Yesteryear History of Southeast Idaho
Pocatello was second toughest town in the west
Ralph B. “Dube” Bistline was born April 15, 1894 and died Sept. 13, 1977. This article was published in an Idaho State Journal centennial edition in 1982. Editor’s note: This description of early Pocatello’s seamier side was found in the Journal’s files. R.B. Bistline was a veteran Pocatello fireman. By R.B. “Dube” Bistline In the […]
Packard taxis once served Pocatello
By Bill Ryan There was a time when not so many people had cars and Pocatellans were more dependent on public transportation like buses and taxi cabs. Early postcard pictures show a small jitney bus struggling up the west incline of the Center Street viaduct. That would be the earliest picture of our public transportation. […]
Union Pacific’s Bailey Hall in Pocatello
Many gatherings were held in Bailey Hall in Pocatello throughout the years. The Union Pacific Building, named after former UP president Edd H. Bailey was being demolished on Wednesday, February 25. This building stood next to Union Pacific Ave. for many years. We’re sad to see it go.
Pacific Hotel: Pocatello’s 1st building
The following was originally printed in 1982 in the Idaho State Journal’s special section “Pocatello: Landmarks of our First Century.” Pocatello’s first building was the railroad’s Pacific Hotel, located in the center of the railroad right-of-way just north of Center Street. For 40 years, the Pacific Hotel was the most prominent landmark in Pocatello and […]
ISU professor left a living legacy
Idaho State and Pocatello were lucky to have professor Leedice Kissane living and teaching here. She also left her footprints in the area’s history through a series of columns she wrote for the Idaho State Journal. Many of Dr. Kissane’s columns were published in book form by the Idaho State University Press. In the foreword […]
The state of the unions
By Bill Ryan Labor Day was once a big deal in Pocatello. Members of organized labor took part in a big parade followed by family picnics in the city’s parks, followed by speeches on the advantages of union membership. The American Federation of Labor, founded in 1886, was the first to become a national organization. […]
“Before the Shoshoni Language” lecture set for Bannock County Historical Museum in Pocatello
The Bannock County Historical Society will be holding their monthly business meeting and enjoying a presentation by Dr. Christopher Loether about how linguists reconstruct earlier forms of language and what that research can tell us about the speakers of those languages. Dr. Loether is an Anthropology Professor at Idaho State University and is currently the […]
The history of the Red Hill pillars
Have you ever wondered where the pillars on Red Hill came from, why and when? We did too, so we did a little digging. The Red Hill Pillars were originally part of the McHan Funeral Home. The funeral home was located west of South Arthur Ave. near West Lewis and was established in 1916. […]
Bamberger line was a mighty fine line
By Bill Ryan A friend once told me that one of his greatest delights as a kid living in Salt Lake City was the family picnics at Lagoon and riding the Bamberger trolley to get there. Establishing the interurban line may have been an afterthought to Simon Bamberger. The German immigrant heard that Brigham Young and […]