The
region was explored by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in 1805–1806.
It was then a part of the Oregon country, held jointly by the United States and
Great Britain. Boundary disputes with Great Britain were settled by the Oregon
Treaty in 1846, and the first permanent U.S. settlement in Idaho was established
by the Mormons at Franklin in 1860.
After
gold was discovered at Orofino Creek in 1860, prospectors swarmed into the territory,
but they left little more than a number of ghost towns.
In
the 1870s, growing white occupation of Indian lands led to a series of battles
between U.S. forces and the Nez Percé, Bannock, and Sheepeater tribes.
Mining
and lumbering have been important for years. Idaho ranks high among the states
in silver, antimony, lead, cobalt, garnet, phosphate rock, vanadium, zinc, and
mercury.
Agriculture
is a major industry: The state produces about one fourth of the nation's potato
crop, as well as wheat, apples, corn, barley, sugar beets, and hops.
The
1990s saw a remarkable growth in the high technology industries, concentrated
in the metropolitan Boise area.
With
the growth of winter sports, tourism now outranks other industries in revenue.
Idaho's many streams and lakes provide fishing, camping, and boating sites. The
nation's largest elk herds draw hunters from all over the world, and the famed
Sun Valley resort attracts thousands of visitors to its swimming, golfing, and
skiing facilities.
Points
of interest are the Craters of the Moon National Monument; Nez Percé National
Historic Park, which includes many sites visited by Lewis and Clark; and the State
Historical Museum in Boise. Other attractions are the Snake River Birds of Prey
National Conservation Area south of Boise, Hells Canyon on the Idaho-Oregon border,
and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area in south-central Idaho.
Coming!
See
more on Idaho:
Encyclopedia:
Idaho Encyclopedia: Geography Encyclopedia: Economy Encyclopedia: Government Encyclopedia:
History Monthly Temperature Extremes
Accredited
Colleges and Universities
Selected
famous natives and residents:
Joe Albertson grocery chain founder;
Cecil Andrus governor; T. H. Bell educator; Ezra Taft Benson secretary
of Agriculture, pres. LDS church, marketing specialist; William E. Borah senator;
Gutzon Borglum Mt. Rushmore sculptor; Carol R. Brink author; Frank
F. Church senator; Fred Dubois senator; Vardis Fisher novelist; Lawrence
H. Gipson historian; Ernest Hemingway author; Mariel Hemingway actress;
Chief Joseph Nez Percé chief; Harmon Killebrew baseball player;
Jerry Kramer football player, author; Ezra Pound poet; Sacagawea Shoshonean
guide; J. R. Simplot industrialist; Robert E. Smylie political leader;
Henry Spalding missionary; Frank Steunenberg governor; Picabo Street
skier; David Tompson founded first trading post; Lana Turner actress.
Capital:
Boise
State
abbreviation/Postal code: Idaho/ID
Governor:
Dirk Kempthorne, R (to Jan. 2007)
Lieut.
Governor: Jim Risch, R (to Jan. 2007)
Senators:
Larry E. Craig, R (to Jan. 2009); Mike Crapo, R (to Jan. 2011)
U.S.
Representatives: 2
Secy.
of State: Ben Ysursa, R (to Jan. 2007)
Atty.
General: Lawrence Wasden, R (to Jan. 2007)
Treasurer:
Ron G. Crane, R (to Jan. 2007)
Organized
as territory: March 3, 1863
Entered
Union (rank): July 3, 1890 (43)
Present
constitution adopted: 1890
Motto:
Esto perpetua (It is forever)
State
symbols: flower syringa (1931) tree white pine (1935) bird mountain
bluebird (1931) horse Appaloosa (1975) gem star garnet (1967) song
“Here We Have Idaho” folk dance square dance fish cutthroat
trout (1990) fossil Hagerman horse fossil (1988)
Nickname:
Gem State
Origin
of name: Though popularly believed to be an Indian word, it is an invented
name whose meaning is unknown.
10
largest cities (2003 est.): Boise, 190,117; Nampa, 64,269; Idaho Falls, 51,507;
Pocatello, 51,009; Meridian, 41,127; Coeur d'Alene, 37,262; Twin Falls, 36,742;
Caldwell, 31,041; Lewiston, 30,937; Rexburg, 21,862
Land
area: 82,747 sq mi. (214,315 sq km)
Geographic
center: In Custer Co., at Custer, SW of Challis
Number
of counties: 44, plus small part of Yellowstone National Park
Largest
county by population and area: Ada, 332,523 (2004); Idaho, 8,485 sq mi.
State
forests: 881,000 ac.
State
parks: 27 (43,000+ ac.)
Residents:
Idahoan
2004
resident population est.: 1,393,262
2000
resident census population (rank): 1,293,953 (39). Male: 648,660 (50.1%);
Female: 645,293 (49.9%). White: 1,177,304 (91.0%); Black: 5,456 (0.4%); American
Indian: 17,645 (1.4%); Asian: 11,889 (0.9%); Other race: 54,742 (4.2%); Two or
more races: 25,609 (2.0%); Hispanic/Latino: 101,690 (7.9%). 2000 percent population
18 and over: 71.5; 65 and over: 11.3; median age: 33.2
