Heating plant open house set for April 12

Published by admin on Wed, 04/09/2025 - 7:00pm

A piece of Weiser history is on the market. The heating plant, located behind the Intermountain Institute, is for sale. Realtor Andrea Merrill will have an open house on Saturday, April 12 for people to come view the historic building. The open house will be from noon to 3 p.m. Photos courtesy of Tour Factory and Andrea Merrill
By: 
Pat Caldwell
WEISER – An open house slated Saturday, April 12, will showcase a renowned local piece of history at the Intermountain Institute. 
 The open house – from noon until 3 p.m. – will feature the heating plant for the institute and is open to the public, said Andrea Merrill, of LPT Realty.
 “It is 2.88 acres and includes two parcels,” said Merrill.
 Merrill said the house is up for sale for $470,000. 
 Now a residential home and up for sale, the heating plant is part of the historic Intermountain Institute facility and stands at 2480 Galey Street. The heating plant features two bedrooms, two baths and 1,800 finished square feet of living space. 
 “This building is really unique and so cool,” said Merrill.
 The heating plant served the institute on the grounds for decades. The institute was a boarding school, and the institute grounds included nine buildings. The institute was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The facility also hosts the Snake River Heritage Center. 
 “The institute itself got started in the 1890s,” said longtime Weiser resident and Idaho Humanities Council member Tony Edmondson.
 Edmondson said multi-story, frame buildings “occupied the site originally.”
 Another unusual feature of the buildings was their construction. Each of the nine structures was built using cast concrete. Cast concrete is concrete poured and cured at the construction site and used for big and complicated structural projects. 
 “The first of the monumental concrete buildings was Beardsley Hall built in 1907,” said Edmondson. He said after Beardsley Hall was constructed other structures – such as Slocum Hall, built in 1909 and a gym – were added to the complex. 
 “Once a couple of those monumental buildings was constructed the heating plant was built. The plant was built to provide heat to those buildings,” said Edmondson. 
 The facility was later closed because of the Great Depression.
 Merrill said the current owners bought the former heating plant in 2020 and “loved living there.”
 “They’ve put several hundred thousand dollars into the property,” said Merrill.
 Merrill said an appraisal has been completed for the property.
 Merrill said the residence also contains 640 feet of storage space.
 Merrill said after the open house the only way to see the former heating plant will be by appointment.
 “There is so much history and stories that during the last month, while getting it ready and preparing it for the market, we’ve had over two dozen contractors there and they are so in love with this house,” said Merrill.
 The sellers have planted more than 200 trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, said Merrill. 
 

Category:

Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

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