On the recordAugust 5, 2010
I rise today to acknowledge the centennial of the town of Springfield in my home State of Idaho. On September 13, 1910, the County Commission of Bingham County approved a plat plan for the town-site of Springfield. It was an ambitious vision of a city on the shores of Springfield Lake--a body of water created years earlier to supply irrigation water from Danilsen creek. The area was a popular stopping place on Goodale's cutoff along the Oregon Trail. In Springfield, 1910 was a busy and exciting time. Water from the Aberdeen-Springfield Canal reached Springfield. The Oregon Short-Line railroad came through and provided service to the community. And in June, a group of women organized the Springfield Domestic Science Club with a focus on community service. The club quickly became a force in the community, establishing a hot lunch program at the local school and creating and managing the Springfield Cemetery, something members did until 1946. The club also sponsored many educational, cultural and entertainment events. The Aberdeen-Springfield Canal was a major asset to the area. Not only did it provide much-needed water to the surrounding agricultural land, it provided jobs for many of the early settlers. The canal, begun in 1895, was dug using horse-drawn equipment and manual labor. Today, the canal is a tribute to private enterprise. No government money was used during its construction.
