Tour: Swan Falls Dam

Join City Club of Boise members for a guided tour of the Swan Falls Dam site.

The Swan Falls Museum is located within the historic powerhouse which is a result of four phases of construction between 1900 and 1913. The powerhouse was decommissioned after the new plant was completed and came on-line in 1994. To mitigate decommissioning of the National Register of Historic Places-listed plant, the structure of the historic powerhouse was retained as well as some of the original power-generation equipment and interpretive displays were installed that primarily highlight the difference between constructing such a facility in 1900 vs. 1994.  After years of delays, the interpretive displays of the museum have been improved (new this year) and now feature a broader treatment of pertinent subjects including geology, birds of prey, Pre-contact Native Americans of the area, Native plants, the history of project construction, and the technology of hydroelectric production and transmission.

Photo courtesy of Idaho Power Company

The tour takes about 1 to 1.5 hours. Depending on time constraints, the tour could also include a look at the nearby Swan Falls Boardinghouse (built in 1901) that housed company workers into the 1960s. The project area also features a park with a group shelter, numerous picnic tables, and public restrooms.

Tour guide: Tyrone Corn. Tyrone has worked for Idaho Power Company for 18 years and has managed the cultural resource compliance needs of the Swan Falls Project for most of that time.  Ty earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Idaho – a long time ago. 

When: Saturday, May 18, 2024 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Where: Swan Falls Dam https://www.google.com/maps/dir//43.242749,-116.376353/@43.2425708,-116.4587077,12z?entry=ttu 

The site is located along the Snake River about 20 miles south of Kuna, Idaho.

All participants are required to wear comfortable closed toed shoes (no heels).

Plenty of parking is located near the restroom, which is where we'll begin our tour.

Event Cost: $15 City Club members // $20 non-members

City Club thanks our Annual Sponsors University of Idaho, Boise State University School of Public Service, City of Boise, and the 2024 Forum Series sponsors: AARP of Idaho,  Idaho Education Association, SelectHealth, Small Mine Development, and St. Luke's. Our media partners are Boise State Public Radio and Idaho Public Television. The Osher Lifetime Learning Institute is our Community Partner. This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, the state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

If you have any questions, call 208-364-4614 and staff can assist you.