Boise County, Idaho - info, facts, communities on Key to the City

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Information & Facts about Boise County, Idaho

Government:

Boise County Official Website

County Seat: Idaho City

County Courthouse
420 South Main Street
Idaho City, ID 83631
Phone: 208-392-4431
Fax:: 208-392-4473

Population:

2000 - 6,670
1999 - 5,311
1990 - 3,509

Location:

in southwestern Idaho. Neighboring counties include Ada to the southwest, Blaine to the northeast, Custer to the northeast, Elmore to the south and southeast, Gem to the west and northwest and Valley to the north. The city of Boise is located in Ada County to the southwest.

Climate:

Boise County has a seasonal climate with all four season represented. Snowfall is normal during the winter months. Average temperatures in the summers run about 65 degrees F. Average temperatures in the winter run about 24 degrees F.

Here is a weather page for the state of Idaho. Specific areas may be checked.

Other Facts & Figures:

Average housing price: $105,900 (2000)
Average income: $28,068 (2000)

History:

Established February 4, 1864 with its county seat at Idaho City. Named for the Boise River, which was named by French-Canadian explorers and trappers for the great variety of trees growing along its banks. 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. The first gold was discovered on 2 August 1862 near Centerville. It wasn't long before settlements were born all over the basin. One of the first was Bannock City in December 1862. The Idaho Territory was created in March, 1863 and Bannock City was renamed Idaho City in 1864. Idaho City had the many standard problems of a gold rush town with lawlessness, revelry, excitement and gold fever itself. It is said that out of 200 burials in the local Boot Hill Cemetery, only 28 deaths were from natural causes! Idaho City's worst enemy was fire that first struck on 18 May 1865. Other fires followed, each time destroying most of the town. Lucky for Idaho City, great wealth was in place due to the gold. The city was rebuilt after every fire. Only a few buildings were saved with each event. During its heyday, Idaho City was the largest city in the entire northwest US. More gold came out of this area than from all of Alaska. Many abandoned mines and diggings may still be seen today.

A good history page for Idaho City and the area. Placerville, Centerville and Pioneerville are all considered "ghost towns" of the county even though people still live in those areas.

This history page gives the basin's history including the gold days of the mid 1800's.

Geography:

Land Area: 1,908 square miles.
16.5% is private land
76.4% is federal land
7% is state land
0.10% is county land

The area is surrounded by the Boise National Forest. Many creeks, rivers, dams, bridges and mountains are located within the county

Genealogy:

Rootsweb page for Boise County
Kindred Trails page for Boise County
US GenWeb page for Boise County

Cemeteries of Boise County
The Political Graveyard for Boise County

Libraries:

Boise Basin Library
404 Montgomery Street
PO Box 228
Idaho City, ID 83631
Phone: 208-392-4558
Fax:: 208-392-4974

Schools:

Basin School District #072
100 Centerville Rd
Idaho City, Idaho
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 227
Idaho City, ID 83631
Phone: 208-392-4183
Fax: 208-392-9954

Horseshoe Bend School District #73
Phone: 208-793-2225

Organizations & Groups:

Idaho City Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 507
Idaho City, ID.
Phone: 208-392-6000

Attractions & Other Information:

Boise Basin Museum
402 Montgomery
Idaho City, Idaho
Phone: 208-392-4550
This museum was first the local post office. It was built in 1867 after the first fire in Idaho City. Along with the post office, the postmaster ran a library and a store. It remained a post office until 1910. The building was eventually deeded to the city in 1953. It was refurbished and re-opened as a museum in 1958.

Banjo Festival
Held each year in June in Horseshoe Bend

Idaho Territorial Prison
This small prison was hand built in 1864 north of Idaho City with just fourteen cells. It remained the territorial prison until the 1870's. The original prison was undermined by gold diggers and fell into Elk Creek.

Pon Yam House
A large number of Chinese came to Idaho City during the gold rush days. Mostly, they came from the Canton area of China. This is the only building to survive from the Chinese settlement. Pon Yam was a leader in the community who also sold herbs and other products in his store. He built his building in 1867

Boise County Courthouse
The courthouse was built in 1871 in just three months. The huge iron folding doors were brought in from San Francisco by barge and then carried by wagon to the site. The building had been used as a general store and then as a hardware store. Finally it became the Orchard Hotel. The original courthouse was falling apart and so the county bought the Orchard Hotel in 1909, remodeled it to simulate the earlier days in Idaho City and used the building for many years. It is still holding court a few days a week here.

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This page was last updated on 1 May 2009 at 11:44 am