Prudential Idaho Realty

Boise Area Guide

Welcome to Boise, located in Ada County, Idaho. As of 2008, Boise's population was approximately 205,000. Boise is the capital and most populous city in Idaho as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, this is the principal city of the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon. Boise serves as the primary government, economic, cultural and transportation center for the area.

History

It is commonly accepted that the area was referred to as Boise long before the establishment of Fort Boise. However, the exact details of how the name came to be applied to the area differ in the available accounts.

Some credit a story told of Captain B.L.E. Bonneville of the U.S. Army as the source of the name. 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, and is located on the Oregon Trail east of the city. According to the story, a French-speaking guide yelled "Les bois! Les bois!" at the sight, thus giving the area the name.

The name "Boise" may actually derive from earlier mountain man usage, which contributed their naming of the river that flows through it. In the 1820s, French Canadian fur trappers set trap lines in the vicinity where Boise now lies. In a high desert area, the tree-lined valley of the Boise River became a prominent landmark. They called this "La rivière boisée", which means "the wooded river."

Attractions

Boise is a delightful blend of traditional and non-traditional sights and attractions. The City of Trees boasts one-of-a-kind museums and urban parks, a river flowing through the heart of the city and a 25-mile river front greenbelt. Among the many unique sites to visit are the Basque Museum and Cultural Center, Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center, Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, Idaho Black History Museum and the World Center for Birds of Prey. Southwest Idaho’s easily accessible outdoors beckons the Boise visitor to enjoy nearby mountains, desert sand dunes, canyons and whitewater rafting rivers. Boise is the perfect city for a memorable visit.

Basque Museum and Cultural Center http://www.basquemuseum.com/ The Basque Museum and Cultural Center provides a look into the Basque heritage by exhibits, collections and tours. As a cultural center, it's a gathering place for events and educational opportunities where people of all backgrounds can participate in Basque activities.

Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/CMS/education/mknc/ The Morrison Knudsen Nature Center offers a one-of-a-kind fish and wildlife experience on a 4.6-acre site along the Boise River Greenbelt near downtown Boise. The Nature Center's stream walk and visitor center provide a glimpse of Idaho's many landscapes and abundant wildlife.

Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial
http://www.idaho-humanrights.org/Memorial/memorial.html
The Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial is a world-class educational park inspired by Anne Frank's faith in humanity. It was built to promote respect for human dignity and diversity.

World Center for Birds of Prey
http://www.peregrinefund.org/default.asp
Established in 1970, The Peregrine Fund works nationally and internationally, to conserve birds of prey in nature. The World Center conserves nature by achieving results--results restoring species in jeopardy, conserving habitat, educating students, training conservationists, providing factual information to the public and by accomplishing good science.

For more information on Arts and Culture click here.

For More information on local attractions click here.

For local golf courses click here.

For more local museums click here.

Boise Shopping District
http://www.boise.org/static/index.cfm?contentID=11

See a complete list for Downtown Boise Dining
http://www.downtownboise.org/m_whattodo/members.cfm?class=2