Cassia County, Idaho

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Cassia County
County
Cassia County Courthouse Idaho.jpg
Cassia County Courthouse
Cassia County, Idaho seal.png
Seal
Map of Idaho highlighting Cassia County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Idaho
Idaho in United States.svg
Idaho's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°16′N113°37′W / 42.27°N 113.61°W / 42.27; -113.61
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Idaho.svg  Idaho
FoundedFebruary 20, 1879
Named for Cassia Creek
Seat Burley
Largest cityBurley
Area
 • Total
2,580 sq mi (6,700 km2)
 • Land2,565 sq mi (6,640 km2)
 • Water15 sq mi (40 km2)  0.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
24,655 Increase2.svg
 • Density9.6/sq mi (3.7/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district 2nd
Website www.cassiacounty.org

Cassia County is a county in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 Census the county had a population of 24,655. [1] The county seat and largest city is Burley. [2] Cassia County is included in the Burley, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Contents

History

The first Europeans explored the Milner area in Cassia County in 1811. It was trappers who initially developed the Oregon Trail, which ran on the county's northern border. The Raft River's junction with the Oregon Trail marked the split for the California Trail.

While the Oregon and California trails brought hundreds of thousands of emigrants through Cassia County, it also brought settlers. A stage line through the county was established between Kelton, Utah and Boise, Idaho in 1869. A stage station existed at City of Rocks. Additional stations were spaced at increments of 10–12 miles between stations to include one at Oakley Meadows, in the Goose Creek valley two miles west of the present settlement of Oakley.

William Oakley settled at the Oakley Meadows station in 1870. Cattle operations also developed starting in 1872. Settlement began at nearby Albion in 1873 with significant Mormon settlement in 1875. By 1880, Albion had a population of 257. Mormon settlement at Oakley also began on June 1, 1878, when four Mormon men each staked out 160 acres for their settlement. Settlements remained primarily agricultural with more than 38,000 head of cattle in the area by 1885. Settlement at Malta occurred prior to 1890, as the Malta precinct had 172 residents at the 1890 census.

Albion State Normal School was established at Albion in 1893. The school was focused on training Idaho teachers until 1951 when its programs were transferred to Idaho State College (now Idaho State University) in Pocatello. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Burley was platted and settled in 1905 after a branch of the Oregon Shortline was constructed through the town. Declo was settled under the name of Marshfield by 1909. [7]

Cassia County was created from Owyhee County on February 20, 1879, with Albion becoming the county seat. [8] A western portion became Twin Falls County in 1907. The county assumed its present boundaries when an eastern portion became Power County on January 30, 1913. The county seat was moved to Burley in 1918. The county was named for Cassia Creek, which in turn was named either for John Cazier, a member of the Mormon Battalion and an emigrant train captain, or for a plant found in the area.

Government

Elected Officials

Similar to other Idaho counties, an elected three-member county commission heads the county government. Other elected officials include clerk, treasurer, sheriff, assessor, coroner, and prosecutor.

County Commission

Other Elected Officials

Cassia County is in Idaho's 2nd congressional district and represented by Congressman Mike Simpson. At the state level, Cassia County is in Legislative District 27, represented by Senator Kelly Anthon of Declo, Douglas Pickett of Oakley and Clay Handy of Burley.

Politics

At every level, Cassia County is a Republican Party stronghold. All county-level offices are held by Republicans and have been for decades. Republican primaries are tantamount to election to office, as Democrats rarely field challenges for county or state legislative office. Cassia County is one of the most consistently Republican counties in the state, and in the gubernatorial election of 2010 Republican Butch Otter carried Cassia County with 76.54% to Democrat Keith Allred's 16.73%. [9] In the presidential election of 2012, Mitt Romney, whose father lived for a few years in his youth in Oakley, carried Cassia County with 85.2% while Barack Obama received 13.1%. [10] The last Democratic presidential candidate to carry Cassia County was Franklin Roosevelt in the election of 1940 edging out Wendell Willkie by around 100 votes.

State legislators from Cassia County traditionally hold their seats for long periods of time. Two of the longest serving legislators in Idaho history were from Cassia County: Vard Chatburn of Albion who served in the House of Representatives from 1957 to 1986 and Denton Darrington in the Senate who served from 1982 to 2012. Because legislators rarely lose their seats, legislators representing Cassia County are often in leadership or chair committees. From 2012 to 2023, Representative Scott Bedke served as Speaker of the House. Bruce Newcomb of Burley also served as Speaker from 1998 to 2006.

Though born in Burley, Congressman Simpson now lives in Idaho Falls. The only other member of congress with ties to the county is Henry Dworshak who represented Idaho's 2nd congressional district and later served in the Senate. He lived in Burley and was the publisher of the Burley Bulletin. A Burley elementary school is named after him.

United States presidential election results for Cassia County, Idaho [11]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
2024 7,95983.27%1,35914.22%2402.51%
2020 7,90782.09%1,46415.20%2612.71%
2016 5,94972.74%1,03612.67%1,19314.59%
2012 7,15484.84%1,09813.02%1802.13%
2008 6,30979.93%1,33216.88%2523.19%
2004 6,56283.90%1,15314.74%1061.36%
2000 5,98382.20%1,08714.93%2092.87%
1996 4,66363.65%1,59621.79%1,06714.56%
1992 4,05253.16%1,35117.73%2,21929.11%
1988 5,34573.34%1,83325.15%1101.51%
1984 6,50385.60%1,03613.64%580.76%
1980 6,51178.84%1,36916.58%3794.59%
1976 4,57566.38%1,88127.29%4366.33%
1972 4,57674.26%1,08017.53%5068.21%
1968 4,18764.17%1,35020.69%98815.14%
1964 4,00960.59%2,60839.41%00.00%
1960 4,29763.73%2,44536.27%00.00%
1956 3,94468.79%1,78931.21%00.00%
1952 4,48172.76%1,67627.21%20.03%
1948 2,42451.89%2,17846.63%691.48%
1944 2,56352.35%2,32547.49%80.16%
1940 2,74848.30%2,93051.50%110.19%
1936 1,62933.96%3,10064.62%681.42%
1932 2,03243.48%2,59855.60%430.92%
1928 2,38870.19%99429.22%200.59%
1924 2,03152.01%1,33634.21%53813.78%
1920 2,69069.54%1,17830.46%00.00%
1916 1,32040.55%1,62950.05%3069.40%
1912 1,48946.66%84626.51%85626.83%
1908 1,04958.87%60033.67%1337.46%
1904 1,18573.88%34621.57%734.55%
1900 67451.93%62448.07%00.00%

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,580 square miles (6,700 km2), of which 2,565 square miles (6,640 km2) is land and 15 square miles (39 km2) (0.6%) is water. [12] The county's highest point is Cache Peak at an elevation of 10,339 feet (3,151 m) above sea level in the Albion Mountains, and the lowest is Milner Lake, a reservoir on the Snake River, at 4,134 feet (1,260 m).

The northern half of the county is part of the Magic Valley region of the Snake River Plain, and numerous mountain ranges extend north from the southern boundary and diminish as they approach the river, which flows from east to west.

The Silent City of Rocks National Reserve, containing exposed granitic batholith as old as 2.5 billion years, is located in the southern part of the county.

Adjacent Counties

Highways

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880 1,312—
1890 3,143139.6%
1900 3,95125.7%
1910 7,19782.2%
1920 15,659117.6%
1930 13,116−16.2%
1940 14,43010.0%
1950 14,6291.4%
1960 16,12110.2%
1970 17,0175.6%
1980 19,42714.2%
1990 19,5320.5%
2000 21,4169.6%
2010 22,9527.2%
2020 24,6557.4%
2023 (est.)25,696 [13] 4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [14]
1790–1960, [15] 1900–1990, [16]
1990–2000, [17] 2010–2020 [1] 2020 [18]

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 22,952 people, 7,666 households, and 5,758 families living in the county. [19] The population density was 8.9 inhabitants per square mile (3.4/km2). There were 8,372 housing units at an average density of 3.3 units per square mile (1.3 units/km2). [20] The racial makeup of the county was 81.8% white, 0.8% American Indian, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 14.2% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 24.9% of the population. [19] In terms of ancestry, 22.3% were English, 11.8% were German, 10.6% were American, and 5.1% were Irish. [21]

Of the 7,666 households, 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.8% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 24.9% were non-families, and 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.46. The median age was 32.0 years. [19]

The median income for a household in the county was $39,866 and the median income for a family was $47,995. Males had a median income of $36,402 versus $22,156 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,782. About 12.4% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over. [22]

Education

Cassia County is served primarily by one school district, Cassia Joint School District #151, [23] which was consolidated in the 1950s.[ citation needed ] Other portions are in: [23]

The county is in the catchment area, but not the taxation zone, for College of Southern Idaho. [24]

Schools Located in Cassia County

High Schools

Jr. High Schools

Elementary Schools

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minidoka County, Idaho</span> County in Idaho, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albion, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

Albion is a city in Cassia County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 234 at the 2020 census. Albion was the county seat of Cassia County from 1879 to 1918.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burley, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

Burley is a city in Cassia and Minidoka counties in southern Idaho, United States. The population was 11,704 at the 2020 census, up from 10,345 in 2010. The city is the county seat of Cassia County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Declo, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

Declo is a city in Cassia County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Burley, Idaho micropolitan area. The population was 338 at the time of the 2020 Census, down from 343 in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malta, Idaho</span> City in Cassia County, Idaho, United States

Malta is a city in Cassia County, Idaho, United States. The population was 193 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Burley, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakley, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

Oakley is a city in Cassia County, Idaho, United States. The population was 763 at the 2010 census, up from 668 in 2000. It is part of the Burley Micropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heyburn, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minidoka, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rupert, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

Rupert is the county seat and largest city of Minidoka County, Idaho. It is part of the Burley Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,082 at the 2020 census, up from 5,554 in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic Valley</span> Region in Idaho, United States

The Magic Valley, also known as South Central Idaho, is a region in south-central Idaho constituting Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls counties. It is particularly associated with the agricultural region in the Snake River Plain located in the area. The northern Magic Valley region — particularly Blaine and Camas Counties — is also known as the Wood River Valley after the Big Wood River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burley, Idaho micropolitan area</span> Micropolitan Statistical Area in Idaho, United States

The Burley Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in the Magic Valley region of Idaho, anchored by the city of Burley. It is commonly referred to locally as the "Mini-Cassia" area, an amalgam of Minidoka and Cassia Counties.

Connor is an unincorporated community in Cassia County, Idaho, United States, along Idaho State Highway 77, about 7.5 miles (12.1 km) west of Malta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albion Mountains</span> Mountain range in Idaho, USA

The Albion Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. states of Idaho (~99%) and Utah (~1%), spanning Cassia County, Idaho and barely reaching into Box Elder County, Utah. The highest point in the range is Cache Peak at 10,339 feet (3,151 m), and the range is a part of the Basin and Range Province. Most of the mountains are part of the Albion Division of the Minidoka Ranger District of Sawtooth National Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cache Peak</span> Mountain in the state of Idaho

Cache Peak, at 10,339 feet (3,151 m) above sea level, is the highest peak in the Albion Mountains of Cassia County in Southern Idaho. Cache Peak is located in the central part of the range southeast of Oakley and north of Almo in the Albion Division of the Minidoka Ranger District of Sawtooth National Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Harrison (Idaho)</span> Mountain in the state of Idaho

Mount Harrison, at 9,265 feet (2,824 m) is a peak in the northern Albion Mountains of Cassia County in southern Idaho. Mount Harrison is located in north of Cache Peak, south of Burley, northeast of Oakley, and west of Malta in the Albion Division of the Minidoka Ranger District of Sawtooth National Forest. Mount Harrison is in the watershed of tributaries of the Snake River, which itself is a tributary of the Columbia River. The peak can be reached via a paved road that runs all the way to its summit. Lake Cleveland is located in the basin north of the peak, and a small unnamed lake is located in the basin southeast of the peak.

Idaho's 27th legislative district is one of 35 districts of the Idaho Legislature. It is currently represented by Senator Kelly Anthon, Republican of Declo, Representative Douglas Pickett, Republican of Oakley, and Representative Clay Handy, Republican of Burley.

Kelly Arthur Anthon is a Republican Idaho State Senator since 2015 representing District 27.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idaho State Highway 81</span> State highway in Idaho, United States

State Highway 81 (SH-81) is a state highway in Cassia County, Idaho. The highway runs for 33.978 miles (54.682 km) from SH-77 in Malta to U.S. Route 30 (US-30) in Burley. It also has a short spur route connecting the highway to Interstate 84 (I-84) at the Yale Interchange.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idaho State Highway 77</span> State highway in Cassia County, Idaho, United States

State Highway 77 (SH-77) is a 30.676-mile (49.368 km) state highway in Cassia County, Idaho, United States, that connects Idaho State Highway 81 (SH-81) in Malta with Interstate 84/U.S. Route 30 (I-84/US 30) north of Declo, via Albion. The highway also has a spur that runs from City of Rocks Road to SH-77 in Connor.

The Cassia County Joint School District 151 is a school district located in Cassia County, Idaho. It consists of 16 schools, and is the largest employer in the county.

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Boothe, Wayne (1963). A History of the Latter-Day Saint Settlement of Oakley. Provo: Brigham Young University. pp. 7–8, 14–16, 22–25. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  4. ↑ Encyclopedic history of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City: Deseret News. 1941. p. 10. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  5. ↑ Report on the Population of the United States at the Eleventh Census: 1890. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1895. pp.  99.
  6. ↑ "Albion State Normal School History". Albion Campus Retreat. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  7. ↑ Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Salt Lake City: Deseret News. 1941. pp. 98, 176. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  8. ↑ Idaho.gov - Cassia County Archived August 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine accessed May 29, 2009
  9. ↑ "2010 General Results Governor and Lt Governor". Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
  10. ↑ "2008 General Results US President". Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  11. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  12. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  18. ↑ 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Utah
  19. 1 2 3 "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  21. ↑ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  22. ↑ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  23. 1 2 "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Cassia County, ID" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved March 12, 2024. - Text list
  24. ↑ "Community Colleges" (PDF). Legislative Budget Book. Idaho Legislature. 2016. p. 1-81 (PDF p. 3/9). - See area 1 in: "TITLE 33 EDUCATION CHAPTER 21 JUNIOR COLLEGES". Idaho Legislature . Retrieved March 12, 2024.

42°16′N113°37′W / 42.27°N 113.61°W / 42.27; -113.61

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