Austin Stover grew up helping his mother care for a petunia bed beside their house in Kansas. He moved here to help make Blackfoot bloom.
Upon Austin’s graduation from Kansas Agricultural College, where he majored in floriculture and dairying, he was invited by his uncle, Manny Austin, to come to Blackfoot and build a greenhouse. Mr. Austin already had a greenhouse at his home at 252 S.E. Main that he built in 1915-16, which stocked his wife’s retail flower shop “Ye Posie Shoppe” on the corner of Pacific and Ash Streets, Blackfoot’s first flower shop. Later, she moved the shop to South Broadway, sold it to Teresa Dayley, and it became Dayley Floral and Gifts. Her name was Capitola (Cap) Austin, and she was best known for her years of teaching school around town.
In 1924, Austin Stover, in partnership with his uncle, began to build greenhouses at what would now be called 1500 W. Bridge — where Sage Trucking students currently practice their driving skills. Several additional greenhouses were added until 1946, peaking at 20,000 square feet of growing space under glass. He raised all sorts of seasonal flowers, in addition to many vegetables for market. Using the railroad, Stover shipped blooms as far away as Salt Lake City, Utah, and Helena, Montana. His retail business also thrived. No one else was selling flowers and plants in 1924. Austin stated once that he “had watched Blackfoot grow from two hundred plants to tens of thousands.” School tours of his greenhouses always ended with Austin cutting a carnation for each child.
During those years, Austin met his future wife, Opal Campbell, at the Dustin Drug store on Broadway. They married in 1936 and had three children. The family enjoyed fishing and bought the third boat in Blackfoot. Both sang in the Methodist Church choir — Austin for 50 years and Opal for an amazing 70 years. Both were involved in most of the clubs around town and served in all the top positions.
Austin belonged to the Idaho State Florist Association and became president of the Northwest Floral Association, planning and hosting their first convention in Idaho, which was held in Sun Valley. Then he spent 10 years on the school board, during the building of the current high school.
After 39 years in the greenhouse, Austin sold the business in 1963. He and Opal moved to California for a year, but Blackfoot called him home. Austin worked another six years in the Starch Plant and stayed active in the community and in civic affairs. He spent 10 years on the City Council, where he worked on the plans for the swimming pool on South Fisher.
We lost Austin Stover in 1997, and again, Opal outlasted him, living another nine years. All this information, and more, is from the records of the Bingham County Historical Society.
