Ada County, Idaho

Abbs, Walter, House Ada Odd Fellows Temple Ada Theater Aiken's Hotel Alexander House Alexanders Allsup, Marion, House Anduiza Hotel Artesian Water Co. Pumphouse and Wells Assay Office Barber Dam and Lumber Mill Beck, Albert, House Bell, R.H. and Jessie, House Boise Capitol Area District Boise City National Bank Boise City-Silver City Road-Fick Property Segment Boise High School Campus Boise Historic District Boise Junior College Administration Building Boise Junior High School Boulevard Mo-tel Bown, Joseph, House Brunzell House Bryant, H. H., Garage Burnett, H. C., House Bushnell-Fisher House Capitol Boulevard Memorial Bridge Carnegie Public Library Cavanah, C. C., House Chinese Odd Fellows Building Chitwood, Joseph, House Christ Chapel Christian Church Coffin, Henry, House Cole School and Gymnasium Collister School Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue Daly, John, House Davies, Dr. James, House Davis, R. K., House Diversion Dam and Deer Flat Embankments Dunbar, William, House Dunton, Minnie Preist, House Eagle Adventist Schoolhouse Echevarria, Pedro, House Eichelberger Apartments Elks Temple Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse Firebird Raceway Fleharty, Alva, House Fort Boise Fort Street Historic District Forty-Four and Sixty-Six Service Station Franklin School Friedline Apartments Fritchman, H. K., House Funsten, Bishop, House Gakey, J. H., House GAR Hall Garfield School Goreczky, Anton, House Green, John, Mausoleum Guernsey Dairy Milk Depot Haines, John, House Harrison Boulevard Historic District Hays, Samuel, House Hill, Clara, House Hopffgarten House Hottes, Fred, House Hunt, E. F., House Hyde Park Historic District Idaho Building Idaho National Guard Armory Idaho State Forester's Building Idanha Hotel Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church Immanuel Methodist Episcopal Church Jackson, Orville and Floy, House (Additional Documentation) Jacobs, Cyrus, House Jefferson, W. E., House Johnson, J. M., House Jones, T. J., Apartments Kieldson Double House Kinney, Joseph, Mausoleum Lilyquist-Christianson Building Logan, Thomas E., House Longfellow School Lowell School Lower Main Street Commercial Historic District MacMillan Chapel Marks, M. J., House McCarthy, Judge Charles P., House McElroy, H. E., House Meridian Exchange Bank Mickle, Willis, House Mitchell Hotel Mittleider Farmstead Historic District Moore-Cunningham House Morris Hill Cemetery Mausoleum Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company Building Murphy, Daniel F., House Neal, Halbert F. and Grace, House Neal, W. Scott, House Neitzel, H. R., House Ninth Street Bridge Nixon, Axel, House O'Farrell, John A., Cabin O'Farrell, John A., House Old Idaho State Penitentiary Oregon Trail Parker, John, House Paynton, Charles, House Phillips, Dr. John and Elaine, House Pierce Park School Pierce-Borah House Reclamation Service Boise Project Office Regan, John, American Legion Hall Reiger, Fred, Houses Robbins, Corilla J. and Orlando, House Roosevelt School Rosedale Odd Fellows Temple Rossi, Mrs. A. F., House Schick-Ostolasa Farmstead Schmelzel, H. A., House Schreiber, Adolph, House Sensenig, Emerson and Lucretia, House Short, O. F., House Sidenfaden, William, House Simpson, W. A., House Smith, Nathan, House Sonner-Osier Farmstead Historic District South Boise Fire Station South Eighth Street Historic District Spaulding, Almon W. and Dr. Mary E., Ranch St Paul Missionary Baptist Church St. Alphonsus' Hospital Nurses' Home and Heating Plant/Laundry St. John's Cathedral St. John's Cathedral Block St. Mary's Catholic Church Star Camp State Street Historic District Stephan, Louis, House Swan Falls Dam and Power Plant Tolleth House Tourtellotte, John, Building Tuttle, Bishop Daniel S., House Union Block and Montandon Buildings Union Pacific Mainline Depot Ustick School Villeneuve, Charles and Martha, House Wallace, J. N., House Warm Springs Avenue Historic District Waymire, C. H., Building Welch, Edward, House Wellman Apartments West Warm Springs Historic District Whitehead, William, House Whitney School Wolters Double Houses Zurcher Apartments

Ada County is located in southwestern Idaho and was established in 1864. It is named after Ada Riggs, daughter of the first settler in the area, H.C. Riggs. The region was originally inhabited by the Shoshone and Bannock Native American tribes. In the early 1800s, European fur traders and explorers began to arrive in the area.

The discovery of gold in the Boise Basin in the 1860s led to a population boom in Ada County and its county seat, Boise City. The area became a major supply center for miners, and many settlers moved to the county in search of prosperity. Agriculture also thrived in the fertile Boise River Valley, with farmers growing crops such as potatoes, grains, and orchard fruits.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Ada County experienced significant growth and development. The completion of the Oregon Short Line Railroad in 1887 boosted the local economy, opening up new markets for agricultural products and facilitating transportation. The city of Boise became a regional economic hub, attracting businesses, government institutions, and educational facilities.

Throughout the 20th century, Ada County continued to grow, with an increasing population and expanding infrastructure. The county's economy diversified, and industries such as manufacturing, technology, and healthcare emerged. Today, Ada County is known for its thriving economy, outdoor recreational opportunities, and vibrant cultural scene, making it a desirable place to live and visit in Idaho.
Brief timeline of the history of Ada County, Idaho:

  • 1805 - Lewis and Clark Expedition passes through the area now known as Ada County.
  • 1812 - The first fur trading post, known as Fort Boise, is established by the British Hudson's Bay Company.
  • 1843 - The Oregon Trail is established, bringing settlers to the region.
  • 1863 - Ada County is created as one of the original counties of Idaho Territory.
  • 1864 - Boise becomes the capital of the Idaho Territory.
  • 1872 - The first railroad reaches Boise, spurring growth and development in the area.
  • 1892 - The Idaho State Penitentiary is constructed in Boise.
  • 1912 - Idaho becomes a state, and Boise remains its capital.
  • 1959 - The East End Historic District in Boise is added to the National Register of Historic Places.
  • 1973 - The Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center opens, providing educational programs about the area's wildlife and natural resources.
  • 1996 - The World Center for Birds of Prey, operated by The Peregrine Fund, opens in Boise.
  • 2020 - Ada County experiences rapid population growth and becomes a thriving economic center.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Ada County, Idaho.

Audiobooks about the history of Idaho.