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Boise, Idaho
Boise (locally /ˈbɔɪsi/ ⓘ, also /bɔɪzi/) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. Boise is the county seat of Ada County. The population of the city was 235,685 at the 2020 census. The Boise metropolitan area, also known as the Treasure Valley, includes five counties of Idaho with an estimated population of 846,000, the most populous metropolitan area in Idaho and 74th-most populous in the United States.
Located on the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is 41 miles (66 km) east of the Oregon border and 110 miles (177 km) north of the Nevada border. Downtown Boise's elevation is 2,704 feet (824 m) above sea level. Originally established as a military outpost in 1863 during the gold rush era, Boise rapidly grew due to its location on the Oregon Trail and its proximity to mining operations in the surrounding region. By the late 19th century, it had become a commercial and transportation hub, bolstered by the arrival of the railroad and irrigation projects that supported agriculture in the Treasure Valley.
While agriculture and food processing remain important, Boise is home to major employers in the technology, manufacturing, and service sectors, including companies such as Micron Technology and Hewlett-Packard. Government, education, and healthcare also play significant roles in the local economy. The city is home to the Boise Art Museum, Idaho State Capitol, the annual Treefort Music Fest, and the Basque Block, showcasing its Basque heritage. Additionally, the Boise greenbelt and nearby public lands offer recreational opportunities that are integral to the city's identity.
The origin of the name is uncertain. One account credits Capt. B. L. E. Bonneville of the U.S. Army as its source. After trekking for weeks through dry and rough terrain, his exploration party reached an overlook with a view of the Boise River Valley. The place where they stood is called Bonneville Point, located on the Oregon Trail east of the city. According to the story, a French-speaking guide, overwhelmed by the sight of the verdant river, yelled "Les bois! Les bois!" ("The woods! The woods!")—and the name stuck.
The name may also derive from earlier mountain men who named the river that flows through the city. In the 1820s, French Canadian fur trappers associated with the British-owned Hudson's Bay Company set trap lines in the vicinity. Set in a high-desert area, the tree-lined valley of the Boise River became a distinct landmark, an oasis dominated by cottonwood trees. This led the French trappers to call the area "la rivière boisée" ("the wooded river").
Most local and longtime residents use the pronunciation /ˈbɔɪsiː/ (BOY-see), as given on the city's website. The pronunciation is sometimes used as a shibboleth, as those from elsewhere tend to pronounce the city's name as /ˈbɔɪziː/ (BOY-zee). In French, the name of the city is pronounced /ˈbwaz/ (Bwaz).
The area of Boise valley was inhabited by Boise Valley Shoshone and Bannock tribes, a part of the "Snake Country". According to the City of Boise's "History of Boise" report, "they gathered annually in the valley to participate in trading rendezvous with other tribes and catch salmon in the Boise River runs to help sustain them year-round. They spent winters in the valley where the climate was milder and visited the hot springs for bathing and healing. Castle Rock, called Eagle Rock by the tribes, was and remains a sacred site."
Boise Valley Bannock tribes belonged to the "tuuˀagaidɨkaˀa" (black trout eaters). Boise Valley Shoshone belonged to the "Yahandeka" (groundhog eaters) grouping. They were among the early mounted Shoshone bands. They traveled over a considerable range by the beginning of the nineteenth century, with their main hunting lands along the lower Boise River and Payette River. When Donald MacKenzie developed the Snake country fur trade after 1818, the most prominent of the Boise Shoshone, Peiem (a Shoshoni rendition of "Big Jim", their leader's English name), became the most influential leader of the large composite Shoshoni band that white trappers regularly encountered in the Snake Country.
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Boise, Idaho
Boise (locally /ˈbɔɪsi/ ⓘ, also /bɔɪzi/) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. Boise is the county seat of Ada County. The population of the city was 235,685 at the 2020 census. The Boise metropolitan area, also known as the Treasure Valley, includes five counties of Idaho with an estimated population of 846,000, the most populous metropolitan area in Idaho and 74th-most populous in the United States.
Located on the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is 41 miles (66 km) east of the Oregon border and 110 miles (177 km) north of the Nevada border. Downtown Boise's elevation is 2,704 feet (824 m) above sea level. Originally established as a military outpost in 1863 during the gold rush era, Boise rapidly grew due to its location on the Oregon Trail and its proximity to mining operations in the surrounding region. By the late 19th century, it had become a commercial and transportation hub, bolstered by the arrival of the railroad and irrigation projects that supported agriculture in the Treasure Valley.
While agriculture and food processing remain important, Boise is home to major employers in the technology, manufacturing, and service sectors, including companies such as Micron Technology and Hewlett-Packard. Government, education, and healthcare also play significant roles in the local economy. The city is home to the Boise Art Museum, Idaho State Capitol, the annual Treefort Music Fest, and the Basque Block, showcasing its Basque heritage. Additionally, the Boise greenbelt and nearby public lands offer recreational opportunities that are integral to the city's identity.
The origin of the name is uncertain. One account credits Capt. B. L. E. Bonneville of the U.S. Army as its source. After trekking for weeks through dry and rough terrain, his exploration party reached an overlook with a view of the Boise River Valley. The place where they stood is called Bonneville Point, located on the Oregon Trail east of the city. According to the story, a French-speaking guide, overwhelmed by the sight of the verdant river, yelled "Les bois! Les bois!" ("The woods! The woods!")—and the name stuck.
The name may also derive from earlier mountain men who named the river that flows through the city. In the 1820s, French Canadian fur trappers associated with the British-owned Hudson's Bay Company set trap lines in the vicinity. Set in a high-desert area, the tree-lined valley of the Boise River became a distinct landmark, an oasis dominated by cottonwood trees. This led the French trappers to call the area "la rivière boisée" ("the wooded river").
Most local and longtime residents use the pronunciation /ˈbɔɪsiː/ (BOY-see), as given on the city's website. The pronunciation is sometimes used as a shibboleth, as those from elsewhere tend to pronounce the city's name as /ˈbɔɪziː/ (BOY-zee). In French, the name of the city is pronounced /ˈbwaz/ (Bwaz).
The area of Boise valley was inhabited by Boise Valley Shoshone and Bannock tribes, a part of the "Snake Country". According to the City of Boise's "History of Boise" report, "they gathered annually in the valley to participate in trading rendezvous with other tribes and catch salmon in the Boise River runs to help sustain them year-round. They spent winters in the valley where the climate was milder and visited the hot springs for bathing and healing. Castle Rock, called Eagle Rock by the tribes, was and remains a sacred site."
Boise Valley Bannock tribes belonged to the "tuuˀagaidɨkaˀa" (black trout eaters). Boise Valley Shoshone belonged to the "Yahandeka" (groundhog eaters) grouping. They were among the early mounted Shoshone bands. They traveled over a considerable range by the beginning of the nineteenth century, with their main hunting lands along the lower Boise River and Payette River. When Donald MacKenzie developed the Snake country fur trade after 1818, the most prominent of the Boise Shoshone, Peiem (a Shoshoni rendition of "Big Jim", their leader's English name), became the most influential leader of the large composite Shoshoni band that white trappers regularly encountered in the Snake Country.