The History of Idaho, The Gem of the Mountain, by James H. Hawley, Volume I, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1920:
BINGHAM COUNTY
"The County of Bingham was created by the Thirteenth Territorial Legislature, Governor Bunn approving the act on January 13, 1885. The original boundaries, as described in that act, were as follows: 'Beginning at the point where the northern boundary of Idaho Territory intersects the western boundary of Wyoming Territory; thence running westerly along the northern boundary of Idaho Territory to the northeast corner of Lemhi County; thence along the eastern boundaries of Lemhi and Alturas counties to the Snake River; thence down the Snake River to the mouth of the Port Neuf River; thence up the Port Neuf River to what is known as the point of the mountain, about four miles northwest of Pocatello; thence southerly in a straight line to the top of the range; thence along the crest of the mountains between Malad and Marsh valleys to a point on the top of the range due west of a point one mile south of the present southern boundary of the townsite of Oxford; thence due east to the Bear Lake County line; thence northerly and easterly along the line of Bear Lake County to the line of Wyoming Territory; thence north to the place of beginning.'
"As thus established, Bingham County included the present county of that name, Bannock, Bonneville, Clark, Caribou, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison and Teton counties, and portions of Butte and Power. J. M. McCollum and Charles Bunting were appointed commissioners to ascertain the indebtedness of Oneida County (from which Bingham was taken) and apportion that indebtedness between the two counties.
"Blackfoot was named in the act as the county seat, and on January 29, 1885, the Legislature passed an act authorizing the county commissioners to build a courthouse and jail at Blackfoot, for which bonds to the amount of $20,000 might be issued by the county. Before the adjournment of the Legislature the commissioners reported that Bingham County's portion of the debt was $70,000 and on February 4, 1985. the governor approved an act authorizing the county commissioners to issue bonds to that amount for the purpose of funding the debt.
"The eastern end of the county is mountainous and well timbered; the central part lies in the Snake River Valley, a rich agricultural section; the western part is adapted to dry farming; and there is some lava desert that can be classed as waste land. A large part of the Fort Hall Indian reservation lies in this county. Bingham is an agricultural county, the principal crops being alfalfa, sugar beets, potatoes and cereals. At the little village of Springfield, on the American Falls Canal west of Blackfoot a number of people are engaged in growing alfalfa seed for the United States Government. Some fine orchards are also in this county.
"Among the first settlers in the county was Frederick S. Stevens, who established a ranch where the City of Blackfoot now stands in 1866. William E. Wheeler, a native of Vermont and a veteran of the Civil war, came to Blackfoot while that place was still in Oneida County and on July 1, 1880, began the publication of the Register, which was afterward removed to Idaho Falls. George H. Storer, another pioneer of Bingham County, arrived at Blackfoot in 1879 with only 50 cents in his pocket. He was a member of the democratic state central committee in the first campaign after Idaho was admitted into the Union and in 1896 was elected state treasurer. Theron J. Smith came to the county about the time it was organized and was made immigration agent of the Oregon Short Line Railroad, in which capacity he induced a number of people to become residents of the county. Henry W. Curtis came about the same time and in 1885 opened the first hardware store in Blackfoot.
"The Oregon Short Line Railroad follows the Snake River through the county. At Blackfoot a branch leaves the main line and runs to Mackay in Custer County, and at Moreland Junction on this branch connection is made with another branch that runs to Aberdeen in the southwest corner of Bingham County. These lines afford transportation to all parts of the county except the mountains and timbered portion in the east end.
"Blackfoot, the county seat, is the only city in the county. Shelley, in the northeastern part, and Aberdeen, in the southwest corner, are important towns. and there are several small villages scattered over the county. In 1910 the population of Bingham County was 23.306, but since then the counties of Bonneville, Butte and Power have been created, which took part of Bingham's population. The assessed valuation of property in 1918 was $13,698,200."
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