Caldwell (locally CALL-dwel) is a city in and 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 ...

of Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The population was 68,336 at the time of th
2023 United States census
making it the 5th most populous city in

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), ...

. Caldwell is considered part of the

Boise metropolitan area The Boise, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) (commonly known as the Boise Metropolitan Area or the Treasure Valley) is an area that encompasses Ada County, Idaho, Ada, Boise County, Idaho, Boise, Canyon County, Idaho, Canyon, Gem County, ...

and is the location of the

College of Idaho The College of Idaho (C of I) is a private liberal arts college in Caldwell, Idaho. Founded in 1891 by Rev. William Judson Boone as a Presbyterian college, it is the state's oldest private liberal arts college and has an enrollment of over ...

. Caldwell is the home of th
Sunnyslope Wine Trail
with over 20 wineries. A partner to Caldwell’s revitalization efforts i
Destination Caldwell
Destination Caldwell's set out to position "Caldwell as Idaho's premier gathering place with a focus on locally produced wines along Sunnyslope Wine Trail, market-fresh goods and farm-to-fork dining." Co-Founder, Keri Smith stated, “Together, our mission is to foster and promote downtown revitalization and economic growth while building Caldwell's brand as a thriving, healthy community.”

History

The present-day location of Caldwell is located along a natural passageway to the Inland and

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though no official boundary exists, the most common ...

. Native American tribes from the west coast, north Idaho and as far away as Colorado would come to the banks of the

Boise River The Boise River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. , accessed May 3, 2011 tributary of the Snake River in the Northwestern United States. It drains a rugged portion of the Sawtooth Range in so ...

for annual trading fairs, or rendezvous. European and some Hawaiian explorers and traders soon followed the paths left by Native Americans and hopeful emigrants later forged 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 ...

and followed the now hardened paths to seek a better life in the Oregon Territory. Pioneers of the Trail traveled along the Boise River to Canyon Hill and forded the river close to the

Silver Bridge The Silver Bridge was an eyebar-chain suspension bridge built in 1928 which carried U.S. Route 35 over the Ohio River, connecting Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. Officially named the Point Pleasant Bridge, it was popul ...

on Plymouth Street. During the Civil War, the discovery of gold in Idaho's mountains brought a variety of new settlers into the area. Many never made it to the mines but chose to settle along the Boise River and run ferries, stage stations, and freighting businesses. These early entrepreneurs created small ranches and farms in the river valleys. Caldwell's inception occurred largely as a result of the construction of the Oregon Short Line Railroad, which connected Wyoming to Oregon through Idaho. Robert E. Strahorn came to the Boise River Valley in 1883 to select a route for the railroad. He rejected the grade into Boise City as too steep and chose a site thirty miles to the west. He drove a stake into an alkali flat of sagebrush and greasewood and the City of Caldwell was platted. Caldwell was named after one of Strahorn's business partners,

Alexander Caldwell Alexander Caldwell (March 1, 1830May 19, 1917) was a U.S. Senator from Kansas. Early years Born in Drakes Ferry, Pennsylvania, he attended public schools, and in 1847 enlisted as a private to serve in the Mexican–American War. He moved to ...

, a former Senator from the State of

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

. When Caldwell was platted in August 1883, its founder, the Idaho and Oregon Land Improvement Company, started persuading settlers and businessmen to move to the area. Within four months, Caldwell had 600 residents living in 150 dwellings, 40 businesses in operation, a school, a telephone exchange and two newspapers. On January 15, 1890, the Board of Commissioners of Ada County issued a handwritten order incorporating the City of Caldwell. The College of Idaho was founded in Caldwell in 1891 and still is in existence today. In 1892, Canyon County was established from a portion of Ada County, and Caldwell was named the county seat. Irrigation canals and waterways were constructed throughout Canyon County. These facilities provided the foundation for an agricultural based economy in Caldwell. The Oregon Short Line Railroad became part of the larger Union Pacific Railroad network and in 1906 the Caldwell freight and passenger depot was constructed. Caldwell experienced moderate growth as an agricultural processing, commercial retail and educational center during the twentieth century. In 2009, the City of Caldwell completed a revitalization project to restore Indian Creek, which runs through downtown Caldwell, but had been used for sewage disposal by local industries, and had been covered over. The restored creek includes suspended bridges, walkways and picnic tables.
Indian Creek Plaza
in Caldwell, Idaho, was developed to revitalize downtown after a period of decline. The plaza's history includes the original tenant, King's Variety Store, and its subsequent purchase by the Caldwell Urban Renewal Agency. In 2015, the City and the Agency collaborated with Destination Caldwell to build the plaza on the site of the old King's Variety Store, with Destination Caldwell managing it. Construction began in 2017, and the plaza officially opened in July 2018. 2023 saw more than 1 million guests to the plaza alone. Over 20 new businesses have opened in downtown since the plaza opened, including one the nations best restaurant

Indian Creek Steakhouse
situated in Caldwell, Idaho, is the largest restaurant in the state and opened it's doors in 2011. It offers a unique dining experience that blends classic steakhouse traditions with a vibrant atmosphere, featuring open-flame cooking, a spacious dance floor, and regular live music performances. The restaurant proudly sources its beef from local ranchers, supporting regional agriculture and ensuring high-quality ingredients. Additionally, its underground bar, “The Tavern,” provides a distinctive setting for guests to enjoy drinks and entertainment.

Geography

According to the

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

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water.

Climate

Caldwell experiences a

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''BSk'') with short, cold winters and hot, dry summers.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 59,996 people, and 18,283 households in the city. 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 2,625.4 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 69.1%

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 ...

, 0.4%

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 ...

, 1.3% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.2%

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 ...

, and 8.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 37.5% of the population. 56.7% of the population was

non-Hispanic White Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

. 32.9% of the population were under 18, and 9.2% were under 5. People over 65 made up 9.4% of the population. The gender makeup of the city was 51.1% female, and 48.9% male. The

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...

was $59,795, and the per capita income was $21,521. 12.1% of the population was under the poverty line.

2010 census

As of the 2010

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

, there were 46,237 people, 14,895 households and 10,776 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 16,323 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 77.5%

, 0.6%

, 1.2% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1%

, 16.1% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races.

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 were 35.4% of the population. There were 14,895 households, of which 46.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% 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, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.7% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.51. The median age in the city was 28.2 years. 33.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.4% were from 25 to 44; 18.2% were from 45 to 64; and 8.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female. The

was $37,336. 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 ...

was $15,731. About 20.2% of the population was 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 ...

Arts and culture

Caldwell has held an annual Indian Creek Festival every September since 2003. The event includes a fun run and a tug of war. Indian Creek Plaza, located in downtown Caldwell, includes an ice ribbon each winter, as well as many events throughout the year.

Parks and recreation

Caldwell has 12 city parks, two golf courses (Purple Sage and Fairview), a city pool, and three

skatepark A skatepark, or skate park, is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, Freestyle scootering, scootering, and aggressive inline skating. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, stairw ...

Education

Caldwell has five secondary schools—including Caldwell High School and Vallivue High School—and six elementary schools. The

is located in Caldwell and is one of the oldest four-year institutions in the state.

Infrastructure

Caldwell Executive Airport is located southeast of downtown. Caldwell has a high-quality water system, which remained untreated and met all federal guidelines until the 1990s when the Federal Government mandated chlorination.

Notable people

* Joseph Albertson, founder of Albertson's grocery store chain * Gys van Beek, Dutch-American inventor and member of the Dutch resistance during World War II * Troy Beyer, actress; attended high school in Caldwell * Ronee Blakley, actress and singer *

George Blankley George C. Blankley (October 7, 1918 – December 29, 2016) was an American football and basketball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head basketball coach at Boise Junior College—now Boise State University—from 1948 ...

, former BSU head basketball coach * Daniel Carter, LDS composer * Thomas C. Coffin, congressman * Dame Darcy, cartoonist and performer * Shirley Englehorn, LPGA golfer * A. J. Feeley, NFL quarterback * Mike Garman, Major League Baseball pitcher * Lawrence H. Gipson, Pulitzer Prize winner * Ron Hadley, NFL linebacker * Maria Dahvana Headley, writer * Sarah Hokom, professional disc golfer and 2012 PDGA World Champion * Wayne Hooper, gospel music composer and singer * Gary Hubler, champion of the Formula 1 class of the Reno Air Races * David Kamo, motorcycle racer * James Knight, former University of Washington football coach *

Mark Lindsay Mark Lindsay (born March 9, 1942) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders. Early life Lindsay was born in Eugene, Oregon, and was the second of eight children of George and Esther Ell ...

, musician * Edward Lodge, U.S. District Court judge *

Larry Lujack Larry Lujack (born Larry Lee Blankenburg; June 6, 1940 – December 18, 2013), also called Superjock, Lawrence of Chicago, Charming and Delightful Ol' Uncle Lar, and King of the Corn Belt, was a Top 40 music radio disc jockey who was well known fo ...

, disc jockey * Dean McAdams, NFL player * Ray McDonald, NFL running back, graduated from Caldwell High School * Jim McMillan, gridiron football player * John T. Morrison, original faculty member of the College of Idaho; former Idaho governor *

Butch Otter Clement Leroy "Butch" Otter (born May 3, 1942) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 32nd List of Governors of Idaho, governor of Idaho from 2007 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, h ...

, governor of Idaho and former congressman * Cody Pickett, NFL quarterback * Jay Pickett, actor * Frank Reberger, Major League Baseball player and coach *

Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, military officer and industrialist who played a major role during the opening months of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, ...

, musician * Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker *

Frank Steunenberg Frank Steunenberg (August 8, 1861December 30, 1905) was the fourth governor of the State of Idaho, serving from 1897 until 1901. He was assassinated in 1905 by onetime union member Harry Orchard, who was also a paid informant for the Cripple ...

, governor of Idaho * Gary Stevens, jockey, won

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

three times *

Steve Symms Steven Douglas Symms (April 23, 1938 – August 8, 2024) was an American politician and lobbyist who served as a four-term congressman (1973–1981) and two-term U.S. Senator (1981–1993), representing Idaho. He later became a partner at Parr ...

, former U.S. senator and congressman * Renee Tenison, 1990

Playboy Playmate A Playmate is a female Model (person), model featured in the centerfold/gatefold of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month (PMOTM). The PMOTM's pictorial includes nude photographs and a centerfold poster, along with a pictorial biograph ...

of the Year * Rosie Tenison, actress and model * Randy Trautman, Canadian football defensive lineman

References

External links

*
Caldwell Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Cities in Idaho Cities in Canyon County, Idaho County seats in Idaho Boise metropolitan area