How can you not be happy in a land of potatoes? Well, apparently someone wasn't and it caused such an uproar that a law was created to protect the locals from seeing frowning faces. That's right, it is against the law to be seen in public without a smile (although this law is not really enforced these days).
Burley was incorporated into Cassia County around 1890 and was named after a passenger agent for the Oregon Short Line Railroad company, David Weber Lee. He grew sugar beets in the area and sparked a farming frenzy. Soon, people began flooding into the area to work on the neighboring farms and to sell their crops. Burley is one city where the grass is definitely greener and the air is most certainly cleaner. The average climate in this area hovers around the mid-70s and 80s -- although, it isn't unheard of to reach the 100s during the hot summer months of June, July, and August.
Moving to Burley
When it comes to moving to Burley, Idaho, timing is of the essence since this area doesn't have many apartments to spare. In fact, Burley, is mainly a hot bed for a townhomes, houses for rent and condos. However, if you're trying to find an apartment in Burley, there are plenty of 1 bedroom apartments and 2 bedroom apartments for rent. If you're lucky, you may also find all bills paid apartments (although these apartments do not come on to the market as regularly as the others).
Begin your search around spring or summer when more apartments are traditionally on the market. As previously mentioned, there aren't many apartments to spare, mainly because the residents like it that way. In general, though, Idaho is a vast state with lots of land and that land is usually occupied by houses.
If you are looking to settle here in an apartment, townhome. or condo, have a few documents on hand to help you get your foot in the door sooner:
Identification Card and Social Security Card
If you don't have an ID, bring another form of legal and acceptable identification.
Deposit and Application Fee
It is perfectly normal for apartment complexes and realty management companies to run credit checks on potential applicants. You will most likely be charged for this service. The application may also cost.
References
Okay, you don't have to drag Grandma Joan along with you to your viewing, but you will need to being your her contact details (if she's your reference). Make it a rule of thumb to provide at least 4 references for the rental apartments to contact.
Previous Residence Details
This includes address and the years you lived here. Make sure to get in touch with your most recent landlord -- the new apartment complex will want to contact him or her as a reference and to check your rent worthiness.
Proof of Employment and Income
Contact the apartments to see what they'd accept here, but as a rule of thumb they generally want to see some form of receipt of payment. For this, you can supply a bank statement, hire letter or most recent 3 pay stubs. If you are self-employed, you may bring along proof such as Articles of Incorporation, Fictitious Name Business Certificate and/or recent income tax letter.
Neighborhoods in Burley
There aren't any neighborhoods in Burley, so don't expect to find a particular area of interest here. Since the area is widely spread out, there are a few parts worth mentioning, but they are usually mentioned by landmark. For example, it you want to move to an area that's a little to the east of the downtown area, you'd just refer to it as East Burley or Miner Lake.
Living in Burley
Although Burley, Idaho sounds like the name of a fat potato, that isn't at all what you see around here. Burley is one of the most beautiful towns you'll ever lay your eyes on. In fact, many of the pictures you see hanging in restaurants and libraries that depict large open field ranches with semi-transparent mountains in the background were taken right here in Idaho near Burley. This area is chock-full of beautiful mountains, large fields, and majestic lakes.
Okay, granted this isn't New York City, but that doesn't mean there aren't things do around here. For one, there's a huge lake running right along the northern border of the city. This lake -- Miner Lake -- is as beautiful as any of the lakes you'd find in Canada or even Texas for that matter. Take your boat out for a spin or cast your nets deep to make an adventure out of your time here.
If you're not into sightseeing, perhaps you're into a few other opportunities that the area has to offer, like getting out of town! As much as the locals love living in Burley, they also love to get out of town and they do so often, thanks to the Burley Municipal Airport conveniently located in town. The airport mainly serves local airlines, but you might see a few international names flying about (pun intended).
One of the most comprehensive historical archiving centers known to the United States is located right here in Burley. The LDS Family History Center is a catalog of United States immigrants and residents spanning all the way back to the 1800s.
Tour around and shop to your heart's content. Although this town is a little on the small side when compared to its neighbors, it is still full of shopping centers, department stores, and local restaurants. If you really want to see what the latest styles are or just make a few changes to your home decor, take a drive up to Miner Lake to J.C. Penney or travel to the other side of the lake to Bealls.