History
The area's first permanent residents arrived in 1868 settling in Albion. Many Mormon pioneers, under the direction of Utah Territory Governor Brigham Young, arrived in the Oakley Valley a short time later. Cassia County was later founded on February 20, 1879 with Albion as the county seat.

Nestled four miles east of Rupert, Acequia boasts only a few more residents than its neighbor to the east, Minidoka. About 110 people call Acequia home year-round, said the city's recently retired clerk, Eldon Stephenson. Acequia was charted in August 1907. Prior to that time, the settlement was called Sherrer, after one of its first settlers. It began to grow after the Minidoka Dam was completed and water began to run through the canals to surrounding farmland.

Mayor: Larry Wall
City Council: Jeff McEwen, Alvin Castro, Darlene Moser, and Nina Stevenson.

The original Cassia County seat, Albion is set in a quiet mountain valley at the base of Mt. Harrison, about 18 miles southeast of Burley. As a tourist destination, the town is the gateway to skiing at Pomerelle Mounting Resort, camping and fishing at Lake Cleveland and historical study on the City of Rocks Backcountry Byway. Rich in history, Albion is also a popular getaway for Mini-Cassia residents who come for fine dining or to spend a weekend in the mountains. The historic campus of the former Albion State Normal School is a popular attraction, and regular events are held in the city park. The city library is open Saturdays, as is a Normal School museum on campus.

While these two communities are separated by a lot of beautiful countryside, they share a common ranching and pioneer heritage that binds them together. Nestled at the base of Cassia County's highest peaks, Elba is about 32 miles southeast of Burley, and Almo is another 12 miles south of Elba along the City of Rocks Backcountry Byway. With some of the best scenery in Mini-Cassia, the Elba-Almo valley is a popular weekend escape.

Stretching from the Snake River on the north to 27th Street on its south side, Parke Avenue on the west side and Hiland Avenue on the east, Burley is the second largest city in the Magic Valley and has no shortage of convenience. Already renowned for its quality and a selection of 46,000 titles, the Burley Library hopes to move into a new, larger facility within the next four years. Burley's schools have demonstrated a dedication to academic excellence in recent years. Meanwhile, the Newcomer Center continues its tradition of providing first-rate instruction to students with limited English language skills.

Where did they come up with a name like Declo? Legend has it Marshfield became Declo in April 1917, after it was decided the city would be named with an acronym of the first letter of the last names of the next five people who walked into the General Store. Those people were a Dethlefs, Enyart, Cooley, and either a Logan or Lewis and an Osterhout or Olsen. The last two are where the controversy lies. There are five different versions of the story, depending on who you talk to, says City Clerk Terri Koyle.

The City of Heyburn lies north of the Snake River and south of Interstate 84 between Idaho 30 and Idaho 27. It hosts several businesses, a police station, elementary school and post office. The Mini-Cassia Chamber of Commerce built its new home and Mini-Cassia Visitor's Center in Heyburn since Heyburn's central location allows easy access to visitors and locals in both the Minidoka and Cassia counties.

Situated in the heart of the Raft River Valley about 38 miles east of Burley, Malta is the center of activity for residents of eastern Cassia County stretching all the way to the Utah border. Much of Malta's events revolve around Raft River Elementary and Jr. and Sr. High School. The Raft River Trojans produce consistently top-performing athletes who take state titles at an alarming rate. Malta is a jumping-off point for hunting and other recreation in the vast wide open spaces of the Raft River Valley.

This tiny Minidoka County town, about 13 miles northeast of Rupert, has a big history and a tremendous amount of staying power. Mayor Maxine Homer has led the city for 27 years. In a town of only 103 people, she says she must be doing something right. Until a 1906 fire destroyed more than half the town, it was the original county seat. In those days, Minidoka boasted 55 businesses, all of which sat on the north side of the Oregon Short Line Railroad track. Population then was 2,000 to 2,500.

One of Cassia County's oldest communities, Oakley, is situated 20 miles south of Burley on Hwy 27. It is the western gateway to City of Rocks National Reserve and the eastern gateway to the South Hills, where an abundance of recreational opportunities abound all year round. This community is home of the world-famous Oakley Stone; Oakley Dam, the largest earthen filled dam in the world at its completion in 1911; the site of more historic homes per capita than anywhere in the U.S.; and the Oakley Valley Arts Council and Howells Opera House (one of the few continuously operating theatres built in 1907).

Mayor: Randy Jones
City Council: Garth Baker, Bruce Hossfeld, Kent McClellan, and Bob Dempsey.

Rupert has a rich heritage with a Historic Business District that extends around Rupert Square, which is the heart of Rupert. The Renaissance Arts Center, Inc. has been renovating the historic 1920 flatiron Wilson Building and Theatre for the past several years. When finished, it will house retail space, a community center and the grand theater. In the center of the Square is a park with a gazebo that hosts many annual events. Free Rupert Square walking tour brochures are available at the Minidoka County Museum or the Mini-Cassia Chamber of Commerce.

History

What is now Minidoka County was first surveyed in 1890 for a plausible location to construct a dam. On June 7, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Reclamation Act allowing construction of the dam. In 1904, the Reclamation Service reserved three-one square mile town sites for Burley, Rupert, and Riverton (now known as Heyburn).