Boise, Idaho, is the state capital, and one
of two metropolitan areas in Idaho. Approximately 403,817 people live in the Boise
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) which includes Ada and Canyon Counties. Nampa and
Caldwell are the major cities located within Canyon County. The below figures are for the
Boise Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) unless otherwise noted. For further information
about subjects such as employment, education, etc, please click on the links provided
below.
Nestled on a high desert plain in the shadow of the Rocky
Mountains with a pristine river flowing through its center, Boise has its roots in the
gold rush days of the 1800's.
In 1834 Fort Boise, owned by the Hudson Bay Company, was
established by British fur traders. The fort, now known as Old Fort Boise, was located at
the mouth of the Boise River, 40 miles from present day Boise. In 1854, due to frequent
Indian raids, the fort was abandoned. Despite this, the military desired to build another
fort in the area but before this plan could go into effect, gold was discovered in the
Boise Basin in 1862. It was now necessary, more than ever, to protect the vast number of
travelers coming to the area.
On July 4th, 1863, the military chose a location for the new Fort
Boise and construction began soon afterward. A townsite was located next to the fort and
with the protection of the military, the town grew quickly. A major reason for this
growth, other than the gold rush, was its location along the Oregon Trail.
The Oregon Trail was a thoroughfare for thousands of travelers
heading for the Oregon Territory. Of all the western roads, the Oregon Trail was the
longest at 2,020 miles. It began in Independence, Missouri and ended at Oregon City,
Oregon. Its route in Idaho began at the Idaho-Wyoming border, crossed through Bear Valley,
turned north toward Fort Hall and followed the Snake River until reaching the Boise River.
It followed the south side of the river winding through what is now the southern part of
Boise. To this day, wheel ruts can still be seen along various spots of its path.
Adding to this major thoroughfare were the routes to the Boise
Basin and Owyhee mines. These routes cross the Oregon Trail at the Fort Boise location.
Because it was located at these major crossroads, Boise became a prosperous commercial
center.
In 1864, when the territorial legislature held its second session
in Lewiston, Boise was incorporated as a city and proclaimed the capital of the Idaho
Territory. This same year on July 26, the Idaho Statesman newspaper produced its first
publication and became the second newspaper in Idaho.
After the gold rush, Boise's population declined from 1,658
citizens in 1864 to 995 in 1870. With new construction like the territorial prison in 1869
and the United States Assay Office in 1872, Boise began to grow again. The Capitol
Building was completed in 1886 and in 1887 Boise built a street car system. In 1890 Idaho
became a state.
In the early 1900's, Boise once again enjoyed rapid growth. This
growth came with the expansion of irrigation in the valley in 1902. This led to the
construction of Arrowrock Dam which was the tallest dam in the world from 1915 to 1932.
In the late 1930's Boise saw a large migration of Basques from
their native home in the Western Pyrenees Mountains. These proud people became our primary
sheep herders, a large industry at the time, and gradually moved into the mainstream of
city life in Boise bringing their colorful culture with them.
As the Great Depression ravaged a majority of the cities in the
United States, Boise enjoyed growth. And during World War II, multitudes of airmen trained
at Gowen Field, Boise's major airbase.
Today, Boise is still the largest metropolitan community in the
state. Numerous world, national, regional and state corporations have their headquarters
in Boise. These headquarters include Hewlett-Packard, Boise Cascade, Simplot Corporation,
Albertsons, Micron Technology, and Morrison-Knudsen. Boise is the hub of commerce, banking
and government for the state and is located mid-way between Salt Lake City, Utah and
Portland, Oregon.
