Mountain Home is the largest city and county seat of Elmore County, Idaho. The population was 11,143 at the 2000 census . The mayor of the city is Tom Rist. Mountain Home Air Force Base, an ACC installation, is located 12 miles (19 km) southwest of the city. Opened in 1943, MHAFB was originally a bomber training base during World War II. Later an operational SAC bomber base, it switched to TAC and fighters in 1966. Mountain Home is the principal city of the Mountain Home, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Elmore County. "Mountain Home" was originally a post office at Rattlesnake Station, a stagecoach stop on the Overland Stage Line, about seven miles (11 km) east of the city, on present-day US-20. With the addition of the Oregon Short Line railroad in 1883, the post office was moved to the city's present site.