News Releases

May 6: 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.

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.

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. 

Originally constructed around 1905 as a two-story Eagles Lodge, the Whitman Building has undergone a rich and transformative history. In 1914, the structure was redeveloped into a four-story hotel, initially known as Hotel St. Marie, and later renamed the Hotel Nicollet. 
 (Photo: St. Marie)

(Photo: Hotel Nicollet)

 During its heyday, the Nicollet was regarded as one of Pocatello’s finest hotels and even housed the Princess Theater on the ground floor.

(Photo: Princess Theater)

(Photo: Restored Whitman)