The capital of Idaho is Boise, and also it has an approximated populace of 228,790. The Boise-Nampa MSA population is 709,845.
The name Boise may originate from an army exploration group that got to a river bluff. A French-speaking guide claimed, "les bois", or "the timbers". The name could come from mountain men that called the river "La rivière boisée", or "the woody river".
Ft Boise was near Parma and was put up in 1830 by the Hudson Bay Company, and abandoned in 1850. The Army developed a stronghold in 1863 on the Oregon Trail to Idaho City and Silver City. At the time, Idaho City was the biggest, however Ft Boise expanded, and Boise was incorporated. Boise was made the territorial seat in 1866. Built in 1871, the Assay Office at 210 Main St. is a National Historic Site.
The Boise market lies on a substantial level plain of 80 square miles. The mountain ranges around it are the Boise foothills with areas that include the Bench, North End, West Boise, as well as Downtown. Boise's cultural area is downtown. 8th Street has a pedestrian area with cafes, bars, and shops. The Basque Block promotes Boise's Basque heritage. The State Capitol, Art Museum and Zoo are downtown.
Boise State University is south of downtown and also is residential. Albertson's Stadium is an on-campus landmark. The North End has lots of historic houses on tree-lined roads. The Boise Highlands borders the North End, and also the Crane Creek Country Club is located there. Northwest Boise has a mix of communities. Lake Harbor's Silver Lake is a reclaimed quarry. Warm Springs has pricey residences constructed by affluent miners in the early 1900s. The location has many natural hot springs.
Columbia Village and Oregon Trail Heights were the initial planned neighborhoods of Boise. The Bench area lies on a raised area that resembles a bench. It's the ancient coastline of a river. The Union Pacific Depot is there.
Lots of big firms call Boise home. They consist of Boise Cascade and also Albertsons. Micron Technology is the largest employer. Lots of technology companies have Boise headquarters.
Boise prides itself in support for music and theater, with a large jazz festival in the spring. There are also many theater teams as well as museums. The Boise Philharmonic is incredibly popular and does its shows at the Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts. The City Division of Arts curates a $3 million art collection.
Interstate 84 goes through Boise to Portland and Salt Lake City. There are several bike paths in the city, and a great deal of people ride their bikes to work. The Boise Airport terminal has service from Allegiant Air, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.