South Central Idaho

Cherie and I drove from Boise to Kaysville this past week. She was graciously transporting me so I could spend time with Utah family and friends. I love driving those long stretches – it gives me great thinking time. I realized that it has been over 25 years since I drove from Boise to Twin Falls. I’ve made the road trip from Utah to Twin Falls on the way to Stanley but hadn’t been on the more northern stretch. Not much has changed. I did note several sections of power-generating windmills just past Bliss --something new to me. And while driving through the Bliss section there were four F16s (that is what I thought they were – I’m sure Michael could verify or correct me on this) flying in tight formation. They didn’t do anything fancy but I saw them 3 different times so they were spending some time flying in the area.

So many memories came flooding back as we approached Jerome/Twin Falls. I noticed growth in homes, farms and businesses along the freeway. Seeing the Twin Falls temple from the freeway is wonderful. I feel strongly that Papa and Grandma (Clinton and Emma) could be considered pioneers of the gospel in Twin Falls. If they are aware of temple building in the spirit world (I believe they are) I know they are THRILLED about that temple.

We can truly say that our roots are planted in Twin Falls and the Magic Valley of Idaho. What circumstances made our family possible? Dad’s family was compelled to move to Idaho because of a lack of jobs in Wisconsin. His father, Bill, had carpentry skills and a friend already living in Idaho communicated to him that jobs were available for carpenters to help build Sun Valley. I need to verify the year they traveled to Idaho (1929?)but I know Dad recounted the journey especially remembering traveling through Yellowstone Park, camping by the roadside and riding on the running board of the family car. The running board was a small, tight platform along the side of the car that helped you step up into the car – and he got to stand on this running board while the car was moving. That means to me that the cars didn’t go very fast. It also means that the concept of safety was very different back then.

I plan to document in future posts the experiences of the Armga family as they settled in Idaho. Dad, Aunt Jean and Uncle Bill have recounted stories of the very challenging times they lived through.

Mother’s family began their Idaho experience with Papa and Grandma (Clint and Emma) first settling in the shadow of the Teton Mountains in Driggs, Idaho in 1917. They had just married. Clint had a job teaching school. They also dry farmed. The farming was not a success. Over time they moved and lived in Rexburg and Idaho Falls, also located in eastern Idaho. In the late 1930s Clint accepted a job in Filer Idaho as the high school instructor of music. I believe he taught both band and orchestra. He may have also taught some vocal classes. The family lived in Filer several years. Because of difficulties with the school district the family eventually moved to Twin Falls. This would have been about the time that mother was first starting high school.

In a sense, our family got its start at the Twin Falls High School. This is where Larry saw Betty up on the stage in the school’s auditorium. He was smitten. Within a short period of time he convinced a friend to introduce him to the cute girl. The rest, they say, is history. Well, and propinquity.

Siblings and spouses who became couples because they both lived in Twin Falls: LuAnn and Ivan, Charles and Judy (his first wife), and Cheryl and Dick. So, many of the cousins can also consider their beginnings to be related to south central Idaho.

We are deeply connected to that beautiful fertile valley with the Snake River, potato farms, natural spring water, the South Hills at one end and far in the distance the Sawtooth mountain range. It was no mistake that the Lukes and the Armgas both found themselves living in the small town of Twin Falls. It was meant to be.