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Begin your virtual tour of Montpelier, Idaho by clicking on any of the above entry points,
and follow roads or trails through a network of linked images.
In 1863 Mormon pioneers arrived at the site of Montpelier to found a settlement at the request of Church leader Brigham Young. The location benefited from the Oregon Trail passing through the town, following the route of present-day U. S. Highway 30. The town was named Clover Creek, then Belmont, and finally Montpelier, the name given to it by Brigham Young.
Montpelier was an early terminal on the railroad which brought growth and business to the town as well as a division in the population ("Mormon" and "Gentile"). In 1972 the terminal was moved to Pocatello, but Montpelier has continued to be the largest town in Bear Lake County, with a population approaching 3,000.
Montpelier sits on the northeast side of Bear Lake Valley, a long, broad grassland valley
graced by Bear Lake, a popular recreation area, at the south end. The Bear River passes around Montpelier some distance to the south and the to west. The Wyoming border is just
over the hills to the east. The elevation at Montpelier is just under 6000 feet, inviting
cold winters and mild summers.
Streets and other things you can see.
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