I received the following comment last week on one of my older posts about Treasure Valley population growth:
I live in Idaho (think McCall) and love it. I am currently attending college outside the state, but I frequently return home to visit. My favorite aspect of returning home to my beautiful state is seeing the sprawling development that is occurring all around. I am constantly impressed by the speed worthless scenic land can be turned into extensive housing tracks. Once productive and fertile farmland does far more for the state's culture and economy when it serves as the foundation for popular box stores. I am also excited by all of the development of the Boise foothills. Green lawns replacing the dry desert sagebrush will protect the beautiful city of Boise from any future wildfire threats. Above all, I am most excited about the new ski resort near my home in Valley County and all the progress that has accompanied it. Things have been very different in this valley. One thing that really catches my attention is the transformation of an ugly irrigation reservoir into beautiful Lake Cascade...sadly further inspection proved a name change can't teach an old dog new tricks. Despite my disappointment with Cascade Reservoir, I mean "lake", there are many changes that I absolutely love. The peacefulness and serenity that used to characterize the valley is finally leaving after all these years. I don't know how I survived the family like community and slow pace of McCall for so long. I hope every one from Arizona, Washington, and California can discover my home and bring more progress. One finally note, please allow me to be the first to apologize on behalf of my community for the lack of a nearby McDonalds or Walmart. If you need fast food or cheap toothpaste you will need to pack it!
04/13/2007 by Skylar Swinford
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I can remember feeling the same way over my years... and I could tell you of my memories of Bellevue Washington in the '50s and '60's, Bellingham Washington in the '60's and '70's, or perhaps Poulsbo and Kingston Washington in the '70's and '80's. Maybe stories of what I remember of Sun Valley Idaho in the late '60's would interest you? How about a story or two about the way traffic on State Street or Eagle Road was in the late '80s? But then again, maybe not. We all see progress and population growth differently. Here is my reply to Skylar:
Thanks for taking time to contribute Skylar. Growth and progress are difficult subjects. What would your suggestion be? Staying the same is NOT an option... it never has been.
Idaho has for years exported its young people to other states for education, and for jobs, which it wasn't able to provide here in the quantity or the quality that was necessary. Health care lagged most of the rest of the nation as well. While progress is always a two-sided story, simply complaining about it is never the right answer.
A lot of the folks moving here are those young people who moved away twenty and thirty years ago. My wife is one of them. They are bringing with them equity, resources, enthusiasm, and a strong desire to make the changes good ones. When you are finished with your education, you can come back and join us. Our state will finally have an economy that will provide you a decent living, and it is still the best place I can think of to live.
04/14/2007 by Bill Williams
Like I mentioned, I can relate to what Skylar is feeling, as he sees places he loves change. I listen to older family members talk about what they remember of "how it was". I enjoy looking at the old pictures, like the one that heads this post (Hill Road in 1912 where my wife's grandparents lived). I have no sage answers for these things, but my perspective has been changed as I've grown older. The discussion is always an interesting one, and it ranges far past the broad concept of "change" into such personal ideas like "dreams" and "hopes" and "vision", and yes, even "private property rights" and "the public good".
But we're interested in Idaho here, and maybe we would all benefit from really taking a step back and looking at the history of change here in the Treasure Valley. Do you have thoughts on the Harris Ranch/Barber Valley development? Would you be interested to learn that the way the valley is today is not what it was in the 1940's, or the 1900's? How about the Boise River? I hear a lot of talk, on both sides of the issue, about the use of the Boise River. Have you ever taken time to learn about the River in a little more detail? Do you know the channel has changed in the past, by natural forces. Can you picture floodwaters to the bench, or downtown? Skylar mentions the ugly reservoir of Lake Cascade... what's the story behind that? I've spent a little time lately reading and looking at pictures on a fascinating website that the Boise City Historian has. You can find it at www.boisehistory.com . My suggestion to everyone, newcomers and long-timers alike, is to take the next rainy day and spend some time there and really get a feel for the flow of history through this valley. Maybe you'll be tempted to take a sidetrack into Boise State Junior College history, or perhaps the railroad, or maybe even learn more about Hunter, Idaho (now Meridian).
Ah yes, it's all about perspective...
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