Idaho is home to over 100 ghost towns, dozens more decaying schoolhouses from another era, and fascinating leftover architectural remnants of our unique state history. Now they’re just the fading, western-style remnants of our mining, logging, and nomadic-industrial past. But one particular community in southeast Idaho is something special that is unrivaled anywhere else…

Today, there is an underwater ghost town in Idaho, and it is a mysterious wonder that only reveals itself during the driest of summers. But equally as fascinating is what has been discovered right in the heart of its century-old remnants!

The town of American Falls was once a thriving, active hub located on the west bank of the Snake River, but during what was easily the largest government relocation of its time, the town was moved in its entirety to avoid flooding by the nearby dam. The known history of American Falls is just as fascinating as what remains shrouded by the passage of time. Part underwater marvel, part ambitious undertaking, part prehistoric wonder, and part active community, this (literal) hidden gem is a spectacular portion of Idaho’s history that few know the full story of… and even fewer know of the incredible discoveries that its muddy depths have revealed.

For most of the year, the opaque waters of the American Falls reservoir cover a unique and ambitious chapter in our state's history.
Courtesy of Patty Pickett
In 1925, the Bureau of Reclamation began the job of moving American Falls to make way for the American Falls Dam. It was an ambitious and expensive undertaking that involved moving nearly 350 residents and their homes, over 60 businesses, churches, and schools and lifting the entire railroad across the river an additional 22 feet to prepare for the increased water levels.
The new American Falls Dam, built to assist the drought-ridden community, would ironically place the town right in the center of the reservoir and flood the entire city.
Courtesy of Patty Pickett
The town was already settled into a naturally formed reservoir near the Snake River, so the economic and environmental move was a logical one... but there were consequences.
The process of moving the entire city took weeks as buildings were lifted and hauled away, most often rolled down the train tracks on specially-designed flats.
Courtesy of Patty PIckettt
The buildings were pulled using steam-powered tractors. Over the next few months, the new city was established on higher ground and laid out on an angle so that the sun could shine in every window, giving American Falls its current motto.

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Only the Oneida grain elevator remains in its original location, standing proudly above the water as a silent reminder of the historic marvels that remain hidden beneath the surface.
Courtesy of Patty Pickett
Every so often, water levels recede enough for the remnants of the town to become visible. Concrete sidewalks still bearing the initials of original homeowners, crumbled foundations, and stone landscaping all reappear from their watery graves to tell a striking but mysterious tale.
But until recently, the reservoir concealed much more than a community's unique history. The American Falls reservoir is also a prehistoric fossil site.
reclamation/YouTube
In 2015, an incredibly rare 75,000-year-old mammoth skull was discovered on the reservoir's shore, and numerous other fossils and remains have been uncovered since... making this small piece of small-town Idaho something truly awesome.
Wesley Fryer/Flickr

This old townsite is also surprisingly scenic when the water recedes, as this video shows.

A special thank you to YouTube user David Ross for filming this stunning video of Old American Falls. Be sure to check out his other videos as well!

This special underwater ghost town in Idaho is incredible for multiple reasons, to say the least — and what a fascinating history! If you like this, be sure to check out other abandoned places in Idaho or explore some of Idaho’s unique ghost towns and historic schools.

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More to Explore

Underwater Ghost Town In Idaho

Marisa Roman | March 05, 2021

Are there any ghost towns in Idaho?

Outside of the underwater ghost town mentioned above, are there any other ghost towns in Idaho worth checking out? The thing about ghost towns is that they often have a unique history within the state, often stemming from things like the gold rush or oil boom that went dry with time. Within Idaho, there are quite a few ghost towns that fell victim to time but still are beautiful in their own right. Check out these 10 forgotten historic ghost towns in Idaho to learn more.

What are the best little-known fossil sites in Idaho?

Are you interested in visiting some unique fossil-sites in Idaho? Many Idaho residents don’t even know that these exist! If you live in Idaho then you don’t really need to go too far in order to find some historic attractions. In fact, the Hagerman Fossil Beds in Idaho are one of the coolest natural attractions, allowing guests to spend a whole day visiting and exploring. Meanwhile, the Clarkia Fossil Bowl in Idaho is another incredible site, which actually allows guests to dig for fossils! While you might not find any dinosaur bones here, you’ll likely find some fossils from ancient plants or fish species.

What are the most unique attractions in Idaho?

You can practically throw a stone and find unique attractions in Idaho, it is such an incredibly diverse state. But we’ve gone a step further and have broken down these attractions into different categories. For instance, you can learn all about 9 of the weirdest most unusual attractions in Idaho here. Or, you can read more about these 11 mysterious attractions in Idaho here. For those who want to add a bit of natural beauty into the mix, these 12 unique natural attractions in Idaho are worth exploring, too.

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American Falls, ID 83211, USA