The town was established in 1891 on the Onweiler farm north of the present site and was called Hunter. Two years later an Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) chapter was established and adopted the name "Meridian" for its lodge, in recognition of Idaho's principle surveyor's meridian, which runs along Meridian Road as it passes through town. The town followed suit.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.84 square miles, of which just 0.05 square miles (0.1%) is water. Building an irrigation system was crucial for early settlers because having a water source was a requirement for receiving the patent for the land from the U.S. Land Office.

Meridian has been the fastest growing city in Idaho since 1994, with the population tripling between 1990 and 2000, and more than doubling between 2000 and 2007.

The Idaho State Police is headquartered in Meridian and the state police academy is housed on its campus. All police officers statewide are required to attend basic training at the facility.

The darkest days of the Great Depression brightened for area dairymen when the Ada County Dairymen's cooperative creamery began operation in 1929. It provided milk checks to those who were members of the cooperative, enabling them to pay their taxes and provide food for their families. This part of the community's history is still celebrated annually during Meridian Dairy Days in June.

It may not be considered Eastwood's best film, but Bronco Billy was a fun movie filled with great Idaho scenery.

The Owyhee Mountains of southwestern Idaho were one of the last explored areas in the lower 48 states. The terrain in the region is rugged and contains 154 named mountains, the highest and most prominent of which is Hayden Peak (8,419 ft/2,566 m).

Meridian is home to the world's largest Albertsons. Albertsons Market Street opened its doors in March 2019, eighty years after founder Joe Albertson opened the very first Albertsons at 16th and State streets in Boise. The original store was 10,000 square feet, but the Market Street location is over 100,000 square feet, meaning that you could fit TEN of the first stores into this one!

Gracie Pfost quit Meridian High School at age 16 and worked as a milk analyst at a dairy in Nampa before becoming the first woman to represent Idaho in the United States Congress, serving five terms as a Democrat in the House of Representatives.

Treasure Valley is a valley in the western United States, primarily in southwestern Idaho, where the Payette, Boise, Weiser, Malheur, Owyhee, and Burnt rivers drain into the Snake River. It includes all the lowland areas from Vale in rural eastern Oregon to Boise, and is the most populated area in Idaho.