Steve Kohntopp was born in Twin Falls, ID and raised on a farm north of Filer. After graduating from Filer High School in 1959 he attended the University of Washington graduating in 1964 from Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and a minor in Geography.
Mr. Kohntopp has had a life long love of history eventually leading to a Master of Arts in Archaeology and Heritage in 2001 from the University of Leicester in England. He is a registered professional archaeologist and member of the Society of American Archaeology and the Archaeological Institute of America.
He is the author of a book published by the Center for the Study of the First Americans at Texas A&M entitled: The Simon Clovis Cache: One of Idaho’s Oldest Archaeological Sites.
He has also published articles on ancient caches in the Idaho Archaeologist and am currently a member of the Idaho Archaeology Society and its Snake River Chapter. He is also a member of the Twin Falls County Historic Preservation Commission, a trustee of the Idaho Heritage Trust, and a board member of the Center for the Study of the First Americans at Texas A&M.
He currently resides on a family farm north of Filer, Idaho with his wife Gail.