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Boise, Idaho

"The City of Trees"

Nestled in the high desert along the Boise River, Idaho's capital transformed from a frontier outpost into one of America's fastest-growing and most livable cities.

Founded 1863 | Population 235,684 | Peak 235,684 (2020) | County Ada County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Boise, Idaho

1905 Idaho State Capitol Built: The Idaho State Capitol was completed in Boise, establishing the city as the permanent governmental center of a state defined by mining, timber, and agriculture.

1863 Boise Founded During Gold Rush: Boise was established as a supply center for the Idaho gold rush. Fort Boise was built to protect miners and settlers in the region.

1972 Sunshine Mine Disaster: A fire in the Sunshine silver mine in nearby Kellogg killed 91 miners, the worst hard-rock mining disaster in modern American history.

2000 Tech Boom: Micron Technology, HP, and other tech companies made Boise a growing tech hub, driving rapid population growth and economic diversification.

1907 Big Bill Haywood Trial: Labor leader Big Bill Haywood was tried in Boise for the murder of former Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg. Clarence Darrow defended him in a trial that riveted the nation.

1890 Idaho Statehood: Idaho became the 43rd state with Boise as its capital.

2015 Fastest Growing City: Boise ranked among the fastest-growing cities in America as Californians and others relocated seeking affordability and quality of life.

1959 Morrison Knudsen: Boise-based Morrison Knudsen grew into one of the world's largest construction companies, having worked on the Hoover Dam and San Francisco Bay Bridge.

1936 Sun Valley Opens: Sun Valley ski resort opened near Boise as one of the first destination ski resorts in America, attracting Hollywood celebrities and international tourists.

1978 Frank Church Wilderness: Idaho Senator Frank Church championed the largest wilderness area in the lower 48 states, preserving 2.4 million acres of Idaho backcountry.

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Latest News in Boise

Apr 15, 2016

Pastor Freed Iran Reunite Wife North Carolina Retreat

Asheville, North Carolina – Pastor Saeed Abedini stepped off a plane and into the arms of his waiting wife in a quiet mountain r…

May 18, 2015

Officials Finally Identify Strange Creature Discovered Idaho Photo

Boise, Idaho (May 18, 2015) — For months, a bizarre photo of a mysterious creature found in the Idaho wilderness had people scra…

Complete Historical Timeline

1863 Government

Boise founded during gold rush

1890 Government

Idaho becomes 43rd state

1905 Architecture

State Capitol completed

1907 Labor

Big Bill Haywood trial

1936 Culture

Sun Valley ski resort opens

1972 Disaster

Sunshine Mine disaster kills 91

1978 Government

Frank Church Wilderness designated

2000 Business

Tech boom transforms economy

2015 Government

Boise among fastest-growing U.S. cities

Did You Know?

Boise is one of the few American cities where you can float down a river through downtown — the Boise River Greenbelt is a 25-mile paved path that runs through the heart of the city.

Micron Technology, headquartered in Boise, is one of the only American companies that manufactures computer memory chips — making Boise quietly critical to the global tech supply chain.

The Basque community in Boise is one of the largest outside of the Basque Country in Spain and France — Boise's Basque Block is a cultural center with restaurants, a museum, and a Basque market.