SHOSHONE HISTORIC WALKING TOUR Shoshone started in 1882 as a rail center, and is one of a dozen or so such communities in Idaho. More than almost all of the others, Shoshone preserves the atmosphere of and early rail, farm, and ranching community, with evidence of a frontier past still clearly visible in most of the buildings of a compact historic district. Population has been highly stable for decades -- a condition conducive to historic preservation.
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When the Oregon Short Line 6 was constructed across 5 Southern Idaho, under an 3 arrangement to connect with 2 the Oregon Railway and Navi4 gation Company just west of the Idaho line so that the Un1 ion Pacific could obtain an outlet to Portland, rapid expansion of the Wood River mines induced the company to build a branch line to serve that important new lead-silver region. Since the Portland connection could not be completed for another two years anyways, the Wood River branch was completed before the main line was continued west. Shoshone grew up at the junction, and served as a gateway to Sun Valley after the pioneer ski resort was developed in the Wood River mining country in 1936. Shoshone’s depot -one of the more modern important structures in the district -- symbolizes this later aspect of community development. As a fine example of the use of local lava for building material in a group of related structures in Southern Idaho, Shoshone historic district is outstanding.