Editing Caribou County, Idaho (section)

==History==
Robert Stuart explored the area of Soda Springs in 1812. [[Donald McKenzie (explorer)|Donald McKenzie]] also explored the area in 1819. The explorers were followed by trappers, missionaries, and emigrants that would travel through on the [[Oregon Trail]]. Soda Springs' namesake springs were an attraction for the trappers who met there to socialize on November 10, 1833. Missionaries and emigrant journal entries describing the springs date back to John K. Townsend's journal entry of July 8, 1834.<ref>{{cite web|title=Idaho State Historical Society Reference Series: Soda Springs|url=https://history.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/reference-series/0182.pdf|website=Idaho State Historical Society|publisher=Idaho State Historical Society|access-date=February 6, 2017|ref=182|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170209024243/https://history.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/reference-series/0182.pdf|archive-date=February 9, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In May 1863, members of the [[Church of the Firstborn (Morrisite)|Morrisite]] religious sect took refuge at the junction of Soda Creek and Bear River where they formed Morristown. At the direction of General [[Patrick Edward Connor|Patrick E. Conner]], a fort was constructed in the fall of 1863 for their protection. Soda Springs was established as the county seat of Oneida County when it was created January 22, 1864, serving as the county seat until 1866. The 1870 census lists a population of 144 for Soda Springs. Settlement of the present town of Soda Springs occurred in May 1871 when [[Brigham Young]] and other Mormons purchased land at the present site of Soda Springs. Young would often recreate on his property holdings there.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|date=1941|publisher=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City|pages=541, 806–807|url=http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/BYUIBooks/id/2694|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Laws of the Territory of Idaho, First Session: An Act Creating the County of Oneida|date=1864|publisher=James A. Glascock, Territorial Printer|location=Lewiston|page=625|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433086640533;view=1up;seq=629|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Laws of the Territory of Idaho, Third Session: An Act to Remove the County Seat of Oneida County, in Idaho Territory|date=1866|publisher=Frank Kenyon, Territorial Printer|location=Boise City|page=182}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Ninth Census-Volume I: The Statistics of the Population of the United States|date=1872|publisher=Government Printing Office|location=Washington|page=108|url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1870a-01.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051108174045/http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1870a-01.pdf |archive-date=November 8, 2005 |url-status=live|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref>

Settlement in the western portion of the county from Thatcher to Chesterfield was primarily ranching and farming operations up until 1880. Chester Call, Chesterfield's namesake arrived in 1880, bring his family in 1881. The towns of Chesterfield and Squaw Creek Station were settled in 1882. Squaw Creek Station was the initial name for Bancroft that was established when the railroad was built. It was renamed Bancroft on July 23, 1898. Settlement at the town of Grace commenced in 1893. Chesterfield declined in population while Grace and Bancroft endured.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |date=1941|publisher=Desert News|location=Salt Lake City |pages=40–41, 135, 293 |url=http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/BYUIBooks/id/2694|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=BANCROFT & CHESTERFIELD |url=http://www.graceidaho.com/html/bancchester.html|website=graceidaho.com|publisher=Grace Idaho Chamber of Commerce|access-date=February 7, 2017}}</ref>

All of present Caribou County became a part of Bingham County when it was created on January 13, 1885.<ref>{{cite book|title=Idaho Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|date=2010|publisher=The Newberry Library|location=Chicago|page=27}}</ref> The 1890 census lists four precincts of Chesterfield, Gentile Valley (now Thatcher), Little Blackfoot (now Henry), and Soda Springs with a combined population of 1,722. The Caribou precinct with 342 residents also contained residents within present-day Caribou County, but also included territory now in Bonneville County.<ref>{{cite book|title=Report on the Population of the United States at the Eleventh Census: 1890|date=1895|publisher=Government Printing Office|location=Washington|page=99|url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1890a_v1-07.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050124075117/http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1890a_v1-07.pdf |archive-date=January 24, 2005 |url-status=live|access-date=February 7, 2017}}</ref>

Bannock County was established on March 6, 1893. Bancroft, Chesterfield, Chubb Springs (now Henry), Gentile Valley (now Thatcher), Salt River (now Freedom), and Soda Springs were in existence at the 1900 census with a combined population of 3,430.<ref>{{cite book|title=Census Reports Volume I: Twelfth Census of the United States, Taken in the Year 1900|date=1901|publisher=United States Census Office|location=Washington|page=110|url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/33405927v1ch05.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060514133129/http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/33405927v1ch05.pdf |archive-date=May 14, 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref>

When the legislature formed Caribou County on February 11, 1919, [[Bannock County, Idaho|Bannock County]] retained the Gem, Gentile Valley, and Upper Portneuf valleys. The retained area contained 4,486 residents at the 1920 Census, declining to 3,572 residents by the 1940 Census. On January 11, 1948, the residents of this area voted to become part of Caribou County.<ref>{{cite book|title=Idaho Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|date=2010|publisher=The Newberry Library|location=Chicago|pages=23, 69}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Fourteenth Census of the United States, Taken in the Year 1920|date=1921|publisher=Government Printing Office|location=Washington|pages=389|url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/41084484v1ch3.pdf|access-date=February 7, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940|date=1942|publisher=Government Printing Office|page=280|url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/41084484v1ch3.pdf}}</ref>