Idaho is quite literally made up of hundreds of amazing small towns and ghost towns, each with their own unique claims to fame and award-winning cultures. While many charming places across the state are home to specific landmarks and nationally-known attractions for Idahoans to visit, there’s one small town that has an appeal all its own. It might be tiny, but it’s vibrant, full of life, and totally unique; once you’re there, you might just find yourself turned around in the best way possible… and a few delightful surprises along the way.
New Plymouth, ID (Pop. 1538) is one of those welcoming, charming small towns that makes the Gem State such a special place to live.
Home of the Pilgrims and tucked away in rural Payette County, acres and acres of farmland will greet visitors in a scene of peaceful green warmth. It's full of history, like many of Idaho's small towns.
Appropriately enough, S. Plymouth Road runs straight through the center of town, while the entire city arcs around it. In fact, if you follow Ada Road, it'll wrap you around almost the entirety of the horseshoe. Or, more interestingly, follow West Blvd. as it wraps around to become Southwest Blvd. and finally East Blvd.
Around this time, a national irrigation council met and decided to design a small farm town based on old-fashioned townsite models to prove that big city development wasn't always the way to go. Thus, in 1896, New Plymouth was born and aptly named, harking back to the Mayflower's original landing and rural development near Plymouth Rock.
The town plat was intentionally designed in its unique horseshoe-shaped arch, with the community facing in to the center of town where (at the time) local gatherings were held.
Small farms of equal acreage surrounded the center, with the water wheels set in place as a means of sustaining an agricultural community that was the first of its kind.
And judging by the area's bounty of orchards and successful berry production, I'd say the experiment was a success.
Do take caution, however. Many of the water wheels are on private property, and the canals can be dangerous.
Ready to see one in action?
(A special thank you to Stephen Smith for the YouTube video!)
What a charming historical landmark! While New Plymouth’s vintage water wheels are the most photographed cluster in the state, Idaho has plenty of these wonderful pieces of history hidden around our rural areas — all you have to do is explore.
It seems like Idaho is full of towns with world records! Check out this article for yet another one of Idaho’s hidden secrets — this one might just get your heart pounding.
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