Idaho Potato Museum

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The Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot, Idaho was built in 1880’s, just after they took out the original potato business. Blackfoot was where English explorers came to mine for gold when the gold rush first started. When the settlers reached the ground that they wanted to mine, they realized that they would be able to make more money if they provided potatoes to Europe. By the end of the century potatoes became a food source for millions of people across the world.

When the 19th century began potato growing was done by hand, they would take the school children out into the fields, handing them hand shovels to dig the holes while someone else followed right close behind to place the seeds into the ground. Once the potatoes were ready to harvest, four farmers would hook up two horses to a rotor-tiller and then they would bring the school children back out. As the horses walked, the children would pick up the potatoes and place them in gunny sacks and in baskets, and walk them all the way back to the business. At the business the workers in side would take the potatoes and clean each one making sure each one was ready to be boxed up for shipment.

Sprinkler irrigation allowed farmers to develop about 250 thousand more acres across Idaho. With the irrigation system farmers learned that with being able to cover this much ground in the season they would bring in about triple what they started with.

Owen Kenneth Ward was one of 11 children in his family. Ward spent most of his younger childhood years working out on the farm. Owens grow up loving the farming equipment so much that he actually started his own business which is known as Milestone Inc. After Owen Ward died on February 14, 1992, his equipment was sent out every where. In 1961 the original potato cutter was designed by him and his co-worker and then they proceed to build the cutter. When Owens died he left some of his machines to the expo and then also he left the very first potato cutter to the people of Blackfoot.

When the Potato Expo Museum needs help to rebuild the largest statue of a potato, they go to the city and ask them for the money. The last time the city helped them out was in the summer of 2007. When it comes down to Graduation time at Blackfoot High School and Snake River High school, the seniors always think that it would be fun to take the giant potato and transport it to the Front Entrance of their own schools. When doing this the city has to then go and take the potato back to the museum and repaint it were the students damaged it at.

sources: Blackfoot Idaho, potato expo museum.