Cassia County, Idaho
| Cassia County, Idaho | ||
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 Location in the U.S. state of Idaho |
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 Idaho's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | February 20, 1879 | |
| Named for | Cassia Creek | |
| Seat | Burley | |
| Largest city | Burley | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2,580 sq mi (6,682 km2) | |
| • Land | 2,565 sq mi (6,643 km2) | |
| • Water | 15 sq mi (39 km2), 0.6% | |
| Population | ||
| • (2010) | 22,952 | |
| • Density | 8.9/sq mi (3/km²) | |
| Congressional district | 2nd | |
| Time zone | Mountain: UTC-7/-6 | |
| Website | www |
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Cassia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 22,952. The county seat and largest city is Burley.
Cassia County is included in the Burley, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area.
The first Europeans explored the Milner area in Cassia County in 1911. It was trappers who initially developed the Oregon Trail, which ran on the county's northern border. The Raft River's junction with the Oregon Trail marked the split for the California Trail. While the Oregon and California trails brought hundreds of thousands of emigrants through Cassia County, it also brought settlers. A Stage line through the county was established between Kelton, Utah and Boise, Idaho in 1869. A stage station existed at City of Rocks. Additional stations were spaced at increments of 10-12 miles between stations to include one at Oakley Meadows, located in the Goose Creek valley two miles west of the present settlement of Oakley. William Oakley settled at the Oakley Meadows station in 1870. Cattle operations also developed starting in 1872. Settlement commenced at nearby Albion in 1873 with significant Mormon settlement there starting in 1875. By 1880, Albion contained a population of 257. Mormon settlement at Oakley also commenced June 1, 1878 when four Mormon men each staked out 160 acres for their settlement. Settlements remained primarily agricultural with more than 38,000 head of cattle located in the area by 1885. Settlement at Malta occurred prior to 1890, as the Malta precinct was enumerated with 172 residents at the 1890 census. Albion State Normal School was established at Albion in 1893. The school was focused on training Idaho teachers until 1951 when its programs were transferred to Idaho State College (now Idaho State University) in Pocatello.
Burley was platted and settled in 1905 after a branch of the Oregon Shortline was constructed through the town. Declo was settled under the name of Marshfield by 1909.
Cassia County was created from [[Owyhee County, Idaho|Owyhee County on February 20, 1879 with Albion becoming the county seat. A western portion became Twin Falls County in 1907. The county assumed its present boundaries when an eastern portion became Power County on January 30, 1913. The county seat was moved to Burley in 1918. The county was named for Cassia Creek, which in turn was named either for John Cazier, a member of the Mormon Battalion and an emigrant train captain, or for a plant found in the area.
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