Saturday November 07, 2009
11-05-2009 CRAPO: ARTIFICIAL DEADLINE RUSHES CLIMATE CHANGE BILL
Washington, DC – Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee issued this statement following...(More)
10-29-2009 IDAHO LOCATIONS NAMED AS POTENTIAL HOME OF F-35'S
Washington, DC—Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressmen Mike Simpson and Walt Minnick have notified commanders at Mountain Home...(More)
10-29-2009 CRAPO: HEALTH COSTS MUST BE LOWERED
Washington, DC – Idaho Senator Mike Crapo says the health care debate in Congress continues to miss one of the leading points being made by Americans:...(More)
Owyhee Initiative
Links and information on the Owyhee Initiative.
Visiting DC?
Find out about popular government buildings and monuments you can visit on your trip.
Flag Day
Find out more about Flag Day 2009
Latest Video
Latest Audio
11/06/2009-Senator Mike Crapo's Weekly Wrap-up Podcast, 06 Nov 2009
11/03/2009-Senator Mike Crapo's Weekly Teleconference on issues before the U.S., 03 Nov 2009
10/27/2009-Senator Mike Crapo's Weekly Teleconference on issues before the U.S., 27 Oct 2009
10/23/2009-Senator Mike Crapo's Weekly Wrap-up Podcast, 23 Oct 2009
10/16/2009-Senator Mike Crapo's Weekly Wrap-up Podcast, 16 Oct 2009
Boise County
More About Boise County |
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Boise County was established on February 4, 1864, one of the first nine counties formed by the territorial legislature. Its county seat was at Idaho City. It was named for the Boise River, which was named by French-Canadian explorers and trappers for the great variety of trees growing along its banks.
Return to County Profiles Main Page, or page to next county, Bonner.
County statistics:
County Seat: Idaho City
Population: 7,362
Boise County website
Borders: Ada, Blaine, Custer, Elmore, Gem and Valley counties
Interesting Facts
The Boise Basin, in which Idaho City lies, was one of the richest gold mining districts in the nation after the discovery of gold in 1862. At its peak in the 1860s and 1870s, Idaho City was for a time the largest city in the Northwest. It was this great influx of people that led to the establishment of the Idaho Territory.
What To See And Do:
Boise County Courthouse: Construction of "one of the commodious fire-proof buildings to be found this side of Portland" was begun in July of 1871 and completed three months later. This was no small task considering the degree of fire protection employed. The great iron folding doors, each weighing half a ton, were made in San Francisco, barged up the Columbia River, and carried overland by horse and ox teams. Three feet of packed earth filled the attic space, once estimated to weigh about 200 tons. Local clay bricks and motor finished the walls.
It began as a general store, then a hardware and trinket shop, and then became the Orchard Hotel. The original courthouse on Montgomery Street was deteriorating and during Moses Kempner's trial it became obvious there was need for a new one. It had been built with enough room between the floor boards to accommodate tobacco chewers, but Kempner reportedly chewed up and spit out a note that was being passed around as evidence against him. Hence the county bought the Orchard Hotel in 1909. The building's interior has been remodeled to replicate those earlier days, and court is still in session several days a week.
(Sources include The Idaho Blue Book.)