Nestled in the southeastern corner of Idaho, Pocatello is more than just a railroad town or a gateway to Yellowstone. This unassuming city of 56,000 people holds layers of history that mirror America’s most pressing modern debates—from Indigenous rights and environmental justice to the struggles of deindustrialization and the rise of far-right extremism.
Railroads, Resistance, and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes
The Iron Horse and Its Discontents
Pocatello’s modern identity was forged by the Union Pacific Railroad in the late 19th century. Named after Chief Pocatello of the Shoshone, the city became a critical junction for westward expansion. But this progress came at a brutal cost: the displacement of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, whose Fort Hall Reservation lies just north of the city.
Today, the tribes are fighting for water rights amid a worsening drought—a conflict that echoes Standing Rock and other Indigenous-led environmental movements. The Shoshone-Bannock’s legal battles over the Snake River Basin highlight how 19th-century land grabs still shape 21st-century survival.
Ghosts of the Chinese Laborers
Few know that Chinese immigrants built much of Pocatello’s early infrastructure, only to be erased from history by the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. In 2022, archaeologists uncovered remnants of a "Chinatown" near the railroad tracks—a reminder of how America’s immigration debates are nothing new.
From Boom to Bust: The Rise and Fall of Industry
The Union Pacific’s Golden Age
By the 1950s, Pocatello was a union stronghold, with the railroad providing stable, middle-class jobs. The city’s blue-collar ethos was immortalized in local dive bars and diners like the iconic Papa Jay’s, where workers debated politics over fry sauce-slathered burgers.
Deindustrialization and the Opioid Crisis
When Union Pacific downsized in the 1980s, Pocatello never fully recovered. Today, empty warehouses line the tracks, and the opioid epidemic has hit harder here than in wealthier Idaho cities like Boise. The crisis exposes the dark side of rural America’s "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mythology—a theme now central to national discussions about economic inequality.
A Battleground for Extremism and Democracy
The Far Right’s Foothold
In 2020, Pocatello made headlines when a local militia group, the Real 3%ers of Idaho, held armed protests against COVID-19 restrictions. The city sits in a county that voted overwhelmingly for Trump, yet it’s also home to Idaho State University, where progressive students clash with conservative locals over issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.
This tension isn’t unique to Pocatello—it’s a snapshot of America’s urban-rural divide. The same streets where railroad workers once marched for labor rights now see Proud Boys rallies.
The Fight for the Future
Despite its challenges, Pocatello is changing. Activists are pushing for green energy projects to replace lost industrial jobs. The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes are leading solar initiatives, while ISU researchers study sustainable agriculture in the face of climate change.
The city’s history is a reminder that the "American Dream" was never guaranteed—it was fought for, often against impossible odds. And that fight isn’t over.