Boise, Idaho Blog

Two Idaho politicians, both nationally known US senators, have run for president. They were William Borah in 1936 and Frank Church in 1976.

Idaho ranks first in the nation for production of three plant crops; potatoes, Austrian winter peas, and wrinkled see peas. It also ranks first in the nation for production of hatchery trout.

Idaho has one of the largest Basque communities in the United States, and a major Basque cultural center is located in downtown Boise.

There are five Indian reservations in Idaho. The Shoshone-Bannock reservation is located in eastern Idaho and the Nez Perce, Coeur d’Alene, and Kootenai reservations are located in northern Idaho. The Shoshone-Paiute reservation straddles the border between Idaho and Nevada.

Although located far inland, Idaho has one seaport, at Lewiston. Farm and other products are barged from there down the Snake River to the Columbia River, and ultimately, to the Pacific Ocean.

The highest spot in Idaho is the peak of Mount Borah in Custer County, at 12,662 feet above sea level. The lowest spot is at Lewiston, 770 feet above sea level.

Idaho is the only state divided on an east-west line between time zones. Northern Idaho, in general north of the Salmon River, is in the Pacific time zone, and southern Idaho is in the Mountain time zone.

Idaho has 2 major sand dune areas. The Bruneau Dunes near the town of Bruneau have been designated as a state park. In eastern Idaho, near St. Anthony, vacationers visit the larget St. Anthony Sand Dunes, which are 35 miles long and 5 miles wide.

The Salmon River, which arises in the Sawtooth Mountains near Stanley and pours into the Snake River west of Grangeville, is the longest river in the US that is contained entirely in one state. It is called the “River of No Return” because it is difficult to navigate against its swift currents and rapids.

Idaho has just two metropolitan areas: Boise, which includes Ada and Canyon Counties, and Pocatello, which includes Bannock County. For many years Pocatello was the second largest city in the state, but 2000 census revealed that Nampa, located near Boise, had grown so fast, it had become the second largest.