26 – Rattlesnake Station Historical Marker
Rattlesnake Station, established in 1864 by Ben Holladay, was a pivotal stop on the Overland Stage Line connecting Salt Lake City, Utah, to Walla Walla, Washington. Located northeast of present-day Mountain Home, Idaho, the station served as a crucial hub for passengers and mail services in the region. In 1876, a post office named “Mountain Home” was established at the station.
In 1883, with the completion of the Oregon Short Line Railroad, the post office and several buildings were relocated approximately 8 miles southwest to be closer to the new rail line, giving rise to the present-day city of Mountain Home. Today, a historical marker at milepost 102.7 on U.S. Route 20 commemorates the original site of Rattlesnake Station, offering visitors insight into this significant chapter of Idaho’s transportation history.
More Information
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattlesnake_Station
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=70449
https://evendo.com/locations/idaho/mountain-home/landmark/rattlesnake-station-historical-marker
Coordinates: 43.147956, -115.658693
Elevation: 3300 ft
Difficulty: 1
What to Expect: No info
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Easy site right off the interstate.
Last one for today but I’m gonna be here all week and hit all the sites I can (after work of course)
5th site for the day. An easy grab after coming down the hill. Watch for cars!
Stop #1 of a very long day in the saddle. Passed this place many many times going back and forth to the Ketchum area. Glad it’s a checkpoint to make me stop and learn. Tank was a bonus.
Super easy access right off the highway. Interesting info on the name change from Rattlesnake Station to Mountain Home. I found a historical article stating a newspaper correspondent complaining the Rattlesnake Station should have been named “Bedbug Station” (for less than savory but obvious reasons). Not really sure what to call that town anymore. 🤷♂️
Oh, there is also an M1 Abrams tank on site for photo ops with your bike.
An interesting Historical Marker that helps explain some of the old Oregon Trail usage. Lewis or Clark must have left the tank behind. Easy access.