People began to settle in Nampa in the early 1880s with the construction of a rail line. The Oregon Short Line Railroad constructed a railway line from Granger, in Wyoming, all the way to Huntington, in Oregon. More railroad lines sprung up in Nampa, making it a popular railroad town. Alexander and Hannah Duffes established the first homesteads and formed the Nampa Land and Improvement Company. More homesteads were established in the town, and Nampa was incorporated in 1891. Fun fact about Nampa, its historic roads run perpendicular to the railroad tracks that run northwest to southeast through the town, unlike most towns whose roads run true north and south. Lake Ethel was commonplace for recreational activities such as picnicking, hunting, and fishing. Nampa auctioned the lake, and E.H Dewey, a former mayor, was the only bidder. Dewey later drained the lake because of numerous lawsuits brought on by the lake’s flooding. The first elementary school was built in the 1890s, and the building is still present to this day; it is still used by the Idaho Arts Charter School. Agriculture has been a big part of Nampa, and the city has been holding an annual harvest festival and farmers' market since 1908. The Name Nampa is believed to come from a Shoshoni word that means either moccasin or footprint.

After purchasing one of the Nampa houses for sale and you have settled in well, one of the things you can do in the city is to visit the Warhawk Air Museum. The museum is located at the Nampa Municipal Airport and displays aircraft used in war. The museum also teaches about the history of WWI, WWII, the Vietnam War, and technology used during the Cold War. The museum has also partnered with the Library of Congress on a project known as the Veterans History Project. Soon, residents of the city will learn the history of World War II, Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf Wars through the stories of men and women who served in these wars.

While living in Nampa, another thing you can do is visit the Nampa Train Depot. At Nampa Train Depot, you will find the Canyon County Historical Museum. It is located in Oregon in the historic ShortLine Depot within Downtown Nampa. This place served as a station until 1927 before becoming an office for railroad employees. The building was donated to the Canyon County Historical Society, which restored it and converted it into a museum in 1976. The museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is staffed 100% by volunteers.

Another thing you can do is attend the Snake River Stampede & Rodeo. The Snake River Stampede & Rodeo is among the ten regular professional rodeos and the most popular rodeo in the city. Fans travel from outside the city to watch the bronco riders perform. In addition to the bronco riding events, you can also watch comedy skits with rodeo clowns, mutton busting, and calf scramble, among other events. The rodeo is usually held for five days every year during the third week of July.