Rexburg is located on a shield volcano, a large volcano with shallow-sloping sides. Lava rocks from as recent of 2000 years ago in open fissures have been found nearby. However, no eruptions are predicted in the near future.

Growing Rapidly
Rexburg is a city in Eastern Idaho, USA, with a population nearing 30,000 (recently soared, but the 2000 census measured it at 17,257). It's history is embedded in agricultural, and you guessed it, potatoes. The city is dominantly of the Mormon faith, or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wikipedia puts the figure at 98%. This has greatly affected all aspects of the city. Rick's College, a 2 year junior college, was just transformed into a four year university called Brigham Young University - Idaho. The student population in Rexburg has soared since then. In 2008, an LDS Temple was dedicated. At time of this posting there are only 129 operating temples, and 9 are under construction. The Rexburg Temple is the 3rd city in Idaho to have a Temple.

International Folk Dance Festival
Rexburg's main attraction is the International Folk Dance Festival. It's said to be one of the best dance festivals in North America. Hundreds of dancers from around the world visit.

Flood damage
"Rexburg was severely damaged by the Teton Dam Flood of June 1976." (Wikipedia) There's a museum in the city that depicts the tale of a city under water for several days. There are mixed feelings about rebuilding a dam over the Teton River.

Reddest place in America
"Rexburg is often referred to as the 'Reddest place in America,' owing to the area's strong conservative majority and political trends. Since 1980 no Republican presidential candidate has failed to carry the county with less than 59 percent of the vote. In that same period Republican presidential candidates polled more than 90 percent of the county's vote on two occasions, Ronald Reagan in 19843 and George W. Bush in 2004." US Elections)

It may not surprise you that Glenn Beck has Rexburg ties, growing up in the area, and sometimes comes back. He's the new face to the Conservative Movement sweeping the country with cries of "We Surround Them." (The people surround the government, they work for us, sort of attitude.)

LDS Culture
Even SLC, Utah, the heart of the Mormon community, has bars that serve alcohol. Rexburg not only banned alcohol within city limits, it doesn't allow rated R movies at its theaters. The city University is church owned and has a strict honor code that includes no wearing shorts, flip flops, no sex outside of marriage, and curfew. Breaking the honor code can result is dismissal from the school. These standards are what attract the LDS community, and probably push away members of other faiths.

Location
Rexburg is in Madison County. The nearest larger city is 30 miles south, Idaho Falls, and a couple hundred miles farther Salt Lake City, Utah. Rexburg is a hub of its smaller surrounding cities: St. Anthony, Ashton, Island Park, Driggs, and Rigby. These areas are often called the Upper Valley.

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