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

Top 10 Most Important Events for Boise, Idaho

1
1905Idaho 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.
2
1863Boise 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.
3
1972Sunshine 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.
4
2000Tech Boom: Micron Technology, HP, and other tech companies made Boise a growing tech hub, driving rapid population growth and economic diversification.
5
1907Big 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.
6
1890Idaho Statehood: Idaho became the 43rd state with Boise as its capital.
7
2015Fastest Growing City: Boise ranked among the fastest-growing cities in America as Californians and others relocated seeking affordability and quality of life.
8
1959Morrison 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.
9
1936Sun 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.
10
1978Frank 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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Population Over Time

0 58,921 117,842 176,763 235,684 1870 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Latest News in Boise

News articles will appear here as they're published.

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?

1
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.
2
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.
3
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.
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