About Shelley

In the spring of 1885 John F. Shelley, George, and James Steele, left their homes in American Fork, Utah, with a light wagon loaded with a month's supply of provisions and headed north to Idaho where they heard there were fine opportunities for young men to secure good land and make comfortable homes. Upon arriving in the Snake River Valley in southeastern Idaho, they found the grass tall and green, because of the abundance of rain fall, and wild flowers growing everywhere.

They traveled to Eagle Rock, now known as Idaho Falls, then to Iona, the farming section to the east. After choosing tracts of land to homestead they returned to American Fork for their families and the rest of their belongings.

John F. Shelley was especially impressed with the area ten miles south of Idaho Falls. Several times he had made trips to this area and could see the possibilities of the land and the prospects for water with which to irrigate it.

A few families were scattered through out the area, and Mr. Shelley decided to establish a mercantile business and lay out a town site. Having used his homestead right in Iona, Mrs. Shelley filed on 160 acres of the land, and in the spring of 1892. Mr. Shelley built the first store, barn and residence.

Mr. Shelley desperately needed building supplies, yet at this time there was no scheduled train stop. But Mr. Shelley persuaded the railroad company officials to stop the train long enough for a carload of lumber to be unloaded. The lumber was thrown carelessly from both sides of the train car in order to keep from holding up the train to long.

In the fall of 1892, Mr. Shelley moved his family to their new home, platted a town site, and began selling city lots to the people who came to seek new homes. A name was needed for the growing town. Mrs. Shelley suggested Shelco, and Mr. Shelley suggested Shelton. The name Shelco was submitted to the Oregon Short Line Railroad Company who had constructed the railroad spur. The railroad company replied, "Name your town what you wish. We have already named the spur Shelley".