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282:, the five county region had a combined population of 40,172 people; only 2.1% of the entire state's population. Camas, Butte, and Custer counties are among the least populated in the state, each having less than 5,000 residents; Butte County lost 10.43% of its population in the last decade according to a 2024 estimate, making Central Idaho one of, if not the least populated area in Idaho.
596:, started in 1996, celebrates the historical value of more than 150 years sheepherding as well as the rich culture that sheepherding immigrants brought to the area. At the festival activities include classes on cooking lamb, wool working, and stories of shepherding, as well as demonstrations of herding by dogs and
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runs sustained the Native
American population. As colonization and expansion of the United States progressed into the western region of the continent, these tribes were forcefully removed from their homes in the late-1800's; despite this, traditional hunting and harvesting continued in parts of the
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extraction site in the area, which was met with vehement opposition from citizens of Idaho. After much debate, a large part of
Central Idaho was deemed as under protection and conservation with the 1972 Sawtooth NRA Act, which protects a large part of Central Idaho's
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Today, herding continues to be a core part of the area, as well as recreation. The area remains sparsely populated, as the mountainous terrain, aforementioned environmental protections, and lack of infrastructure provide barriers to excessive human development.
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rather than
Central Idaho, then the area would be 11,722.4 sq miles. Since Blaine and Camas are generally considered to simultaneously be part of both areas, this article (as well as the Magic Valley article) both include Camas and Blaine county in their area
618:, created in 2021, held in July, and also located in Stanley, aims to raise money and promote business and community through the selling of arts and crafts by artisans of Stanley and the Greater Central Idaho area. With more than 80 vendors, numerous
441:, another U.S. Senator from Idaho, began to launch efforts to protect the area, which resulted in a proposal of a "National Recreation Area," which would keep the administrative rights with the Forest Service. While this idea was being developed, the
577:, celebrates the mining history of the area through historical preservation of the gravity-fed gas pumps and general store, as well as other historical buildings in the area that once fed the mining town.
434:), supplied the entire city's population of 1,200 electricity for more than an hour, becoming the first city in the United States to be entirely sustained by nuclear power for its electrical demands.
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is a ghost town located in Custer County. Originally opened as a gold mine, then converted into a silver mine, the town gradually became abandoned as silver prices fell. The city was placed on the
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Population density is calculated by 2020 Census figures divided by area, including Blaine and Camas counties. See note a for more details.
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399:. Proposals were made in the early-1900's to establish a Sawtooth National Park in the area, but this idea was blocked by the start of
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are included in the region. The southern
Central Idaho region — particularly Blaine and Camas counties — is also known as the
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607:, established in 2000, and held at the Stanley Museum in Stanley every August, commemorates the spawning of salmon in the
430:. On July 17, 1955, electricity produced from an experimental nuclear reactor at the Argonne National Laboratory (now the
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963:"Annual Sawtooth Festival Unites Locals And Visitors; Raises Nonprofit Grant Money Through Art, Crafts, And Food"
825:"'A Crown Jewel of Idaho Recreation': The history and significance of Idaho's Sawtooth National Recreation Area"
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949:"Stanley's Sawtooth Salmon Festival: Celebrate The Miraculous Journey Of Endangered Salmon And Steelhead"
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artists are present at the festival. Live music, as well as food and beverage are available as well.
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located in Blaine County, with a population of 8,689. Other notable cities include
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in 1935, but met opposition from industry leaders and companies, as well as the
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became extensively popular in the area. Towards the end of the 19th-century,
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struck the area, with its epicenter originating in central Idaho. A similar
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through courses and a parade of sheep walking through downtown
Ketchum.
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861:. United States Department of Energy, Argonne National Laboratory. 1999
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Ghost towns are an important marker of culture in
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The
Trailing of the Sheep Festival in downtown Ketchum in 2018.
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Map of counties included in
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If Blaine and Camas counties are considered to be part of the
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is a geographical term for the region located northeast of
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Residents and visitors participate in recreation; namely
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Central Idaho has also been the origin site of multiple
859:"AEC Press release for BORAX-III lighting Arco, Idaho"
403:. The idea was later reproposed by Idaho U.S. Senator
965:. Stanley Sawtooth Chamber of Commerce. 29 June 2022.
951:. Stanley Sawtooth Chamber of Commerce. 29 June 2022.
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886:. Idaho Department of Commerce - Tourism Development
522:. Redfish Lake is still used for recreation today.
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827:. Conservation Voters for Idaho. 3 March 2022.
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285:The largest city in the area is the town of
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778:"2020 Census Demographic Data Map Viewer"
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800:"Population of Counties in Idaho (2024)"
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16:Region in Idaho, United States
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929:Steve Dent (6 October 2023).
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918:. April 15, 2008.
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39:
34:
27:
23:Central Idaho
20:
1676:
1248:Magic Valley
1222:
1218:Cache Valley
1165:Demographics
1107:Bibliography
1057:
984:
957:
943:
935:Idaho News 6
934:
924:
909:
900:
888:. Retrieved
883:
874:
863:. Retrieved
853:
804:. Retrieved
794:
782:. Retrieved
737:
729:Magic Valley
723:
613:
609:Salmon River
602:
587:
575:Shoup, Idaho
564:
552:snowboarding
525:
508:Redfish Lake
498:
464:
460:
456:urban sprawl
439:Frank Church
436:
421:
382:
347:sheepherding
340:
316:
284:
277:
274:Demographics
268:Magic Valley
237:
196:
195:
184:Area code(s)
107:Largest city
1423:Garden City
1328:Idaho Falls
1293:Yellowstone
1238:Great Basin
1190:LGBT rights
1092:Delegations
1006: /
884:Visit Idaho
556:snowshoeing
532:backpacking
506:A photo of
467:earthquakes
452:backcountry
424:Arco, Idaho
422:Meanwhile,
407:during the
401:World War I
280:2020 Census
176:UTC−6
159:UTC−7
1666:Washington
1656:Twin Falls
1536:Clearwater
1496:Bonneville
1358:Post Falls
1348:Twin Falls
1087:Government
865:2012-07-26
761:References
708:Sun Valley
636:crocheters
560:hot spring
493:See also:
447:molybdenum
405:James Pope
362:immigrants
262:after the
229:Borah Peak
209:U.S. state
161:(Mountain)
132:Population
43:Alice Lake
1621:Nez Perce
1576:Jefferson
1466:Bear Lake
1418:Blackfoot
1333:Pocatello
1180:Elections
1175:Education
1097:Governors
1082:Geography
1062:(capital)
1047:State of
890:3 January
806:3 January
784:3 January
673:Fairfield
598:shepherds
336:Sawtooths
303:Fairfield
154:Time zone
1699:Category
1646:Shoshone
1616:Minidoka
1586:Kootenai
1551:Franklin
1501:Boundary
1443:Counties
1403:Chubbuck
1353:Lewiston
1338:Caldwell
1323:Meridian
1195:Politics
1185:Gun laws
1145:Abortion
994:114°05′W
749:See also
658:Bellevue
632:jewelers
624:painters
544:kayaking
485:of 6.9.
385:industry
359:Scottish
355:Peruvian
223:and the
205:Lewiston
189:208, 986
1636:Payette
1611:Madison
1606:Lincoln
1566:Gooding
1556:Fremont
1521:Caribou
1476:Bingham
1471:Benewah
1461:Bannock
1383:Smaller
1363:Rexburg
1263:Palouse
1205:Regions
1170:Economy
1160:Culture
1138:Society
1124:Symbols
1102:History
991:44°24′N
703:Stanley
683:Ketchum
668:Challis
640:macrame
628:potters
489:Culture
397:hunting
393:fishing
389:camping
323:Bannock
313:History
295:Challis
291:Stanley
278:In the
217:federal
207:in the
71:Country
45:in the
1661:Valley
1631:Owyhee
1626:Oneida
1581:Jerome
1546:Elmore
1541:Custer
1526:Cassia
1516:Canyon
1491:Bonner
1481:Blaine
1433:Burley
1428:Jerome
1413:Hayden
1385:cities
1368:Moscow
1305:cities
1303:Larger
1119:People
1114:Images
1069:Topics
698:Salmon
693:Picabo
688:Mackay
678:Hailey
646:Cities
558:, and
548:skiing
542:, and
528:hiking
520:marina
395:, and
357:, and
351:Basque
325:, and
305:, and
299:Salmon
287:Hailey
254:, and
252:Custer
240:Blaine
140:40,172
111:Hailey
98:
80:
30:Region
1651:Teton
1641:Power
1601:Lewis
1596:Lemhi
1591:Latah
1571:Idaho
1531:Clark
1511:Camas
1506:Butte
1486:Boise
1456:Adams
1398:Ammon
1373:Eagle
1318:Nampa
1313:Boise
1155:Crime
1077:Index
1059:Boise
1049:Idaho
715:Notes
663:Carey
510:near
366:sheep
256:Lemhi
248:Camas
244:Butte
213:Idaho
201:Boise
178:(MDT)
101:Idaho
89:State
1393:Kuna
892:2023
808:2024
786:2024
653:Arco
638:and
614:The
603:The
588:The
518:and
516:dock
307:Arco
119:Area
1561:Gem
1451:Ada
592:in
211:of
169:DST
49:in
1701::
933:.
914:.
908:.
882:.
833:^
816:^
769:^
634:,
630:,
626:,
622:,
554:,
550:,
538:,
534:,
530:,
419:.
391:,
353:,
338:.
321:,
309:.
301:,
297:,
293:,
250:,
246:,
242:,
1040:e
1033:t
1026:v
937:.
894:.
868:.
847:.
810:.
788:.
171:)
53:.
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