Opinions and info about Pocatello needed by aspiring author

[Diner Admirer]

Thanks for relaying the opinions and experiences, everyone. I didn't realize that about Napoleon Dynamite. I'd never been interested in seeing it before, but now I'll have to check it out. I'll also research Professor Swetnam. In regard to being adivsed to visit Pocatello myself, believe me, I'd love to, but I don't anticipate having the time or money in the foreseeable future. I have to get up at 4 a.m. as it is just to get in a little writing before my 21 month old daughter gets up. Besides, Pocatello is merely the setting for the beginning and the end. With your help, I think I can be convincing enough. Thanks for all the feedback. Keep 'em coming.

[BucFan]

I misunderstood. I thought that you were going to write specifically about Pocatello. Anyway, there's nothing really special about Pocatello. Mostly a railroad town with a small, state university. The Portneuf River runs through the area. Two mountain ranges surround the town - really makes it somewhat scenic. Anyway, good luck on your writing. Hope you get published.

[Syringaloid]

Originally Posted by Diner Admirer

Thanks for relaying the opinions and experiences, everyone. I didn't realize that about Napoleon Dynamite. I'd never been interested in seeing it before, but now I'll have to check it out. I'll also research Professor Swetnam. In regard to being adivsed to visit Pocatello myself, believe me, I'd love to, but I don't anticipate having the time or money in the foreseeable future. I have to get up at 4 a.m. as it is just to get in a little writing before my 21 month old daughter gets up. Besides, Pocatello is merely the setting for the beginning and the end. With your help, I think I can be convincing enough. Thanks for all the feedback. Keep 'em coming.

One point to realize, is that Napolean Dynamite was filmed in Preston which is just barely over the state line from Utah in Idaho. That extreme corner of the state is tied to Cache Valley and Logan, Utah and shares the same culture as the Logan area and most of Utah. I think it funny that people assume that all of Idaho is like the area in that movie, when in fact that movie exposes the lifestyle of Northern Utah. I have some friends who refer to it as "mormon culture".

[mtb83201]

I grew up in Chubbuck, which is just north of Pocatello. I think that if you're writing about any high school in Pocatello, you need to mention the fact that across the street from any given middle school and high school stands a seminary building. Though the middle school seminary buildings are no longer in use (due to the 9th grade recently moving into the high schools) they still stand.

This is a very significant part of high school life for students in Pocatello. LDS students get what is called "released time" so that they can learn religion during school hours (I view it as a loophole in the separation of church and state. I'm sure the school district loves it because they don't have to pay as many teachers). The reason this is significant for any high school student, mormon or non mormon, is because it really creates a feeling of superiority among LDS students. Many of them wear their church clothes to school after periodic "testimony meetings" (held before school) this turns out to be a huge statement to non-mormons "you're the minority." Some kids go because they believe it-- some kids go for the doughnuts and social inclusion.

Though the LDS doctrine does not teach members to be exclusive, things go the way they always do if there is a dominant social group in a given area. It is people that make it this way. But that doesn't change the fact that it sucks for a lot of non-mormons here.

I grew up in the LDS church. I had parents that were of the opinion that if I didn't adopt their religion then I could find another place to live. This included going to seminary. Though I would have rather spent this time learning about my own interests, and trying to find something I could make a career out of, I was literally told that I could either go to seminary or find a new home. I no longer practice the religion and am currently working on having my records removed.

[twinprism]

You might try having a look around with the Idaho State journal webcam at Pocatello Idaho State Journal
It is a few blocks South of Poky High on S. Arthur.

[Idaho mom]

To reply to the specific question asked by the author, as a student waiting for another for a ride I would either wait on the front lawn near the rock, up anywhere on the steps, across the street in the small parking lot, or anywhere out back of the high school as commuting students drive both in front of (N. Arthur Ave) and in back of the high school (N. Garfield I believe) on a consistent basis. Good luck. Question, I have to wonder, writing about 2 Pocatello HS students wouldn't have anything to do with the two PHS boys who murdered a classmate last year? Is it a book on that? If so, lots of local resources in the newspapers and such. Sad story.

[mbernice314]

The school actually sits between North Arthur and North Garfield Streets. If you were a Poky High Student, you would wait by "the rock." this is a huge bolder at on the one way street of North Arthur that has been painted over and over again by the students. It used to have a huge Indian Chief painted on it, but that tradition ended when a new high school came to town (Highland). After that, the Highland Rams would come down and paint our rock and we would steal thier mascot - a large ram! Pocatello is about 50, 000 people and now has three high schools, with the latest being Century." I actually have some Idaho History and, when I was young, we had one of the first fire chiefs of Pocatello living with us. One of the more interesting things about Pocatello is that it was named after Chief Pocatello of the Shoshone Bannock Tribes. The Fort Hall Indian Reservation is about eight miles from Pocatello and so there is alot of Indian Culture in the schools. Napoleon Dynamite was filmed in Preston, which is about 60 miles from Pocatello. Pocatello High actually has radiators in some of it classrooms as it is a very old school. The outside of it is red brick and the campass encompasses two blocks and two buildings. There is a tennis court in front of the school and most students enter the school from the backside which is on Garfield. If you are going to write about the school, you must know about Big Gary's, which is a little store that all of the students congregated in before, during, inbetween and after classes. It has a huge gym that has old wooden bleachers. If you want to know more, e-mail me and I can arrange to get in touch with you. I think it is exciting that you are going to use Pocatello. My husband and I are originally from there. My husband lived there 50 years and I have lived either there or near there for the same. He actually graduated high school from Poky High and attended ISU in Pocatello, as did I. Thanks again for letting me share!

[tyheethan]

Are you still looking for info on Pocatello?

[clarkbird]

I realize this post is old. I came across it while searching for another topic using Google, but feel strongly enough that I have to respond. I am from Pocatello, and still live here. I also attended Pocatello High School. I hated it growing up because to me, it was boring. I was not, and am not Mormon. The mormon influence here is disturbing. My child went to her first day of school today and the first person that came up to her asked her if she was Mormon, when he found out she wasn't, he turned and walked away. That also happened to me when I went to school here. I just got used to it. I had my daughter in private school (Catholic) for that exact reason. She is now attending Middle School, and I chose to put her in public school. It will be a shock, but she'll have to face it in the future. People in Pocatello who are not Mormon, gravitate to others who are not. There isn't alot of mixture. Pocatello is a beautiful little community, with some wonderful people. Find your niche and it's a great place to live. Skiing is less than 20 minutes away. Fishing, hunting and hiking are in our back yards. We are within 2 and a half hours from large cities, lakes, desert, forrests, ghost towns, resorts, and nameless outdoor activities. Crime rate is low, housing costs are low, and the four seasons are beautiful. Weather is not too harsh. Economy is slowing down quite a bit, as we have lost some major employers. We are slowly getting smaller. As far as the posts stating the growth, I have no idea what they are talking about, unless they mean new homes. Those are from out of sate people moving here. I have no idea where they plan to work, to keep up these monsterous homes they are buying. Idahoans like Idahoans and are leary of change or outsiders. Its sad to admit, but true. However, I have met many wonderful people from other areas that have moved here and loved it, and found Pocatello warm and inviting. I think the measure of their success is that they emersed themselves in the community. They got involved in their church, mormon or not. They signed up for committees, or found groups to join. There are wonderful people here in Pocatello, but you also have some bad. But isn't that the way with any community??

If you want to know about Pocatello, ask someone who lives here. Not someone who passed through or lived here 20 years ago. If you can't find one, then please don't accept their opinion as fact. Write the local paper and have a letter to the editor put in. Not all Pocatello residents that have stayed throughout the years have internet.

By the way. High School students did not meet at Arthur and Center (it's two blocks from the school!) they would meet out by the 'Rock', senior parking lot or out 'back'. Students don't use street names.

Well, I realize again that this post was originally almost a year old, but I felt strongly that you should know some facts!
Hope I helped a bit.