Two Pictures Show Dramatic Change in Idaho Life

I enjoy looking at posts like the one above. Places like Twin Falls once had a far more genteel appeal. Weekend mornings driving Blue Lakes Boulevard must have been joyful when the picture was taken in 1967. It sure looks better than the rutted road from a picture taken in the early 1900s that often makes the social media rounds. It’s nothing but an image of an arid landscape. The picture from 57 years ago would be called progress. Photos from today bring scorn from older Idaho natives. When does progress become an eyesore?

I’ve visited King Hill, Shoshone, and the old downtown Murtaugh. I guess that some of the people who live in those places would like some of the activities that you see in Twin Falls, Boise, or Idaho Falls. An old saying is that if you’re not growing, you’re dying.

If You Stop Growing You Die

I grew up in a small town. It stopped growing by the 1970s. Most of the young people grow up and move away. Far away from family ties and old friends. Facebook messaging isn’t a replacement for the renewal of those bonds. My siblings, cousins, and the guys I grew up with are scattered to the wind. My old high school football team was saved by a merger with a neighboring school. Last year, the program had to merge with a third school to field a team.

What Are the Alternatives

Here’s a question we all should answer. Do you want your kids nearby when they grow up? Second question, do you want to see them every other Thanksgiving holiday because they had to relocate to Denver, Dallas, or Phoenix to find gainful employment?

What you see on Blue Lakes Boulevard in Twin Falls, or Chinden Boulevard in Boise is a sign of vibrancy. It’s not always pretty, but I would argue it’s good for families.