May 29: Brady Chapel History & Restoration
The Brady Memorial Chapel stands as a proud local landmark at the entrance of Mountain View Cemetery in Pocatello, Idaho. Built between 1919 and 1922 to honor James H. Brady—former Idaho Governor and U.S. Senator—the chapel is a striking example of French Gothic Revival architecture. Designed by architect Frank Paradice and constructed by Alex Mathers, it was dedicated on Memorial Day, 1922, the same day the Lincoln Memorial was unveiled in Washington, D.C.
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Originally open to the public for reflection and meditation, the chapel served the community until 1961. After that, it was repurposed as a storage facility and fell into disrepair. In 1979, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Some repair work was completed in 1988, including ceiling, door, and roof restoration. The stained-glass windows, originally designed by Herman Pierson, were also restored by Judy Countrell and protected with Plexiglass covers. A 1920s-style chandelier was installed to serve as an eternal light in memory of Twyla Thomas, a passionate advocate for the chapel’s preservation.
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From the mid-1980s through 2015, the City’s Cemetery Committee and Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) worked steadily—with limited funding and generous in-kind contributions—to improve and maintain the chapel. In 2016, HPC ramped up its efforts through events like Memorial Day and Veterans Day open houses, the Before All Hallows’ Eve Scavenger Hunt, and the Stones to Stories program.
By 2019, it became clear that more substantial funding was needed. The Planning & Development Services Department and HPC requested support from the City Council to address pressing structural repairs. Council approved the request, with the condition that a comprehensive capital campaign plan be developed to secure sustainable restoration funding and a long-term maintenance endowment.
That plan came together in 2020, setting the stage for major restoration efforts.
In 2024, Phase I of restoration was completed. This included cleaning and repointing the masonry, along with replacing the deteriorated pinnacles using historically accurate replicas. Funding for this phase included $72,000 from the City, $13,000 in private donations, $10,000 from the Idaho Heritage Trust, and $5,000 from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Future restoration phases will address:
Repair of the slate roof
Refurbishment of stained-glass windows and doors
Interior masonry repointing and repair
Restoration of finishes including floors and replica pews
Installation of radiant heating to stabilize interior temperature and humidity
The City of Pocatello, HPC, and Friends of the Brady Chapel remain committed to preserving this historic gem and will continue pursuing funding and support to ensure its lasting legacy.
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May 22: Self-Guided Historic Districts Walking Tours
Did you know that there are 7 self-guided walking tours regarding Pocatello’s National Registered Historic Districts available online?
These include:
• Downtown Historic District
• Eastside Downtown Historic District
• Old Town Residential Historic District
• University Neighborhood Historic District
• Warehouse Historic District
• Westside Residential Historic District
• Historic Downtown Pocatello’s Neon Walking Tour
Take advantage of the great weather and check out some of our historic sites around town!
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May 20: Historic Preservation Month: Pocatello’s WWII Contributions
Pocatello’s roots trace back to a boxcar depot along a narrow-gauge rail line connecting Salt Lake City to Montana’s mining operations in the late 1800s. Incorporated in 1889, Pocatello quickly became a major railroad hub. Thanks to its inland location and strong rail infrastructure, the city played a critical role during World War II.
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In 1942, the U.S. Army established an airbase seven miles northwest of Pocatello. Spanning over 3,500 acres, the base served as a key training site for aircrews flying B-17 and B-24 bombers, as well as P-39 and P-47 fighters. It housed the 96th and 382nd Bomber Groups, along with the 453rd and 464th—units that trained thousands of pilots, navigators, and bombardiers. Functioning as a self-contained city, the base included housing, schools, a post office, hospital, chapel, dining facilities, and workshops. After its decommissioning in 1945, the site was transferred to the City of Pocatello in 1949 and became the Pocatello Municipal Airport (now Pocatello Regional Airport).
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That same year, the United Service Organization (USO) opened a downtown recreation center and USO Hut to support servicemen stationed in Pocatello.
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Also in 1942, the U.S. Navy commissioned the Naval Ordnance Plant (N.O.P.) in Pocatello—a 200-acre facility responsible for refurbishing and manufacturing naval gun barrels and ordnance components. One of only two such plants nationwide, and the only one west of the Mississippi, it was chosen for its strategic inland location and transportation network. Once weapons were completed, they were shipped roughly 50 miles to the Naval Proving Ground in the Arco Desert for testing—today, the site of the Idaho National Laboratory.
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After the war, the N.O.P. was decommissioned and eventually sold in the 1950s. The area transitioned into an industrial park, home to various federal facilities and a public space now known as N.O.P. Park.
In June 2021, Industrial Realty Group, LLC (IRG) acquired the complex and rebranded it as the “Titan Center.” Since then, IRG has made significant improvements to attract a diverse mix of industrial and commercial tenants.
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Pocatello’s contributions during WWII remain a proud chapter in the city’s rich history.
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May 14: Pocatello Historical Figure – Frank Paradice!["frank]("https://pocatello.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentId=12251")
Frank Paradice Jr. is widely regarded as Pocatello's most influential architect during the first half of the 20th century. Born in St. Catharines, Canada, in 1879, Paradice was the eldest of eleven children. His family moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1880, where he grew up. In 1899, he graduated from Chicago's Art Institute and the Armour Institute of Technology with a degree in architecture.
Paradice began his
career as supervising architect for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad in 1900. He later moved to Boise in 1901, working alongside architect M. Morgan Nisbet. The duo contributed many notable structures, including the Empire Building in downtown Boise, a fine example of the Chicago School style, as well as what were considered some of Boise’s most innovative bungalows.
At the encouragement of his friend, future Idaho Governor James H. Brady, Paradice relocated to Pocatello in 1913 during a time of significant growth. He established his practice in the Kasiska Building, which he designed, and would go on to shape much of Pocatello’s architectural identity through his mastery of Art Deco and Neoclassical Revival styles.
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From schools and churches to government buildings and private residences, Paradice left an indelible mark on the city. Paradice worked in Pocatello until his death in 1952. Some of his most notable projects include:
Fargo Apartments, ca. 1914
Fargo Building (Station Square), ca. 1916
Franklin Building, ca. 1915
Federal Building, ca. 1916
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Valentine Building, ca. 1916
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Bannock Hotel, ca. 1919
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James H. Brady Memorial Chapel, ca. 1922
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ISU’s Colonial Hall, ca. 1925
Veterans Memorial Building, ca. 1927
ISU's Administration Building and Gravely Hall, ca. 1939
Pocatello High School redesign and gymnasium, ca. 1939
Masonic Temple, ca. 1947
Reed Gymnasium, ca. 1951
Others include:
Kasiska Building, ca. 1914
Whittier School, ca. 1914
Emerson School (Cre-Act Building), ca. 1914
Church-White Building, ca. 1915
Jefferson School, ca. 1920
Washington Elementary School, ca. 1920
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Wooley Apartments (Brentwood Manor), ca. 1920
Presbyterian Church, ca. 1927
Central Building, ca. 1929
Bannock Memorial Hospital, ca. 1948
May 12: Pocatello Historical Figure: Clarence Rainey
Clarence Murray Rainey, an enrolled member of the Shoshone Tribe, was born on June 4, 1886, to Charles Rainey and Annetta Larsen. At just eight years old, Clarence was sent to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, where he remained for five years. After completing the eighth grade, he was discharged on July 5, 1902.
Clarence continued his education at the Teller Institute in Grand
Junction, Colorado, attending from December 23, 1903, until June 18, 1905. He later enrolled at the Academy of Idaho (now Idaho State University) in 1907 and again in 1909, becoming the earliest known Tribal member to attend the institution. While there, he studied trades such as plumbing and was active in athletics, playing football and pitching for the baseball team, where he earned the nickname “Strongheart Rainey.”
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Following his studies, Clarence began working as a plumber in Pocatello and continued to play baseball locally. He also volunteered with the Pocatello Fire Department. In 1911, he worked for Greene and Higson as a plumber and later joined the City of Pocatello Water Department in 1917, where he eventually became City Water Superintendent—a role he held for thirty years.
Clarence and his wife, Lena Trimmings, whom he married in 1913, made their home at 735 W. Bonneville. Their house was known as one of the nicest in Pocatello. In addition to his work in the city, Clarence owned land in Fort Hall, including 20 acres of farmland, 60 acres of hay land, and 160 acres of grazing land.
Clarence Rainey passed away on March 1, 1947, at the age of 60. His lasting legacy is seen in the community through his contributions to both Pocatello and Fort Hall. Rainey Park stands as a tribute to his memory. He is buried at Mountainview Cemetery in Pocatello.
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May 9: Pocatello Historical Figure Spotlight: Dr. Minnie Howard
Today, we honor Minnie Frances Howard, a remarkable woman whose legacy continues to shape the Pocatello community. Born in 1872 in Missouri, Minnie moved to Kansas as a teenager and began teaching in rural schools. She later earned her medical degree from the University of Kansas Medical School in 1899, an impressive feat for women at the time, and joined her husband, Dr. William Forrest Howard, in a joint medical practice.
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In 1902, the Howards moved to Pocatello, where Minnie became a community leader, health advocate, and historian. She eventually stepped away from practicing medicine to raise her four sons, Nelson Jacob, Richard Philip, Forrest Hayden, and Francis Emmert (all of whom became doctors), and turned her focus to civic involvement.
Minnie was instrumental in preserving Pocatello’s history. Inspired by Ezra Meeker’s 1907 visit, she helped mark the original site of Old Fort Hall in 1916 and served as Bannock County Historian for over two decades. Her passion for education and public service was reflected in her leadership in numerous local and national organizations—from the Women’s Republican Club to the Southern Idaho Historical Society and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.
Minnie passed away in 1965, but her contributions to medicine, historical preservation, and civic life have made her a lasting pillar of Pocatello’s heritage.
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May 7: Preservation Highlight – The Purpose Center
What many locals remember as the Petersen Building (ca. 1913) has found new life as The Purpose Center—a vibrant hub for business and community gatherings in Downtown Pocatello. Originally owned by T.C. Martin, the building housed the Petersen Furniture Company from 1921 through the late 1990s and later became home to Scott’s Ski and Sports until 2010.
In 2019, Craig Yadon purchased the five-story historic structure and began an extensive rehabilitation. Today, the revitalized building features a tea shop and reception hall on the first floor and mezzanine, corporate offices on the third and fourth floors, and two executive suites on the fifth floor.
Like the Whitman Building, the Purpose Center project benefited from the Federal Historic Tax Credit Program, which supports the preservation of historic structures by offering a 20% tax credit for qualified rehabilitation expenses. This program is available to contributing historic buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including many in the Downtown Pocatello Historic District.
Through vision, investment, and historic preservation tools, buildings like The Purpose Center continue to enrich our community and connect us to Pocatello’s architectural heritage.
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May 5: Celebrating National Preservation Month - The Whitman Building
Yesterday evening at the City Council’s meeting, Mayor Blad issued a proclamation declaring May 2025 as Preservation Month in Pocatello. Receiving the proclamation was Marty Vizcarra, Pocatello Historic Preservation Commission Chair, who offered a few remarks regarding the Commission’s current efforts to preserve Pocatello’s history.