Nampa, Idaho
Encyclopedia
Nampa is the largest and the fastest growing city in Canyon County
, Idaho
, USA
. The population of Nampa was 81,557 at the 2010 census. Nampa is located about 20 miles (32.2 km) west of Boise along Interstate 84
, and six miles (10 km) west of Meridian
. Nampa is part of the Boise metropolitan area
. The name "Nampa" came from a Shoshone
word whose meaning is either moccasin or footprint.
built a line from Granger, Wyoming, to Huntington, Oregon. It passed through Nampa. 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.
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.
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. Relic
s 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. The library itself is in poor condition, but planning for a new library is underway and construction is proposed to begin within the next few years.
Deer Flat Reservoir, an offstream irrigation
storage reservoir, was constructed by the Reclamation Service
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 twelve rodeo
s 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 (Arthur Yensen), 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 is also home to Northwest Nazarene University
(NNU) and College of Western Idaho
(CWI).
, farmer, Japanese-American spokesman, lapidary
Davey Hamilton
, American racecar driver, competed in the Indianapolis 500
Mark Lindsay
, lead vocalist of rock band Paul Revere and the Raiders
Zack Lively
, American
actor
Rob Morris (American football), former NFL Linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts
Gracie Pfost
, United States Representative, first woman to represent Idaho in Congress.
Ted Trueblood
, (deceased) nationally known outdoor writer and Idaho conservation leader, past editor of Field & Stream magazine.
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.
The 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 31200 square feet (2,898.6 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 has also been selected as the host for the 2012 Division I NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 19.9 square miles (51.5 km²). 19.9 sq mi (51.5 km²) of it is land and 0.04 sq mi (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.10%) is water.
ZIP codes: 83651, 83653, 83686, 83687.
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.
Canyon County, Idaho
Canyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 188,923. The county seat is Caldwell, and its largest city is Nampa.. Canyon County is part of the Boise City–Nampa, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :The county was...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population of Nampa was 81,557 at the 2010 census. Nampa is located about 20 miles (32.2 km) west of Boise along Interstate 84
Interstate 84 in Idaho
In the U.S. state of Idaho, Interstate 84 heads southeast from the Oregon state line, it spurs to Interstate 184 in Boise. Eventually I-84 spurs Interstate 86 and mainline I-84 heads southeast towards Utah and I-86 is continues due east and heads to Pocatello, meeting with Interstate 15.-Future:...
, and six miles (10 km) west of Meridian
Meridian, Idaho
-History:The town was established in 1891 on the Onweiler farm north of the present site and was called Hunter. Two years later an I.O.O.F. lodge was organized and called itself Meridian because it was located on the Boise Meridian and the town was renamed...
. Nampa is part of the Boise metropolitan area
Boise metropolitan area
The Boise City-Nampa, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area , as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of five counties in southwestern Idaho, anchored by the cities of Boise and Nampa...
. The name "Nampa" came from a Shoshone
Shoshone
The Shoshone or Shoshoni are a Native American tribe in the United States with three large divisions: the Northern, the Western and the Eastern....
word whose meaning is either moccasin or footprint.
History
Nampa began its life in the early 1880s when the Oregon Short Line RailroadOregon Short Line Railroad
The Oregon Short Line Railroad was a railroad in the U.S. states of Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Montana and Oregon. The line was as organized the Oregon Short Line Railway in 1881 as a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railway. Union Pacific intended the line to be the shortest route from Wyoming to Oregon...
built a line from Granger, Wyoming, to Huntington, Oregon. It passed through Nampa. More railroad lines sprang up running through Nampa, making it a very important railroad town
Railway town
A railway town is a settlement that originated or was greatly developed because of a railway station or junction at its site.In Victorian Britain, the spread of railways greatly affected the fate of many small towns...
. 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
Oregon Short Line Railroad
The Oregon Short Line Railroad was a railroad in the U.S. states of Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Montana and Oregon. The line was as organized the Oregon Short Line Railway in 1881 as a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railway. Union Pacific intended the line to be the shortest route from Wyoming to Oregon...
railroad originally bypassed Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, Nampa has the fanciest of many railroad depots
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
built in the area.
The first elementary school
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
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
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
. 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.
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.
Colonel William H. Dewey, a man who made a fortune mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
in Silver City
Silver City, Idaho
Silver City is a ghost town in Owyhee County, Idaho, United States. At its height in the 1880s it was a gold and silver mining town with a population of around 2,500 and approximately 75 businesses. Silver City served as county seat of Owyhee County from 1867 to 1934. Today, the town has about 70...
, 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
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
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. Relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s from the hotel, such as the chandelier
Chandelier
A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. Chandeliers are often ornate, containing dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light...
and the hotel safe
Safe
A safe is a secure lockable box used for securing valuable objects against theft or damage. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face removable or hinged to form a door. The body and door may be cast from metal or formed out of plastic through blow molding...
can be found at the Canyon County Historical Museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, 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
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
was built downtown in 1908; it burned down after the library moved in 1966. The Nampa Public Library
Nampa Public Library
The Nampa Public Library is located in historic downtown Nampa, Idaho at 101-11th Avenue South. The library is a member of the of libraries in the Treasure Valley. The library offers materials in a variety of formats including books, magazines, audiobooks, CDs, VHS tapes, DVDs, eAudiobooks and a...
is now located on the corner of 1st Street and 11th Avenue South in the old bank building. The library itself is in poor condition, but planning for a new library is underway and construction is proposed to begin within the next few years.
Deer Flat Reservoir, an offstream irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
storage reservoir, was constructed by the Reclamation Service
United States Bureau of Reclamation
The United States Bureau of Reclamation , and formerly the United States Reclamation Service , is an agency under the U.S...
between 1906 and 1911. Known locally as Lake Lowell, it is surrounded by the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge
Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge
The Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge is an important breeding area for mammals, birds, and other animals. The National Wildlife Refuge is located on land surrounding Lake Lowell, just outside Nampa, Idaho...
, which was established in 1909 by President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. 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
Boise River
The Boise River is a tributary of the Snake River in the northwestern United States. It drains a rugged portion of the Sawtooth Range in southwestern Idaho northeast of Boise, as well as part of the western Snake River Plain...
a few miles below Lucky Peak Dam
Lucky Peak Dam
Lucky Peak Dam is a rolled earth and gravel fill dam on the Boise River in Ada County, Idaho, U.S.A.. It is directly downstream of Arrowrock Dam, a concrete arch structure completed in 1915. At the time of its construction in the early 1950s, Lucky Peak's primary purpose was flood control, with a...
.
The Idaho State School and Hospital was built northwest of Nampa in 1910, for the state's developmentally challenged
Developmental disability
Developmental disability is a term used in the United States and Canada to describe lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18. It is not synonymous with "developmental delay" which is often a consequence of a temporary illness or trauma during...
population, and opened in 1918. The institution was largely self sufficient, with a large farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
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
Harvest festival
A Harvest Festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times throughout the world...
and farmers' market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
from about 1908, a time of celebration and community fun. From this festival emerged the Snake River Stampede Rodeo
Snake River Stampede Rodeo
The Snake River Stampede Rodeo, located in Nampa, Idaho, is one of the top twelve professional rodeos recognized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The rodeo is held for one week in late July every year. In 2009, the rodeo is being held from July 14 to July 18...
in 1937, which continues to this day. It is one of the top twelve rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
s in the pro rodeo circuits.
A local congregation of the Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
built a small elementary school
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
in 1913, later growing to Northwest Nazarene College in 1915 and finally to Northwest Nazarene University
Northwest Nazarene University
Northwest Nazarene University is a private Christian liberal arts college located in Nampa, Idaho.-History:Eugene Emerson organized a combination grade school and Bible school in 1913 as Idaho Holiness School...
. The university currently has a student body of 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students.
Karcher Mall
Karcher Mall
Karcher Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Nampa, Idaho, U.S.. The mall opened in August 1965 with Buttrey Food & Drug, Rasco/Tempo Company, and Skaggs Drug Centers as anchor stores. The mall was the largest shopping center in the Treasure Valley until 1988 when the Boise Towne Square...
opened in 1965, the first indoor shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in the Treasure Valley
Treasure Valley
The Treasure Valley is the area of the Western United States where the Payette, Boise, Weiser, Malheur, Owyhee, and Burnt rivers drain into the Snake River. Treasure Valley includes all the lowland areas from Vale, Oregon on the west to Boise, Idaho on the east. Formerly, the valley had been known...
. Many area residents have memories of having an Orange Julius
Orange Julius
Orange Julius is a chain of fruit drink beverage stores. It has been in business since the late 1920s. The eponymous beverage is a mixture of orange juice, milk, sugar, ice and vanilla flavoring.- History :...
, sitting on Santa's
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
lap (Arthur Yensen), or playing games at the Red Baron arcade
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
in the mall. Karcher Mall
Karcher Mall
Karcher Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Nampa, Idaho, U.S.. The mall opened in August 1965 with Buttrey Food & Drug, Rasco/Tempo Company, and Skaggs Drug Centers as anchor stores. The mall was the largest shopping center in the Treasure Valley until 1988 when the Boise Towne Square...
was "the place to gather" for several decades until the Boise Towne Square mall was built in Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
in 1988, drawing business away. Karcher Mall
Karcher Mall
Karcher Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Nampa, Idaho, U.S.. The mall opened in August 1965 with Buttrey Food & Drug, Rasco/Tempo Company, and Skaggs Drug Centers as anchor stores. The mall was the largest shopping center in the Treasure Valley until 1988 when the Boise Towne Square...
struggled for many years, but is now making a comeback. With a new I-84
Interstate 84 in Idaho
In the U.S. state of Idaho, Interstate 84 heads southeast from the Oregon state line, it spurs to Interstate 184 in Boise. Eventually I-84 spurs Interstate 86 and mainline I-84 heads southeast towards Utah and I-86 is continues due east and heads to Pocatello, meeting with Interstate 15.-Future:...
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
Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
, Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
, Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
, Cost Plus World Market, Olive Garden
Olive Garden
Olive Garden is an American restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine. It is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants, Inc., which is headquartered in an unincorporated area in Orange County, Florida, near Orlando. Olive Garden operates more than 730 locations globally.- History :The...
, Michael's, DressBarn
DressBarn
Dress Barn is an American retailer of women's clothing. The first Dress Barn was opened in 1962 in Stamford, Connecticut, by Roslyn Jaffe. The company began trading on NASDAQ in 1982...
, Old Navy
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
, Bed Bath & Beyond
Bed Bath & Beyond
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. was formed in 1971 and today operates a chain of domestic merchandise retail stores across United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. They feature mostly medium-ranged, but also a limited selection of high quality, domestic merchandise: items for the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen,...
, Petco
PETCO
PETCO is a chain of retail stores that offers pet supplies and services such as grooming and dog training. Founded in 1965 and incorporated in Delaware, it is headquartered in San Diego, California...
and Kohl's
Kohl's
Kohl's Corporation is an American department store chain headquartered in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, operating , 1,089 stores in 49 states. In 1998, it entered the S&P 500 list, and is also listed in the Fortune 500...
. Across from Treasure Valley Marketplace is located a second shopping center containing a McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
. The Nampa Gateway Center is a shopping center under development near the Idaho Center
Idaho Center
The Idaho Center is a complex of sports and entertainment venues in Nampa, Idaho, approximately west of Boise.Venues include an indoor arena opened in 1997 with a seating capacity of 12,279 and of floor space and a 10,500-seat outdoor amphitheater opened in 1998 with a 60-by-40-foot stage...
off the Garrity Boulevard Exit of Interstate 84. J.C. Penney
J.C. Penney
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. is a chain of American mid-range department stores based in Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas. The company operates 1,107 department stores in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. JCPenney also operates catalog sales merchant offices nationwide in many...
, the Sports Authority
Sports Authority
The Sports Authority, Inc. is one of the largest sporting goods retailers in the United States. It is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, and operates more than 460 stores in 45 U.S...
, Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, the Idaho Athletic Club, and Edwards Cinema are located in the Nampa Gateway Center. Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
is also in the same area.
The Idaho Press-Tribune
The Idaho Press-Tribune
The Idaho Press-Tribune is the second-oldest active newspaper in Idaho, first printing in December 1883. Often, the early paper was an instrument for political influences. One of the first owners and editors was Frank Steunenberg....
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.
City government
Tom Dale was elected mayor of Nampa in November 2001 and has held office since January 2002. The Nampa City Council has four members; Pam White (first appointed in June 2007), Stephen Kren (first elected in 1995), Martin Thorne (first elected in 1997), and Curtis Homer (first elected in 2008). For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007, the budget for the City of Nampa was $115.5 million.Education
The Nampa school district includes 16 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
Northwest Nazarene University
Northwest Nazarene University is a private Christian liberal arts college located in Nampa, Idaho.-History:Eugene Emerson organized a combination grade school and Bible school in 1913 as Idaho Holiness School...
(NNU) and College of Western Idaho
College of Western Idaho
College of Western Idaho is an American public community college located in Nampa, Idaho. It serves the Boise metropolitan area.CWI began regular classes on January 20, 2009, with an enrollment of over 1100 students. Within its first year, CWI's enrollment expanded rapidly, with over 3600 students...
(CWI).
Notable residents
Henry Hajimu FujiiHenry Hajimu Fujii
Henry Fujii was a pioneer and Japanese American community leader in the state of Idaho. His primary vocation was in agriculture. In the 1930s, Fujii was recognized as a pioneer in large-scale onion farming, advancing the acreage scale of which a farmer could raise crops...
, farmer, Japanese-American spokesman, lapidary
Lapidary
A lapidary is an artist or artisan who forms stone, mineral, gemstones, and other suitably durable materials into decorative items such as engraved gems, including cameos, or cabochons, and faceted designs...
Davey Hamilton
Davey Hamilton
Davey Jay Hamilton is a race car driver in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. He has made 50 series starts and while never winning a race, finished second 3 times...
, American racecar driver, competed in the Indianapolis 500
Mark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay is an American musician, best known as the singer for the group Paul Revere & the Raiders.-Biography:Lindsay was born in Eugene, Oregon and was the second of eight children...
, lead vocalist of rock band Paul Revere and the Raiders
Zack Lively
Zack Lively
Zack Lively is an American actor best known for his role as Heath on ABC Family's GRΣΣK. Zack was born in Nampa, Idaho.- Television :* NCIS as Conrad Zuse* Cold Case as Kevin Harkin* Three Rivers as Chad...
, American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Rob Morris (American football), former NFL Linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
Gracie Pfost
Gracie Pfost
Gracie Bowers Pfost was the first woman to represent Idaho in the United States Congress, serving five terms as a Democrat in the House of Representatives. Pfost represented the state's First Congressional District.-Biography:Pfost moved with her parents to a farm near Boise, Idaho, in 1911...
, United States Representative, first woman to represent Idaho in Congress.
Ted Trueblood
Ted Trueblood
Cecil Whittaker "Ted" Trueblood was an outdoor writer and conservationist. From 1941 to 1982, he was an editor and writer for Field & Stream magazine. Born in Boise, Idaho, on June 25, 1913, he grew up on the family farm near Homedale and graduated from Wilder High School in 1931...
, (deceased) nationally known outdoor writer and Idaho conservation leader, past editor of Field & Stream magazine.
Transportation
The interstate that runs through Nampa is Interstate 84 (west)Interstate 84 in Idaho
In the U.S. state of Idaho, Interstate 84 heads southeast from the Oregon state line, it spurs to Interstate 184 in Boise. Eventually I-84 spurs Interstate 86 and mainline I-84 heads southeast towards Utah and I-86 is continues due east and heads to Pocatello, meeting with Interstate 15.-Future:...
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
Idaho State Highway 55
State Highway 55 is an Idaho highway from Marsing to New Meadows, connecting with US-95 at both ends.From Marsing it travels east to Nampa, Meridian, and Eagle, then north to Horseshoe Bend. SH-55 then climbs the Payette River to Banks, then its north fork to the Long Valley, through the towns of...
, 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.
Recreation
Nampa has twenty-four parks, the largest of which is Lakeview Park. The Nampa Recreation Center, a 140000 square feet (13,006.4 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. Centennial Golf Course (18 holes) and Ridgecrest Golf Club (27 holes) are owned and operated by the City of Nampa.The Idaho Center
Idaho Center
The Idaho Center is a complex of sports and entertainment venues in Nampa, Idaho, approximately west of Boise.Venues include an indoor arena opened in 1997 with a seating capacity of 12,279 and of floor space and a 10,500-seat outdoor amphitheater opened in 1998 with a 60-by-40-foot stage...
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 31200 square feet (2,898.6 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
Boise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
Broncos track teams.
The Idaho Center arena is best known for hosting the Snake River Stampede Rodeo
Snake River Stampede Rodeo
The Snake River Stampede Rodeo, located in Nampa, Idaho, is one of the top twelve professional rodeos recognized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The rodeo is held for one week in late July every year. In 2009, the rodeo is being held from July 14 to July 18...
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
Idaho Stampede
The Idaho Stampede is an American basketball team that plays in the NBA Development League. The team is based in the Boise, Idaho, area and as of 2005 plays at the CenturyLink Arena in Boise. The team was founded as a member of the Continental Basketball Association in 1997 and was league runner-up...
of the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
and the Idaho Stallions of the now defunct Indoor Professional Football League
Indoor Professional Football League
The Indoor Professional Football League was the new incarnation of the Professional Indoor Football League , which started in 1998. Two of its teams left the league and their owner, Kerry Ecklund, founded the Indoor Football League in 1999...
and is used for concerts; trade shows, sporting events, and other events.
The Idaho Center arena is the former home of the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
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
Northwest Nazarene University
Northwest Nazarene University is a private Christian liberal arts college located in Nampa, Idaho.-History:Eugene Emerson organized a combination grade school and Bible school in 1913 as Idaho Holiness School...
(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
Boise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
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
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
concert at Boise State's Taco Bell Arena
Taco Bell Arena
The Taco Bell Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena, on the campus of Boise State University, in Boise, Idaho. The arena is located on the east end of campus, between West Campus Lane & Cesar Chavez Circle, immediately northwest of Bronco Stadium....
. 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 has also been selected as the host for the 2012 Division I NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Geography
Nampa is located at 43°34′29"N 116°33′49"W (43.574807, -116.563559).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 19.9 square miles (51.5 km²). 19.9 sq mi (51.5 km²) of it is land and 0.04 sq mi (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.10%) is water.
ZIP codes: 83651, 83653, 83686, 83687.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 51,867 people, 18,090 households, and 13,024 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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.
External links
- Official City of Nampa website
- Nampa Chamber of Commerce
- nampaidaho.net
- Nampa Public Library
- Nampa Planning Department
- city-data.com
- The Idaho Statesman- Treasure Valley's newspaper
- Idaho Press Tribune- Nampa's local newspaper
- Nampa Police
- Nampa Fire Department
- Old Nampa Neighborhood Association - Historic Residential District
- Nampa School District
- Mercy Medical Center
- Nampa Recreation Center
- Fire in 1909
- Idaho Equine Hospital