Bear Lake County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

. As of the 2020 United States census the county had a population of 6,372. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, and Montpelier is the largest city. The county is named after Bear Lake, a large

alpine lake An alpine lake is a high-altitude lake in a mountainous area, usually near or above the tree line, with extended periods of ice#On lakes, ice cover. These lakes are commonly glacial lakes formed from glacial activity (either current or in the pas ...

at an

elevation The elevation of a geographic location (geography), ''location'' is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational equipotenti ...

of above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...

. The northern half of the lake is in Idaho, the southern half in

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

. The county was established in 1875 in the

Idaho Territory The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as Idaho. History 1860s The territory ...

, fifteen years before statehood.

History

Peg-Leg Smith established a trading post on the

Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and Westward Expansion Trails, emigrant trail in North America that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon Territory. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail crossed what ...

from 1848 to 1850 near

Dingle Dingle ( or ''Daingean Uí Chúis'', meaning "fort of Ó Cúis") is a town in County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula (known in Irish as ''Corca Dhuibhne''), it sits on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coa ...

. The first settlement in the Bear Lake Valley was Paris, settled by

Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

pioneers led by Charles Rich on September 26, 1863; thirty families comprised the original settlement. In the spring of 1864, Montpelier was settled on the other side of the valley on the Oregon Trail. Bear Lake County was established in 1875, and the railroad was extended through Montpelier in 1892.

Economy

A heavily rural county, Bear Lake's economy is predominantly agricultural, although tourism has been increasing as an industry in recent years. Bear Lake is well-known for its cattle ranches and grain farms, although these industries are susceptible to the region's high elevation and long winters. Bear Lake County is home to the northern half of its namesake, Bear Lake, and the popularity of Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge has led to a building boom surrounding the lake in the southern side of the county. Montpelier serves as the county's center of commerce, and seasonal commerce picks up during the summer.

Geography

Bear Lake County comprises the state's southeast corner. Its east boundary line abuts the west line of the state of

Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...

and its south boundary line abuts the north line of the state of

. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (6.1%) is water. The county is centered on Bear Lake Valley and includes the surrounding mountain ranges. The valley is high in the mountains, with its lowest

over above sea level. The highest point in the county is Meade Peak at .

Adjacent counties

* Caribou County - north *

Lincoln County, Wyoming Lincoln County is a county in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 19,581. Its county seat is Kemmerer. Its western border abuts the eastern borders of the states of Idaho and Utah. History Linc ...

- east *

Rich County, Utah Rich County is a county in the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 2,510, making it the third-least populous county in Utah. Its county seat is Randolph, and the largest town is Garden City. The count ...

- south * Franklin County - west

Major highways

* -

US 30 U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route of the United States Numbered Highway System, with the highway traveling across the Northern U.S. With a length of , it is the third-longest U.S. Highway, afte ...

* - US 89 * - SH-36 * - SH-61

National protected areas

* Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge *

Cache National Forest Cache National Forest is a 533,840-acre area of National Forest System land in Idaho and Utah. It was established on July 1, 1908, by the U.S. Forest Service. The majority of its area is in Utah, and was initially created when the Bear River Nati ...

(part) *

Caribou National Forest The reindeer or caribou (''Rangifer tarandus'') is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. It is the only represen ...

(part)

Demographics

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 6,411 people, 2,259 households, and 1,710 families in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 3,268 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.66%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.09%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.53% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.05%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 1.08% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. 2.40% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. 28.6% were of English, 16.1% American, 9.4%

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

, 7.1% Danish, 6.2%

Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...

and 5.5% Swedish ancestry. There were 2,259 households, out of which 38.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.90% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 6.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.30% were non-families. 22.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.33. The county population contained 33.00% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 22.40% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $32,162, and the median income for a family was $38,351. Males had a median income of $33,958 versus $17,829 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $13,592. About 7.10% of families and 9.60% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 11.30% of those under age 18 and 9.20% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,986 people, 2,281 households, and 1,661 families in the county. The population density was . There were 3,914 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.3% white, 0.5% American Indian, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 1.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 37.1% were English, 10.2% were

, 8.0% were American, and 7.6% were Danish. Of the 2,281 households, 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.2% were non-families, and 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age was 40.5 years. The median income for a household in the county was $43,374 and the median income for a family was $47,092. Males had a median income of $39,023 versus $26,417 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,284. About 11.2% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the

, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

* Bloomington * Georgetown * Montpelier *

* St. Charles

Census-designated place

* Bennington

Unincorporated communities

* Alton *

Bern Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...

* Fish Haven *

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

* Nounan *

Ovid Publius Ovidius Naso (; 20 March 43 BC – AD 17/18), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a younger contemporary of Virgil and Horace, with whom he i ...

* Pegram * Raymond * Wardboro * Wooleys

Government and politics

Government

County Commissioners

County Offices

Politics

Bear Lake County has historically been one of the most reliably Republican counties in Idaho, only voting for two Democratic candidates (

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

and

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served a ...

) in the past century, all of whom carried the state of Idaho in landslide national victories. Before the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

, Bear Lake was a swing county, switching between Democrats and Republicans until it solidified itself as a Republican stronghold during the 20th century. Bear Lake, along with the rest of Southeast Idaho, have long been one of the strongest Republican areas in a state that is already overwhelmingly Republican, something that can be attributed to the region's extremely high

population. Bear Lake County is nearly 90% Mormon, one of the most strongly Republican demographics in the country. As Mormons continue to shift to the right, Bear Lake in the 21st century has continuously given Republicans nearly 90% of the vote (notably aside from 2016, when Republican candidate

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

performed poorly with Mormons and Mormon third-party candidate

Evan McMullin David Evan McMullin (born April 2, 1976) is an American political candidate and former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer. McMullin ran as an independent in the 2016 United States presidential election and in the 2022 United States Sena ...

, from neighboring

, obtained a substantial percentage of the vote in heavily Mormon areas). Bear Lake County's Republican dominance holds true at the local level as well, with Republicans in local office frequently going unchallenged for election. Bear Lake County is represented in the United States Congress by senators

Mike Crapo Michael Dean Crapo ( ; born May 20, 1951) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Idaho, a seat he has held since 1999. A member of the Rep ...

and

Jim Risch James Elroy Risch ( ; born May 3, 1943) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Idaho since 2009. A member of the Republican Party, he served as lieutenant governor of Idaho under governors ...

, both Republicans, as well as Republican

Mike Simpson Michael Keith Simpson (born September 8, 1950) is an American politician serving as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for since 1999. The district covers most of the eastern portion of the state, including Idaho Fa ...

, representative for

Idaho's 2nd congressional district Idaho's 2nd congressional district is one of two congressional districts in the U.S. state of Idaho, in the eastern portion of the state. Beginning with the 2012 election, the district expanded westward and now includes most of Boise, Idaho, Boi ...

. At the state level, Bear Lake County is part of Idaho's 35th legislative district, represented by senator Van Burtenshaw and representatives Karey Hanks and Rod Furniss, all Republicans.

References

External links

*
State of Idaho official site
- Bear Lake County
News-Examiner
- Montpelier newspaper

Bear Lake County School District #33

The rights of citizenship : brief in re H.R. Bills no. 1478, 6153, and the Petition of the citizens of Bear Lake County, Idaho Territory (1885?)
{{coord, 42.29, -111.33, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-ID_source:UScensus1990 Idaho counties Bear River (Great Salt Lake) 1875 establishments in Idaho Territory Populated places established in 1875