American Falls Canal and Power Company (Idaho)

American Falls Canal and Power Co. (AFCPC) formed in 1896 to build a canal in the Blackfoot, Idaho area. Later other canal and land companies were established to work with AFCPC.

From the description of American Falls Canal and Power Company papers, 1894-1923. (Utah State University). WorldCat record id: 16515910

The American Falls Canal & Power Company was formed in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1896, to take advantage of government land made available by the passage of the Carey Land Act in 1892 and by the subsequent passage of the Idaho Irrigation District Law in 1895. These laws allowed individuals to purchase land at 15 cents per acre with the stipulation that they had irrigation water available. The American Falls Canal & Power Company contracted with the state of Idaho to provide irrigation water at the rate of $15 dollars per share in the Blackfoot, Idaho area. To build this canal it was originally estimated that the cost would run about $325,000 dollars. The funding for this project came from the Utah Mortgage & Loan Company, of Logan, Utah.

With the development of irrigation canals in the Blackfoot area it became profitable to establish other canal and land companies to work hand-in-hand with the American Falls Canal & Power Company (six of these companies were from Utah). The American Falls Canal & Power Company operated for 18 years until February 27, 1914, when the company filed for bankruptcy.

From the guide to the American Falls Canal and Power Company papers, 1894-1923, (Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives)