Meridian, Idaho
In 1891, a small settlement named Hunter emerged on the Onweiler farm north of what is now downtown Meridian. Two years later, an Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge organized itself and chose the name Meridian because it sat directly upon the Boise Meridian line. The town officially adopted this new identity following that decision. Settlers arrived from Missouri in wagons or immigrant railroad cars to claim homestead lands. They brought their religious and social preferences with them as they established local institutions. Eliza Ann Zenger owned the land where the original town site was filed in 1893. Her husband Christian submitted the plat documents to county officials under the new name.
Early settlers arrived in the area without knowledge of gravity flow irrigation systems. Their previous homes relied on rain to provide moisture for crops. Having a water source became a strict requirement for receiving land patents from the U.S. Land Office. The Settlers' Irrigation Ditch opened in 1892 to transform the arid region into productive farmland. Irrigation districts like the Nampa-Meridian district continue to serve the immediate area today. Farmers planted fruit orchards and built packing businesses along the railroad tracks around the start of the 20th century. Local orchards produced many varieties of apples and Italian prunes until production ceased in the mid-1940s when profits vanished.
Following the raising of $4,000 to lay the Interurban rail line from Onweiler, the tracks reached the village center. Turning east on Broadway and ending at East Second, the last car would spend the night in Meridian before returning to Boise early the next morning with passengers and freight. The interurban Station and Generator building rose in 1912 near the west one-third of the old library at Meridian and Idaho Streets. The line continued on to Nampa via Meridian but the tracks down Broadway were not used after 1912. The Interurban Company entered receivership and closed in 1928 after twenty years of providing continuous transportation to neighboring towns. It served as Meridian's main connection to the area outside the local community. The Union Pacific Railroad spur opened in 1900 and is currently operated by the Boise Valley Railroad.
The lowest days of the Great Depression brightened for area dairymen when the Ada County Dairymen cooperative creamery began operation in 1929. It provided milk checks to those who were members of the cooperative enabling them to pay their taxes and provide food for families. Other community members hauled milk to the creamery and were employed there while its product became known as Challenge Butter. The creamery ran seven days a week for forty years. Additions and improvements were made while the plant was in full operation. Later years saw the Wyeth Laboratories affiliate with the creamery to manufacture SMA baby formula. After the creamery ceased local operations in 1970, the dairymen shipped their milk to the Caldwell creamery for processing. Blue Cross of Idaho, Jacksons Food Stores, and Scentsy are now based in Meridian.
As of the census of 2020, there were 117,635 people residing in the city. This population makes it the second most populous city in Ada County after Boise. Meridian is considered the state's fastest-growing city and among the fastest-growing cities in the United States. As of the census of 2000, there were 34,919 people living in the city. By 2010, that number had risen to 75,092 people. The racial makeup shifted from 96.3% White alone in 2000 to 81.21% White alone by 2020. Hispanic or Latino residents grew from 3.7% of the population in 2000 to 9.54% in 2020. The median age in the city was 30 years during the 2000 census and rose to 32.5 years by 2010.
The majority of Meridian lies on a flat plain roughly in the north central part of Treasure Valley. There is a low bench along the south east edge of the city. The city is crossed by several irrigation canals that generally run from the south east to the north west. Squaw Butte stands visible to the north at 5,873 feet. Shafer Butte is visible to the north east at 7,572 feet. The Owyhee Mountains are visible to the far south. Meridian's climate is characterized as semi-arid with four distinct seasons. Temperatures often exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit during hot and dry summers. Cold winters bring occasional light snowfall. Rainfall averages less than an inch per month. December is the wettest month while August is the driest month.
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Common questions
When was Meridian, Idaho officially named?
Meridian, Idaho received its official name in 1893 when the town adopted the identity of Meridian following a decision by an Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge. The settlement originally emerged as Hunter in 1891 on the Onweiler farm before changing names two years later.
What caused the end of fruit production in Meridian, Idaho during the mid-20th century?
Fruit production in Meridian, Idaho ceased in the mid-1940s because profits vanished for local orchards growing apples and Italian prunes. Farmers had previously built packing businesses along railroad tracks to support these agricultural operations.
How many people lived in Meridian, Idaho according to the 2020 census?
The 2020 census recorded 117,635 people residing in Meridian, Idaho. This population count makes it the second most populous city in Ada County after Boise.
Which company manufactured Challenge Butter at the Ada County Dairymen cooperative creamery?
The Ada County Dairymen cooperative creamery produced Challenge Butter from 1929 until local operations ceased in 1970. Wyeth Laboratories later affiliated with the creamery to manufacture SMA baby formula while the plant operated seven days a week for forty years.
Where is Meridian, Idaho located within Treasure Valley?
Meridian, Idaho lies on a flat plain roughly in the north central part of Treasure Valley. The city features a low bench along its south east edge and is crossed by several irrigation canals running from the south east to the north west.