Panoramic view of Pocatello from the West Bench in about 1889. The townsite had been restricted until the previous year by the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, upon which construction or occupation by non-Indians was illegal. In 1889 Pocatello was most certainly a company town. Pocatello Creek is the prominent canyon in the center background. Directly below it is Oregon Short Line shop facility and the old coal tipple (long dark building). The original route of the Utah & Northern Railway is the faint white line on the flat in the middle distance. The narrow gauge Utah & Northern tracks head north in the left center, along the present-day Yellowstone Branch. The Y-shaped area between the Oregon Short Line and the Utah & Northern became a logical place for the railroad shops. This necessitated expansion of the railroad's facilities which was accomplished by the treaty of 1888. On the extreme right is the Pacific Hotel, a combination passenger station, hotel, and dining room for railroad passengers. The Mansard Roof was added in about 1885. The Freight Depot is in the middle right north of the Pacific Hotel. The square houses on the left center of the photo are along North Harrison Street and comprise Company Row, made of houses moved into Pocatello from Eagle Rock, Battle Creek, and Omaha by the railroad to house employees.

There are at least two reasons this picture looks alien. The mountains in the background have been retouched and thus can not be matched to the actual mountains. Secondly, there are no trees. All the trees in Pocatello have been planted, as indeed have all the trees except cottonwoods and junipers from here west to Boise. Photo from Abe Lillibridge collection, Idaho State University.