CHARLES C. TAUTPHAUS, OF GERMAN ANCESTRY, AND SARAH KANE, FROM IRELAND, WERE BOTH IMMIGRANTS TO AMERICA. THEY MET IN CALIFORNIA, WHERE THEY MARRIED AND HAD FIVE DAUGHTERS. THE FAMILY TRAVELED BY COVERED WAGON TO BUTTE CITY, MONTANA, WHERE THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL AT MINING, FREIGHTING AND FARMING.

IN 1884, THEY PURCHASED TWO SECTIONS OF GOVERNMENT LAND IN EAGLE ROCK (IDAHO FALLS). USING PRIMITIVE EQUIPMENT, THEY TRANSFORMED THE DESERT INTO A FARM WHICH INCLUDED A WOODED HILLSIDE, POPLAR-LINED DRIVES, AN APPLE ORCHARD, AND A SIX-ACRE LAKE WITH A WATERFALL. THE LAKE, WHERE THE SUNKEN BASEBALL DIAMOND NOW EXISTS, WAS A CENTER OF SOCIAL ACTIVITY, WITH PICNICKING, BOATING AND SWIMMING IN THE SUMMER AND ICE SKATING IN THE WINTER.

TO IRRIGATE HIS LAND AND THAT OF OTHERS, CHARLES HELPED FORM THE IDAHO CANAL COMPANY IN 1889, AND DESIGNED A 30-MILE CANAL FROM THE SNAKE RIVER TO THE BLACKFOOT RIVER.

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THIS PARK WAS OWNED BY THE RENO FAMILY AND CALLED RENO PARK. IT WAS PURCHASED BY THE CITY IN 1935 AND NAMED TAUTPHAUS PARK IN 1943 TO HONOR ITS ORIGINAL DEVELOPER.

CHARLES (1841-1906), AND SARAH (1840-1917), ARE BURIED IN THE CEMETERY NEXT TO THEIR BELOVED PARK IN A PLOT MARKED BY A LARGE STONE CROSS.

The lake was to be the focal point of the family dream. Remember, there were no dams on the river nor man made lakes or reservoirs around at that time. No Palisades Reservoir, Blackfoot Reservoir, Island Park Reservoir, American Falls Reservoir, Jackson Lake, Gem Lake - - - You get the idea, a lake here in the middle of the desert was unheard of.

With work horses and equipment, the lake was dug. The locals thought Tautphaus was a bit strange for digging his lake in the middle of the desert where there wasn't any water. His plan was to get water from Sand Creek several miles north east of his ranch. He started digging a canal from Sand Creek but abandoned it when he found out what the natives already knew; that Sand Creek wasn't a dependable source of water. Water would have to come from the Snake River later.

Tautphaus and The Idaho Canal Company

The Tautphaus Lake

Took several years to build in the latter 1880's.

Several more years to get water to it in 1890.

6 acres in size and beautifully landscaped with trees, bushes, flowers, and apple orchard to the north.

Used for picnicking, boating and swimming in the summer and ice skating in the winter.

Complete with boat house and a raft in middle.

Abandoned about 1947 because of several drownings and the related liability.

West quarter of the lake was filled in to create a large picnic shelter and parking lot.

1886-1909

Boosters

Club Era

1909-1914

Reno Era

1912-1932

City Park Era

Tautphaus Park with its beautiful tree lined lake and fair grounds became the center of community events and leisure activities. It was a must see for all visitors to the area.

The Reno Era

J. Frank Reno met his wife while working as a cowboy in Utah. He then owned a dairy farm near Dillon, and in 1884 became partner in a Blackfoot toll bridge. Reno later acquired and developed a 2,000 acre spread now known as the Reno Ranch 20 miles north-west of Mud Lake. Reno operating vast sheep, horse and cattle holdings in Lemhi, Clark and Jefferson Counties.

In 1912 he probably leased rather than purchased Tautphaus Park from the Idaho Falls Boosters Club for use as a show place for his award winning Cotswold and Hamshire sheep, and his shorthorn cattle. Tautphaus Park now became known as Reno Park.

Some time later the Boosters Club transferred their interest in the Park to the Bonneville County Fair Association who later abandoned them property in 1914, because of over-whelming debt. This voided Reno's interest in the Park and the property reverted back to Sarah Tautphaus..

Frank Reno purchases Reno Park

In 1915 Frank Reno purchased the park from Sarah Tautphaus, and announced plans to build a handsome residence and improve the property and assist in every way in conducting the best county fair and livestock show in the state.

Times were great and Reno grew his vast empire to encompass holdings in counties. His son Torrey once said that his dad often kept $100,000 in his checking account.

Unfortunately times sometimes change for the worse. Shortly after World War I, the economy faltered and the once vast Reno empire completely collapsed and left them with nothing. Reno never was able to recover and died in 1925.

In 1920, the Reno Park property reverted once more to Sarah Tautphaus.

Mena Reno buys Reno Park

In 1922, Frank Reno's 34 year old daughter Mena Reno purchases the 39 acre park property. Even though it was a private park, the county fair, rodeo, Pioneer Day and Independence Day celebrations continued to be held there. I would suspect that fees were collected much as Sealander Park does today.

Unfortunately, in 1932, Mena Reno lost the property during the depression through a foreclosure by the American National Bank, a forerunner of today's U S Bank.

In 1912, $5,000 was raised to finance the first War Bonnet Rodeo. It ran for 5 days at Reno Park in September 1912. It continues to this day.

In 1915 one of the first full featured movies filmed in Idaho was shot at Reno Park. It was a Wild West movie entitled "The Cow Puncher" produced by a Chicago company and captured cowboys and Indians participating in the annual roundup, portraying what the real west was really like.

City of Idaho Falls buys Park property.

Reno Park now become known as City Park. In 1934 the City signed an option to purchase the Reno Park property for $13,500 from the American National Bank. The option was for $1,000 to be paid at signing with the balance to be paid the following year to secure the deed. The acreage was 61.28 acres. In 1942 the city purchased the east 24.7 acres from D. F. Richards, the president of the American National Bank, for $7,944. Until it was grassed and included in the park system, the City used to rent the farm ground to my older brother Henry. As a youth I used to work on the ground during the summers while in his employ.

Log structures built in 1934 by the Workers Progress Administration, (WPA). $62,000 was spent for log structures and other improvements. Rest room, shower and dressing rooms near lake. Home for caretaker. Two large horse barns.

Huge exhibition building.

Heated housing for monkey & birds, etc.

Service building for zoo.

Animal pens & shelters for zoo animals.

City Park renamed Tautphaus Park 1943

Amusement Park & Concession Stand.