Secrets of the Magic Valley and Hagerman's Remarkable Horse

by Todd Shallat

In Idaho's Magic Valley, water transformed a desert into a significant agricultural region. Here fur trappers encountered Snake River Native Americans; Oregon Trail emigrants suffered deprivation and death; miners rushed for placer gold; and an ancestor of the modern horse was found in a world-class fossil trove that would become a national monument site.

This book tells the story of the development of the Magic Valley in south-central Idaho, and of the remarkable discoveries that have shaped the understanding of that region's history.

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2002

About the author

Todd Shallat directs the Center for Idaho History and Politics at Boise State University. He is the author of five books and the editor-coauthor of another eight concerning history, engineering, and deserts. Historical essays span thirty-five years and more than forty academic publications. Literary honors include the Henry Adam Prize for historical writing, the Abel Wolman Award for engineering history, and two annual Idaho Book Awards. In 2002, Shallat was named the Carnegie Foundation’s Idaho Professor of the Year.