Our Historic Past
When you walk through our doors, you’re inside the oldest standing building in the City of Rupert. Our Banquet room was built in 1908 and became the Commercial Bank in 1909. The corner lot Rupert First National Bank building was built in 1917 and now houses our dining room and lounge.
Lending a perspective on society at the time, intricate small-piece tile work adorns the ground-story floors with tile patterns popular at the time. Ever adaptable, these walls hosted lawyers, doctors & dentists as well as served as quarters for land agents, social reformers, and dance halls. The building became known as the Drift Inn in 1963 when Thelma Ennis introduced her finger steaks, which quickly became a local favorite.
The Drift was operated by relatives of the Ennis family for 41 years until it was purchased by Charlie & Lori Creason in 2004. In early 2021, Duane & Kim Grant partnered with Jennifer Peterson and Cory Thain to continue preserving this establishment’s great legacy. These Rupert natives have taken every measure to preserve and improve this historic building for future generations.
Henry’s at the Drift Inn is named in honor of Henry Vernon Creason, a prominent local attorney who began practicing law in Rupert in 1919 from his office in the second story of the building. H.V. or “Hank” as he was fondly called, served as Minidoka County Prosecutor, Rupert City Councilman, and held many other civic and community jobs. He was known for years as “Chuck Wagon Hank” at the annual Rupert 4th of July Jamboree.
Henry was fond of telling his dinner hosts “…this was the best meal I’ve ever had.”
We hope you feel the same!
The Drift Inn 