Ira Burton Perrine

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30395376/ira-burton-perrine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I._B._Perrine

Ira Burton Perrine (May 7, 1861 – October 2, 1943) was an Idaho farmer, rancher and businessman. Perrine is generally credited as the founder of Twin Falls and other towns in the Magic Valley region.

Born in Delaware, Indiana, Perrine's parents were George and Sarah Burton Perrine, and he was a descendant of Daniel Perrin, "The Huguenot."[citation needed]

Idaho
Perrine moved to Idaho Territory in 1884 and established a farm and ranch operation in the Snake River Canyon near present-day Jerome.

He was a successful farmer and rancher who among other things received a gold medal for his fruit display at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. The ranch remained in the Perrine family until 1964, when it was sold and became part of Blue Lakes Country Club.

Although Perrine's operation in the canyon received plenty of water, the surrounding area could not be easily irrigated and was therefore largely unproductive. Beginning in 1893, Perrine worked to convince private financiers to build a dam on the Snake River, along with a corresponding canal system to irrigate the area. This work culminated in the 1900 founding of the Twin Falls Land and Water Company and the subsequent completion of Milner Dam in 1905.

After Twin Falls was founded in 1904, Perrine served as a bank president and owned a hotel in the new city.

Legacy

Perrine died at age 82 in 1943 and is buried at the family cemetery near his former ranch in Jerome County.

The Perrine Bridge, carrying U.S. 93 over the Snake River Canyon, is named for him, and a statue of him is outside the city's visitor center. Also named for him are an elementary school in Twin Falls and Perrine Coulee, which runs through the city and ends as a waterfall on the south rim of the canyon, west of the bridge.

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September 07, 2012 2:00 am - By Tetona Dunlap tdunlap@magicvalley.com

TWIN FALLS – Ever wonder who the person was that the Perrine Bridge is names after? It was named after I.B. Perrine, or Ira Burton Perrine, the man credited with founding Twin Falls and a founder of the Magic Valley. How did he do this? Perrine was responsible for bringing irrigation and electric power development to Southern Idaho. “He had the vision to see what the Magic Valley could be with water,” said Bill Vaughn Jr., a member of the board of directors for the Idaho Hall of Fame. Perrine is being inducted into the Idaho Hall of Fame at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 at the Twin Falls Visitors Center.

Perrine will be the first person from Jerome County to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. A plaque will be presented to the Perrine family. It makes me proud,” said Burton Perrine, the grandson of I.B. Perrine.

Families of inductees have a choice of where they want the induction ceremony to be held and the Perrine family picked during the Perrine Bridge Festival.

“He did so much for the whole Magic Valley,” said Randy Perrine, the great-grandson of I.B. Perrine. Perrine established the first farm and ranch operation in the Snake River Canyon near present-day Jerome. Although Perrine’s property could easily access water, the surrounding area could not be easily irrigated. Perrine worked to have a dam built, now known as the Milner Dam, on the Snake River with a canal system to irrigate the surrounding area.\