'The World's Largest Horseshoe' Is A Quirky Idaho Town With A Warm Community And Historic Charm

No other country brings whimsical charm to its destinations quite like America. From the unique roadside stops that make American road trips so special like the Mitchell Corn Palace or the Pops 66 Soda Ranch to the peculiar oddities of the Museum of the Weird in Austin, the U.S. excels in quirk and curiosity. So it is perhaps no surprise that, in Idaho, about 1,500 people live in a horseshoe, or at least in a town shaped like one.

This horseshoe-shaped town is called New Plymouth, and it is found in Payette County, Idaho. Named after Plymouth, Massachusetts, the town boasts a fascinating history and an innovative — if bizarre — design tied to the foundation and development of the American West.

The community of New Plymouth is understandably proud of their delightful little slice of eccentric American history. The combination of thought-provoking design, interesting historic charm, and warm, welcoming ambiance makes the town a wonderful place to visit and a great base from which to explore the beautiful landscapes of West Idaho and the Snake River Basin.

Exploration and development driven by irrigation

The Snake River is at the heart of the story of New Plymouth. The town was originally planned and designed by William E. Smythe, the chairman of the National Irrigation Congress and a pioneer of irrigation. He determined this method of channeling water was an essential aspect of the colonization of the American West. He founded the New Plymouth Society of Chicago and bought the land for his project, a new colony town that could take advantage of the abundant water supply of the Snake River. 

Founded in 1896, New Plymouth is small, measuring just under 0.7 square miles, and is set out in a distinctive and unusual double-horseshoe shape. Canals and ditches run alongside the roads, making the town fully self-sustaining when it comes to water, as every landowner can benefit from a plentiful supply of water. 

New Plymouth was designed as a model for colonization, a vision of an ideal settlement that allowed its inhabitants "to be able to turn on the rain, and then turn it off again," according to Benjamin P. Shawhan, one of the founders of the town. It remains the only horseshoe-shaped town in the U.S., a true icon of American ingenuity and oddity!

The charm of small-town Midwest life

A visit to New Plymouth should always begin on the Boulevard, the original setting of the town, and the main residential thoroughfare. A stroll along this horseshoe-shaped street flanked by canals and waterways gives you a clear picture of the town's design and concept, and some insight into the original vision of William E. Smythe. Keep an eye out for New Plymouth's five original working waterwheels, located on Southwest First Avenue.

History buffs will want to make a stop at the Tuttle Blacksmith & Welding Shop, the oldest remaining building in New Plymouth. This was one of the first businesses in New Plymouth and remains a going concern to this day, a testament to the town's dedication to preserving its history. Families whose visit coincides with the fair might want to head to Payette County Fairgrounds on the northeast edge of town to enjoy the delightful ambiance of a local county fair. With great food, games, a changing program of exhibits, and even a rodeo, it is a classic slice of charming small-town Americana that shouldn't be missed. As you continue your Idaho vacation, visit an underrated town that "defines natural beauty" and serves as a gateway to the Sawtooth Mountains.

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