Shelley, Idaho

Shelley is a city in Bingham County, Idaho, United States. The population was 4,785 at the 2020 census.

Since 1927, Shelley has been home to the "Idaho Annual Spud Day", which is celebrated on the 3rd Saturday of September. It typically features a parade, live bands, a Spud Tug, a spud-picking contest, and free baked potatoes.

History

Shelley was established in 1904 It was named for John F. Shelley, who moved to the area in 1892 He'd moved to the area intending to open a small store, and needed lumber and other supplies to build it Since the site was some distance from the nearest existing community, he asked the railroad company to make a special stop to offload the supplies he'd ordered They consented, provided he could offload the supplies in under 20 minutes His daughter, Lottie, wrote the following in her personal history:

File:John_F_Shelley.JPG |John F. Shelley

File:John_F_Shelley_Family.JPG |John F. Shelley and his wife stand in the background. In the foreground are the rest of his family: Mary, Tom, Charlotte (Lottie), Docia, and Hannah Davis

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On September 4, 1902 a large fire destroyed seven buildings on State Street Only two buildings, a general merchandise store and Nalder's furniture store, were saved Soren Yorgesen, a local Justice of the Peace and proprietor of the first hotel in Shelley recounts the experience as follows: