Idaho

THE GEM STATE

State Seal

State Map

• 84,000 square miles

• Population of 1.6 million

• 44 counties

• Capital is Boise with 186,000 people

Idaho Rivers

Idaho Early History

The Paleo Indians were the first people to inhabit the area known as Idaho in 10,000 b.c.

The Shoshone Indians were the next to inhabit the area 8000 years later

They had lived in the dessert as nomadic Indians, but some what settled in Idaho. They lived off of the diverse wildlife in the mountains and valleys

The Nez Perce also inhabited Idaho around this time and settled on some of the many rivers and therefore thrived.

The Idaho population density at the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition was only 1 to 2 people per square mile.

Idaho History

Lewis&Clark entered Idaho on August 12, 1805

Sacajawea’s home state

Both the Nez Perce and Shoshone Indians provided assistance.

Shortly after in 1806 Kullyspell House, the first non native establishment, was built near Lake Pend Oreille.

By 1834 the Oregon trail had begun, but Idaho was bypassed due to the extreme cold.

1836 Henry Spalding grew the first potatoe

This soon changed as gold was discovered in 1952 on the Pend Oreille River.

Idaho History

As gold and silver mines sprung up, Idaho’s first city Franklin was established in 1860.

From 1860-1863 mining towns sprung up at Silver City, Idaho City, and Pierce.

1867 Shoshone-Bannock Indians were forced on to the Fort Hall Reservation (1.8 million acres)

1877 Nez Perce war between Indians and settlers

Electricity came during the 1880’s to Idaho

In 1884, silver was discovered in the Coeur d'Alene area which would prove to be the nation's richest deposit.

Idaho History

In 1890 with a population of 88,000 Idaho became the 43rd state under govener George Shoup.

In 10 years the population doubled and in the next 10 years it doubled again leaving Idaho with 325,000 people by 1910.

1920 “The Big Blow Up” occurred and burned 1/6 of Idaho’s regional forests.

1936 Sun Valley Resort opened and introduced the world’s first chair lift

J.R. Simplot dehydrated the first potato in 1941 to give way to the frozen fries

Idaho History

1951 Idaho was the first to use nuclear fission to generate electricity

Ernest Hemingway died in his home in Ketchum (1961)

By 1970 there were over 700,000 people

1972 there was a fire in Sunshine mine that killed 91 miners

1983 earthquake measuring 7.3 on the richter scale killed two children and caused millions of dollars in damage

2009 Idaho hosted the Special Olympics World Winter Games

The Gem State

It is called the gem state because a mining lobbyist George M. Willing proposed the name Idaho to Congress as the new name for the territory.

George M. Willing told Congress the name Idaho came from the Shoshone Indians which translated means Gem of the Mountain.

Idaho was then discovered to not actually be an Indian word, but the name stuck and it was left with Idaho or The Gem State.

Interesting Facts

Philo Farnsworth invented the television in Idaho

Soda Springs is in Idaho (largest man-made geyser)

#1 producer of potatoes, trout, winter peas, and lentils

Hell’s Canyon, deepest gorge in the US

The law forbids for a citizen to give another citizen a box of candy weighing more than 50 pounds

Sun Valley was the first destination ski resort in the US

Famous People

Gutzon Borglum

Lilian Disney

Sacajawea

Sarah Palin

Jerry Kramer

Philo Farnsworth

Ernest Hemmingway

State symbols

State Vegetable- Potatoe

State Fruit- Huckleberry

State Fish- Cutthroat Trout

State Gem- Star Garnet

State Raptor- Peregrine Falcon

State Flower- Syringa

State Dance- Square Dance

State Bird- Mountain Blue Bird

Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5TzggtamW8

The End