Mountain Home Airforce Base

Seven miles northeast of 1-84 Exit 95, on Idaho Highway 20, the highway meets the Oregon Trail and the junction of the old Kelton (Utah) Boise stage road. The junction was known as Rattlesnake Station. This is the original site of Mountain Home. However, in the 1870's, Commodore Jackson purchased the station at Rattlesnake Springs, and used it as a ranch. Then, when the Oregon Short Line Railroad arrived in 1883, he moved south to a 160 acre homestead on the site now known as Mountain Home. In 1891, the Elmore County seat was moved from Rocky Bar to Mountain Home. In addition to hosting the county seat, it's also home to Elmore Medical Center, a 28-bed facility with an emergency room and Life Flight capabilities. About 9,100 people now live in Mountain Home. The base is a 60-minute drive from Idaho's capital (population 175,000). The city's attractions include the Boise River Walk - a series of riverside parks linked by a paved bicycle, running and walking path that stretches from downtown Boise to the Lucky Peak Dam recreation area.