Workin’ It: A mash made in heaven at the Idaho Potato Museum

BLACKFOOT — I was a young newspaper reporter fresh out of college, working for the Blackfoot Morning News, when the Idaho Potato Museum first opened its doors in 1988. It was a big deal for the small Bingham County community, and our newsroom was busy covering its grand opening.

Fast forward a few decades, and I’m still in the news business — only this time, I had the chance to actually work at the museum for my EastIdahoNews.com Workin’ It feature.

The museum has come a long way since its early days, now featuring a fun gift shop and café in addition to new exhibits.

Executive Director Tish Dahmen gave me a personal tour of the historic 1913 railroad depot that houses the museum. Inside, visitors can check out early potato-farming tools and vintage harvesters to quirky things like the world’s largest potato chip and a collection of Mr. Potato Head toys.

I spent part of my day in the Potato Station Café, where Café Manager Kat showed me how to serve up a mashed potato bowl — which I got to eat afterward.

The café offers Idaho spuds in every form imaginable, from loaded baked potatoes and hand-cut fries to cupcakes, rolls, and ice cream made from — of course — potatoes.

The museum’s Spud Seller Gift Shop is a lively place filled with a variety of Idaho-themed keepsakes. Store manager Maddie put me to work counting, folding and stacking Idaho T-shirts, one of their best-selling items.

I chatted with some tourists from California snapping selfies in front of the museum’s iconic giant baked potato — a favorite photo spot for visitors from around the world.

What a great day Workin’ It at the Idaho Potato Museum! Whether you’re a local who has never been or a visitor passing through Blackfoot, come explore this spud-tacular taste of Idaho history.

And of course, don’t forget there’s always “Free Taters for Out-of-Staters.”

For more information on the Idaho Potato Museum, visit idahopotatomuseum.com.

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