eye) He eventually became Chief (1847) of the Shoshone people (wild wheat eaters).The Shoshone Chief granted the railroad a right-of-way through the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. Shoshone and Bannock http://www.shoshonebannocktribes.com/   Indian tribes inhabited southeastern Idaho for hundreds of years before the epic trek by Lewis and Clark across Idaho in 1805. Their reports of the many riches of the region attracted fur trappers and traders to southeastern Idaho . Hudson 's Bay Company established one of the first permanent settlements at Fort Hall in 1834. Fort Hall is only a few miles northeast of Pocatello . When over-trapping and a shift in fashion to silk hats put an end to the fur trade, Fort Hall became a supply point for immigrants traveling the Oregon Trail . Ruts can still be seen in many areas near modern day Fort Hall. Although thousands of immigrants passed through Idaho, it was not until the discovery of gold in 1860 that attracted settlers in large numbers to Idaho . The gold rush brought a need for goods and services to many towns, and the Portneuf Valley , home of Pocatello , was the corridor initially used by stage and freight lines. The coming of the railroad provided further development of Idaho 's mineral resources and " Pocatello junction" became an important transportation crossroads as the Union Pacific Railroad expanded its service. On July 3, 1890, Idaho became the 43rd state of the United States of America . Bannock County was created in 1893 by the Idaho Legislature.   Later, after the gold rush, settlers who remained turned to agriculture. With the help of irrigation from the nearby Snake River , the region became a large supplier of potatoes, grain and other crops.
Today, Pocatello and Chubbuck (an adjacent community) are home to about 60,000 people. Pocatello offers every modern convenience and tons of things to do, including http://www.discoverourtown.com/TownPage.php?Town=1566   shopping, lodging, and, Convention Centers http://www.pocatellocvb.com/visitors.htm     Pocatello has four Performing arts theaters including Westside Players and L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center ,   historical museums, natural history museums, rock climbing, parks, swimming, golf courses, zoo and Pebble Creek ski resort http://www.pebblecreekskiarea.com/ Horse Racing at Pocatello Downs or if you prefer cars check out the Pocatello Speedway.   Pocatello is also home of the Idaho State Bengals at Idaho State University http://www.isu.edu/ .    Idaho State University provides an array of cultural and ethnic activities enjoyed by students and general public alike. While visiting check out Pocatellos Historical Old Town http://www.oldtownpocatello.com/ A downtown destination for locals and tourists alike; a destination that is celebrated for its history and uniqueness, architectural beauty and lore, providing an appealing retail mix, desirable commercial space, quality housing, fabulous restaurants, unique common areas, and hosts major community events. Be sure to check out local artists. http://www.pocatelloartctr.org/gallery.html while shopping or taking in the vistas. Pocatello is also home to The Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo http://www.dncfr.org/    in May and brings Cowboys and girls from everywhere in the nation. http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/caribou-targhee/index.html Caribou National Forest is southeast of Pocatello and offers ample hunting, hiking, fishing, geocaching, biking, snow machining, and cross-country skiing.   You can enjoy wildflowers and breezes that grace the plains and mountains or enjoy endless outdoor recreation opportunities. Pocatello is a valley of four season weather with average temperatures in Summer from low 70s to mid 80s and Winter wonderland temps mid 30s to 60s with many days of sunshine.   There are plenty of things to do in Pocatello and with short drives within the county you can discover boating in many reservoirs and natural lakes, wildlife, soaking in the natural hot springs at Lava Hot Springs, take in some of the most photographed and breathtaking western sunsets you will ever see, discover petroglyphs, visit the Fort Hall Replica, join in on the Iris Festival, Summer Solstice Wildflower Festival, Blue Grass Festival, Pioneers days, Native Culture Festivals, Sagebrush Art Festival, Cottages and Cranberries Victorian Winter Festival, or perhaps you can join us for a marathon http://www.pocatellomarathon.com/   and the Pocatello Pump rock climbing event. Come cheer during the First Security Games or Senior Games or just come visit and stay a while. For more information about Pocatello and southeastern Idaho , contact:   Explore Poky at Explorer3@cablone.net or The Greater Pocatello Area Chamber of Commerce http://www.pocatellocvb.com/events.htm P.O. Box 626 Pocatello , Idaho 83204 (208) 233-1525