Nampa, Idaho

Nampa, Idaho
City
Nampa Depot
Nickname(s): The Heart of the Treasure Valley
Motto: What a Place to Live
Location of Nampa in Canyon County, Idaho.
Nampa, Idaho Location in the United States
Coordinates: 43°34′29″N 116°33′49″W / 43.57472°N 116.56361°W / 43.57472; -116.56361Coordinates: 43°34′29″N 116°33′49″W / 43.57472°N 116.56361°W / 43.57472; -116.56361
Country	United States
State	Idaho
County	Canyon
Founded	1886
Incorporated	1891
Government
• Mayor	Bob Henry
Area[1]
• City	31.77 sq mi (82.29 km2)
• Land	31.63 sq mi (81.91 km2)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.38 km2)
Elevation	2,516 ft (767 m)
Population (2010)[2]
• City	81,557
• Estimate (2016)[3]	91,382
• Density	2,889.55/sq mi (1,115.66/km2)
• Metro	650,288
Time zone	Mountain (UTC-7)
• Summer (DST)	Mountain (UTC-6)
ZIP codes	83651-83686-83687
Area code(s)	208
FIPS code	16-56260
GNIS feature ID	0396943
Website	www.cityofnampa.us

Nampa (/ˈnæmpə/) is the largest city of Canyon County, Idaho, USA. The population of Nampa was 81,557 at the 2010 census^[4] making it the second-most populous city in Idaho. Nampa is located about 20 miles (32 km) west of Boise along Interstate 84, and six miles (10 km) west of Meridian. Nampa is the second principal city of the Boise-Nampa metropolitan area. The name "Nampa" may have come from a Shoshoni word meaning either moccasin or footprint.^[5]

History

Nampa began its life in the early 1880s when the Oregon Short Line Railroad built a line from Granger, Wyoming, to Huntington, Oregon, which passed through Nampa.^[7] More railroad lines sprang up running through Nampa, making it a very important railroad town. Alexander and Hannah Duffes established one of the town's first homesteads, eventually forming the Nampa Land and Improvement Company with the help of their friend and co-founder, James McGee. In spite of the name, many of the first settlers referred to the town as "New Jerusalem" because of the strong religious focus of its citizens. After only a year the town had grown from 15 homes to 50. As new amenities were added to the town, Nampa continued its growth and was incorporated in 1890.

Unlike most towns in that historic era with streets running true north and south, Nampa's historic roads run perpendicular to the railroad tracks that travel northwest to southeast through the town. Thus, the northside is really the northeast side of the tracks, and the southside is really the southwest side of the railroad tracks. Founder Alexander Duffes laid out Nampa's streets this way to prevent an accident like one that occurred earlier in a town he had platted near Toronto, Canada. In that town, a woman and her two children were killed by a train when they started across the railroad tracks in a buggy and the wheel got stuck. As the Oregon Short Line railroad originally bypassed Boise, Nampa has the fanciest of many railroad depots built in the area.

The first elementary school was built in the 1890s. Lakeview School was located on a hill on 6th Street and 12th Avenue North, with a view of Lake Ethel. Just after the school's centennial celebration, it was condemned as a school and sold to the First Mennonite Church. In 2008 the building was refurbished, and is now being used by the Idaho Arts Charter School.

Lake Ethel — an irrigation reservoir — had long been the site of community picnics, and many citizens fished, swam, boated and even hunted on the lake and its surrounding property. The hunting didn’t last for long, however, as O.F. Persons, owner of the adjoining homestead, took offense when local hunters started shooting his pet ducks.^[8]

The city later auctioned off the lake. E.H. Dewey (a former Nampa mayor) was the only bidder. But occasional flooding led to a series of lawsuits from neighbors. Dewey eventually drained Lake Ethel. Not long after, the city council became interested in buying back the Fritz Miller property as well as the Dewey home. Pressure had been building for more than four years. Nampa citizens wanted another park. On August 7, 1924, the city council passed an ordinance to purchase the Miller property and name it Lakeview Park. A bandstand was completed in 1928, and the municipal swimming pool opened on August 13, 1934. Swim tickets cost 10 cents each or 15 for a dollar. It is Nampa's largest park and many community celebrations are held there.^[9]

Colonel William H. Dewey, a man who made a fortune mining in Silver City, seeing the advantage of 4 railroad lines, built the elegant Dewey Palace Hotel in 1902 for a quarter of a million dollars. Colonel Dewey died in his hotel in 1903, leaving his son a million dollars. The hotel survived the great fire of 1909, which burned several blocks of downtown Nampa, but was razed in 1963 because no one wanted to invest in renovating the grand structure. Relics from the hotel, such as the chandelier and the hotel safe can be found at the Canyon County Historical Museum, which is housed in the old train depot on Front Street and Nampa City Hall. After demolition the location on First Street between 11th and 12th Ave. South was sold to private enterprise including a bank and tire store replacing this historic building with the current modern structures. A public-use postage stamp sized park was later placed across the street from the old palace property as a collaboration between the Downtown Alliance of Nampa (the local business council) and an Eagle Scout Project for the Boy Scouts of America. The park includes a large mural/wall sculpture of running horses that was commissioned for the project.

A Carnegie library was built downtown in 1908; it burned down after the library moved in 1966. The Nampa Public Library is now located on the corner of 1st Street and 11th Avenue South in the old bank building. A new library is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in early 2015.

Deer Flat Reservoir, an offstream irrigation storage reservoir, was constructed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation between 1906 and 1911. Known locally as Lake Lowell, it is surrounded by the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 1909 by President Theodore Roosevelt. The refuge is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Lake Lowell is filled by the concrete New York Canal; the water is diverted from the Boise River a few miles below Lucky Peak Dam.

The Idaho State School and Hospital was built northwest of Nampa in 1910, for the state's developmentally challenged population, and opened in 1918. The institution was largely self-sufficient, with a large farm staffed by the residents. The higher-functioning residents also cared for residents who could not care for themselves. Much has changed in the care of persons with developmental disabilities from the time of the state school's opening. The land for the old farm was sold and are now golf courses (Centennial and Ridgecrest), and the residents no longer give primary care to other residents. The institution is modernized and remains in operation, though a few of the oldest buildings are now used to house juvenile offenders.

Nampa held an annual harvest festival and farmers' market from about 1908, a time of celebration and community fun. From this festival emerged the Snake River Stampede Rodeo in 1937, which continues to this day. It is one of the top 12 rodeos in the pro rodeo circuits.

A local congregation of the Church of the Nazarene built a small elementary school in 1913, later growing to Northwest Nazarene College in 1915 and finally to Northwest Nazarene University. The university currently has a student body of 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students.

Karcher Mall opened in 1965, the first indoor shopping mall in the Treasure Valley. Many area residents have memories of having an Orange Julius, sitting on Santa's lap, or playing games at the Red Baron arcade in the mall. Karcher Mall was "the place to gather" for several decades until the Boise Towne Square mall was built in Boise in 1988, drawing business away. Karcher Mall struggled for many years, but is now making a comeback. With a new I-84 interchange nearby, the area is booming with new business.

Nampa is growing fast, with new homes, new shopping centers and new roads. Treasure Valley Marketplace north of the Karcher Interchange has a number of retailers including Costco, Target, Best Buy, Cost Plus World Market, Olive Garden, Michael's, DressBarn, Old Navy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Petco and Kohl's. Across from Treasure Valley Marketplace is located a second shopping center containing a McDonald's. The Nampa Gateway Center is a shopping center under development near the Idaho Center off the Garrity Boulevard Exit of Interstate 84. J.C. Penney, the Sports Authority, Macy's, the Idaho Athletic Club, and Edwards Cinema are located in the Nampa Gateway Center. Wal-Mart is also in the same area.

The Idaho Press-Tribune is the local newspaper for the Canyon County area. Since early 2009, the facility has been the contract printer for The Idaho Statesman, whose antiquated press equipment was retired and not replaced.

Nampa in 1907.

City government

In November 2013, after two years on the City Council, Bob Henry was elected mayor^[10] after defeating 12-year incumbent Tom Dale by 113 votes in a four-way race.^[11] The Nampa City Council increased from four to six members after voters approved the increase in May 2013.^[12] Council members are: Pam White (first appointed in 2007), Randy Haverfield (elected in 2013),^[13] Bruce Skaug (re-elected in 2015) ^[14] and Paul Raymond (elected in 2013),^[15] Sandi Levi (elected in 2015) and Darl Bruner (elected in 2015.) ^[16] to fill his vacant seat on the council. The City of Nampa operates on a fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1. In 2016, the City of Nampa was ranked No. 1 among the nation's 150 largest cities in terms of budget per capita, according to the finance website WalletHub. Overall, Nampa ranked as the nation's No. 2 best run city.

Education

The Nampa school district includes 15 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 4 high schools, one of which is an alternative high school that serves students who struggle in traditional high schools. Nampa is also home to Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) and College of Western Idaho (CWI).

Notable people

• Henry Hajimu Fujii, farmer, Japanese-American spokesman, lapidary
• Davey Hamilton, race car driver, competed in Indianapolis 500
• Larry Jackson, Major League Baseball pitcher 1955-68
• Mark Lindsay, lead vocalist of rock band Paul Revere and the Raiders
• Zack Lively, American actor
• Rob Morris, former NFL linebacker for Indianapolis Colts
• Gracie Pfost, U.S. Representative, first woman to represent Idaho in Congress
• Ted Trueblood, outdoor writer, Idaho conservation leader, editor of Field & Stream magazine
• Edwin P. Wilson (1928–2012), CIA agent convicted of arms trading

Transportation

The interstate that runs through Nampa is Interstate 84 (west) which has four exits into Nampa. The Nampa Municipal Airport is located there for general aviation. Among the principal roads are Idaho state highway 55, Nampa-Caldwell Boulevard (which connects Nampa with Caldwell), 12th Avenue Road, 16th Avenue, and Garrity Boulevard. The Union Pacific's Northwest Corridor line, connecting Salt Lake City and points east with the Pacific Northwest, runs through Nampa.

Public transportation includes several bus lines operated by ValleyRide.

Recreation

Nampa has twenty-four parks, the largest of which is Lakeview Park.^[17] The Nampa Recreation Center, a 140,000-square-foot (13,000 m²) facility containing a six-pool aquatics center, three gymnasiums, racquetball courts, a walking/running track, a weight room and exercise equipment, a climbing wall, and a number of other activity areas, opened in 1994.^[18] Centennial Golf Course^[19] (18 holes) and Ridgecrest Golf Club^[20] (27 holes) are owned and operated by the City of Nampa.

The Ford Idaho Center is a complex of entertainment venues. Venues include a 10,500-seat amphitheater which was built in 1998 and features a 60-by-40-foot stage; a 12,279-seat arena featuring 31,200 square feet (2,900 m²) of arena floor space; the Idaho Horse Park, used for horse shows; and the Sports Center, used for track and field events including the home meets of the Boise State University Broncos track teams.

The Idaho Center arena is best known for hosting the Snake River Stampede Rodeo during the third week of July every year. The Snake River Stampede is considered one of the nation's top rodeos.

The arena is the former home of the Idaho Stampede of the Continental Basketball Association and the Idaho Stallions of the now defunct Indoor Professional Football League and is used for concerts; trade shows, sporting events, and other events.

The Idaho Center arena is the former home of the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament. Upon its completion, the tournament moved to the Idaho Center in 1998 from its former home on the campus of Northwest Nazarene University (then known as Northwest Nazarene College). The tournament left town in 2000 when NNC became a University and left the NAIA to become an NCAA Division II School.

In March 2004, the Idaho Center arena played home for the Boise State University men's basketball second round matchup in the NIT against the UW–Milwaukee Panthers. The game was moved to the Idaho Center due to a prior scheduled Metallica concert at Boise State's Taco Bell Arena. The game drew a crowd of more than 10,000, making it the largest crowd to see a basketball game in the arena's history.

On November 14, 2006, the Idaho Center hosted the Rolling Stones, the first time the band had performed in Idaho.

The Idaho Center also has been hosting a Monster Jam event once a year.

Nampa served as the host of the 2012 Division I NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Geography

Nampa is located at 43°34′29″N 116°33′49″W / 43.57472°N 116.56361°W / 43.57472; -116.56361 (43.574807, -116.563559).^[21]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 31.34 square miles (81.17 km²), of which, 31.19 square miles (80.78 km²) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.39 km²) is water.^[22]

ZIP codes: 83651, 83653, 83686, 83687.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census^[24] of 2010, there were 81,557 people, 27,729 households, and 20,016 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,614.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,009.6/km²). There were 30,507 housing units at an average density of 978.1 per square mile (377.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.9% White, 0.7% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 10.7% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.9% of the population.

There were 27,729 households of which 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.8% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.36.

The median age in the city was 30.1 years. 32.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.6% were from 25 to 44; 18.8% were from 45 to 64; and 10.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[25] of 2000, there were 51,867 people, 18,090 households, and 13,024 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,612.3 people per square mile (1,008.9/km²). There were 19,379 housing units at an average density of 976.0 per square mile (376.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.45% White, 0.40% African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 11.25% from other races, and 2.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.90% of the population.

There were 18,090 households out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the city, the population was spread out with 31.0% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,758, and the median income for a family was $39,434. Males had a median income of $28,580 versus $22,022 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,491. About 8.7% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

See also

• Amalgamated Sugar Company

References

External links