Twin Falls, Idaho is a city with a long and storied history. After the construction of the Milner Dam, agricultural production in south-central Idaho increased substantially. In 1909, the privately owned Twin Falls Land and Water Company was reorganized to become the Twin Falls Canal Company, owned by its shareholders. This marked the beginning of Twin Falls' role as an important regional economic center serving the agricultural industry, a role it has maintained to this day.
The city became a processing center for several agricultural products, in particular beans and sugar beets. In later years, other food processing operations boosted the local economy. By 1960, Twin Falls had become one of the largest cities in Idaho, although many still remembered its origins. As the seventh largest city in Idaho, Twin Falls is currently the fastest-growing city in south-central Idaho.
It is home to award-winning Glanbia cheese, as well as ConAgra Foods and Amalgamated Sugar Company. The Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce strives to improve the economic vitality of Twin Falls and maintain the high quality of life that Twin Falls residents and visitors so appreciate. The Chamber of Commerce has been working with the Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization (SIEDO) to help strengthen and diversify the local economy by maintaining existing businesses and attracting new businesses to the area. The jump site is located northeast of downtown Twin Falls, halfway between Shoshone Falls and the Perrine Bridge.
The Twin Falls Public Library, the Twin Falls Municipal Golf Course, and the Joslin Field-Magic Valley Regional Airport are also under the city's jurisdiction. Notable musicians who spent part of their childhood in the Twin Falls area include Gary Puckett, Paul Durham of Black Lab, Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe, and Doug Martsch of Built to Spill. In response to the increase in population, Twin Falls County voters voted to build a new hospital in the northwestern section of Twin Falls to replace the city's existing hospital. Excavations carried out in 1959 at Wilson Butte Cave, near Twin Falls, revealed evidence of human activity, including arrowheads, which are among the oldest dated artifacts in North America.
Twin Falls came into the national spotlight 49 years ago, in September 1974, when daredevil Evel Knievel tried to jump the Snake River Canyon in a specially modified rocket. Summer and fall are very dry in Twin Falls, with less than 2.5 cm (1 inch) of rainfall per month between June and October. It is believed that the first people of European descent to visit the Twin Falls area were members of a group led by American Wilson Price Hunt who tried to open a river trail to the west from St. Louis.
Twin Falls is home to the College of Southern Idaho (CSI), a large community college in the northwestern part of the city. As a major economic hub for Northern Nevada and South-Central Idaho, Twin Falls regularly draws approximately 250,000 customers to its area which means plenty of job opportunities for workers. Per capita income in Twin Falls increased 24 percent over the past decade making it one of the state's fastest-growing economic regions. In recent years, Twin Falls has attracted major retailers and domestic manufacturers; in fact, it is one of the top food producers in all of United States.
Twin Falls is an important regional economic center that has been serving its agricultural industry for over a century now. With its thriving business sector and numerous job opportunities for workers, it is no wonder why this city continues to be one of Idaho's fastest-growing regions.
