Facts about Genesee, Idaho

Genesee at a glance

Genesee is a small city in southern Latah County, set in the rolling wheat and legume fields of the Palouse in north-central Idaho.

Quick facts

County: Latah County, Idaho
Population: 1,030 (2020 census)
Incorporated: October 23, 1889
Elevation: About 2,730 ft (830 m)
ZIP code: 83832
Time zone: Pacific (PT)
Highway: U.S. Route 95
Region: The Palouse
Named for: The Genesee Valley of western New York

Where it is

Genesee sits just off U.S. 95 on the stretch between Moscow, about 15 miles to the north, and Lewiston, about 30 miles to the south. The University of Idaho in Moscow and Washington State University in Pullman are both a short drive away, which makes Genesee a quiet home base for many families who work or study on the Palouse.

Schools

Genesee Joint School District #282 runs a single K–12 school, Genesee School, at 330 W Ash Street. Its teams are the Bulldogs, and the school colors are blue and gold.

Farming

Genesee has always been an agricultural town. The deep, wind-deposited loess soils of the Palouse grow some of the most productive dryland wheat in the country, along with barley, peas, lentils and garbanzo beans. Harvest season still sets the rhythm of the year.

Community Days

Every June the town throws Genesee Community Days, a weekend celebration that has run for more than sixty years. Past years have included a main parade and a children’s parade, the Cow Creek Run, a car show and quilt show, turtle races, a raw-egg toss, a dunk tank, a trapshoot, live music and fireworks. Watch the events calendar for this year’s dates.