Rexburg Travel Guide

Rexburg was severely damaged by the Teton Dam Flood of June 1976. The Teton River flows through northern Rexburg, and left most of the city underwater for several days after the Teton Dam ruptured. The recovery was quickened due to the self-dependency and community cooperation of the people. A museum dedicated to the Teton Dam Flood and the history of Rexburg and the area, located in the basement of the Rexburg Tabernacle, has been a major city landmark for decades.

Rexburg is home to Brigham Young University-Idaho, a private institution operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The University began as a small high school-level academy on a site known as Mosquito Bend in 1888. It was later named Ricks Academy and eventually was established as Ricks College, in honor of Mormon pioneer and city founder, Thomas Edwin Ricks. At one time, Ricks College was the largest private junior college in the United States; it became a four-year college in 2001. The city takes its name from Ricks, the German form of which is "Rex".