Bonneville

Formed February 7, 1911 (24^th county)

Bonneville County (123,955), Idaho Falls (65,586)                

The Neo-Classical governmental courthouse is built of tan brick and masonry.  It was built in 1921 at Capitol Avenue and Constitution Way.  United States Highway 20 is three blocks to the east.  Charles Aitkin and Lionel E. Fisher are the architects.  It has been enlarged with a Law Center.  The county was created on February 7, 1911 as the 24^th county with Idaho Falls as the only county seat.  It is named for Benjamin Louis Eulalie de Bonneville, a French explorer in Idaho.  Idaho Falls is named for the local falls on the Snake River. 

Bonneville County government consists of a sheriff, a prosecuter, a coroner, a clerk, a treasurer, and an assessor (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Five Circuit Court Judges and Three Magistrate Court Judges serve Bonneville, Bingham, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and Teton counties (judicial.) The county is in southeast Idaho bordering Wyoming.  Pocatello, Idaho is south of the county.  The county center is 38.5 miles East of Idaho Falls nearer Swan Valley.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Madison and Teton counties and Wyoming and Caribou, Bingham, and Jefferson counties. 

The area of the county is 1869 square miles.  It is 15 out of 44 in the state.  It ranks 4 out of 44 in population in the state.  It has a density of 66.3 persons per square mile making it 6 out of 44 in the state.  Bonneville County has 70.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 15 crosses north to south from Jefferson County to Bingham County.  United States Highway 20 enters the county from the north, Jefferson County, and exits to the west, Bingham County.  United States Highway 26 comes from Wyoming in the east, joins Interstate Highway 15, and travels south into Bingham County.  United States Highway 91 parallels Interstate Highway 15 from Jefferson County to Bingham County.  The county is shaped like the number 7.  Idaho Falls is in the northwest quarter of the county.  Idaho Falls is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 52.9% of the county population.  The county is pronounced BON-NE-VIL.  This county is in the Idaho Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Ririe