Idaho Heritage Trust

10/16/2026

Today brings us to the early days of Boise and the two-story Italianate Joseph Bown House, and, according to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) nomination, "what may be the oldest stone residence extant in Idaho." Now part of Riverside Elementary and Boise School District’s 4th grade history curriculum, the stately historic home is not only notable for its age and style, there are also several mysteries contained within its stone walls that are worth further investigation, including a mention in a 1927 article in the Boise Statesman titled “‘Haunted’ House Changes Owner”.

Joseph Bown moved to the Idaho Territory from Waterloo, Iowa in 1863. After a brief stop in Idaho City, he settled east of Boise City and his family followed in 1865. The Bowns obtained a deed to their 131-acre homestead in 1869, which is a date of some intrigue. Some sources, including the NRHP nomination list the home as being built in 1969, while others seem to more correctly date the construction to a decade later in 1879, noting that Joseph, his wife Temperance (formerly a socialite from New York), and their seven children resided in a cabin on the site until the completion of the home.

Stone for the 22-inch-thick walls of the imposing two-story home was quarried across the river at the "Buckley quarry," near Table Rock. Despite being able to see the quarry from the construction site, the blocks had to take a more circuitous route by wagon via the Morris Bridge, making for a roundtrip journey of approximately sixteen miles. A center cupola was constructed atop the structure, itself with a pyramidal roof. This addition was made of wood and removed prior to 1941, though it has since been restored. The cupola provided a stunning view of the rolling farmlands surrounding the home, and is purported to have been used as a lookout in the event of an attack by Native Americans and to keep an eye out for horse thieves that were rampant in the area during the time.

Despite being the Territorial Capitol since the 1860s and State Capitol beginning in 1890, Boise’s early architecture was described, perhaps generously, as ‘modest’, with an early resident recalling it as "nothing more than a few little board houses and scattered tents.” This is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, as sandstone buildings of a similar style and even using stone from the same quarry are still existing - namely the Treasury Assay Office, State Penitentiary, and stone buildings at Fort Boise. However, upon completion, The Bown House was considered the “grandest dwelling in Boise’s outlying districts,” and certainly stands apart from the private buildings of similar style and vintage. Given the Bown’s social status as well as the size, scale, and construction of the home, it served as both a social hub and potential place of refuge in the event of an attack on the settlement.

The outer walls of the home are an astounding 22 inches thick, which is closer to the thickness one would find in much larger commercial buildings at the time, and are actually comprised of two different colors of sandstone. On the front, a darker, more purple hue of sandstone welcomes visitors, while lighter, more common sandstone was used for the other sides. The windows are in the ‘eight light, one-over-one sash’ style, meaning that each window has eight panes of glass (lights) that can be opened by sliding the bottom four lights up and over the top four. Yellow pine was used for the floors (though it was later carpeted, you can still see the original flooring on the upper level).

Further, the walls were designed to accommodate additional, air-filled interior space, which greatly dampens noise from other parts of the house. Docents report that it’s even difficult to hear raucous groups of 60 fourth-graders in other rooms during tours. The additional subspace also helps keep the interior cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and also may contribute to another oddity - the preponderance of closets throughout the home - a relative rarity in architecture at the time.

The Bowns lived in the home from 1879 to 1893, and it was during their tenure that the building was first used for educational purposes. In 1889, the local school burned down, and the Bowns converted their dining room into a classroom until a new permanent structure could be built. In 1893, the Bowns moved further west, selling the house and farm to WT Booth. A long litany of owners ensued, including it being a rental property for nearly 40 years. In 1979, a century after its construction (depending on who you believe), it was added to the National Register, and the property was later sold to the Boise School District in 1988.

Before we get to the present day, however, we have to talk about an article from the Boise Statesman “‘Haunted’ House Changes Owner”. Sadly, that is the only mention of the Bown House’s permanent residents. Despite the lack of details, it is clear that the home’s reputation precedes it. ‘The Block House’ as it was called was apparently notorious in the 1920s for its peculiar construction and relative age at the time. One wonders if it was simply the eerie quiet from the extra thick walls, all the additional dark nooks and crannies of the closets, or perhaps there is something more, and more sinister about the home and its owners that has since been lost to time?*

Now, The Bown House is part of Boise School District’s 4th Grade Curriculum on Idaho history, hosting 2500 students every year for hands-on activities led by costumed volunteers. Kids learn to churn butter and make biscuits, try on period clothing, subject themselves to the strictness of a turn-of-the-century classroom, play pioneer games, quilt squares, and learn about planting crops and surviving the Oregon Trail.

The Bown House is now run by the Assistance League of Boise, and their tour is part of Boise School District’s 4th grade curriculum on Idaho history. Each year, approximately 2500 students enjoy a two-hour tour and participate in hands-on activities reflecting life and times in the late 1800s. Our costumed volunteers guide the children in experiencing the strictness of the schoolroom, churning butter and making biscuits, dressing up in period clothing, quilting a square, playing pioneer games, choosing which crops to plant and learning about survival on the Oregon Trail.

*Our question to you, dear reader: have you or anyone you know had a spooky experience at The Bown House? Let us know in the comments!

This story is part of our ongoing series highlighting Idaho’s Frontier History in celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary. If you would like to show your support for IHT and our mission, please consider purchasing a limited edition ‘Heritage’ license plate at your local DMV or through https://itd.idaho.gov/dmv/registrations-plates-titles/

10/09/2026

Today we bring you the historic Empire Electric Railway Station, built in 1904 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, which is now home to the incredible Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d’Alene. The structure is the last remaining piece of the defunct Spokane and Inland Empire Railway, once a popular line for both freight and passengers between Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, and serves as a fascinating artifact during the rapid electrification of the Inland Northwest.
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In 1821, Michael Faraday introduced the first electric motor to the world. A decade later, his discovery of Electromagnetic Induction, which showed that a change in magnetic field could induce an electric current in a nearby circuit, formed the basis for the development of generators and transformers. A year later, Electromagnetic Induction was independently discovered by an American scientist Joseph Henry.

A litany of scientific discoveries ensued, leading to Eddison’s development of the carbon filament light bulb, making electric lighting commercially viable. Pearl Street Station, the first commercial power station, opened in 1882, providing the blueprint for public electricity generation. This was further iterated upon by Nikolai Tesla and his invention of the AC motor in 1887, and the first large-scale hydroelectric power plant was built in Niagara Falls in 1895, providing power to Buffalo, NY more than 20 miles away.

In 1889, the first commercial long-distance transmission of electricity appeared in the Pacific Northwest, where direct-current lines provided power from Willamette Falls to streetlights in Portland, OR. Public electricity first came to Idaho in 1900, when a plant was built in Idaho Falls.

At this time, Idaho was still in many ways still very much the Wild West. Barely a decade after we became a state, the Coeur d’Alene and Spokane Electric Railway Company filed articles of incorporation in November of 1902. Service commenced the following year, and the line was frequented by both freight trains and interurban commuters alike. The line helped make Coeur d’Alene a popular tourist destination for Spokane residents and beyond. Steamboat rides on the lake were a particularly popular pastime for pleasure seekers, and the electric railway was the perfect combination of technological novelty and convenience to support such excursions.

Initially, power was supplied to the railway by Washington Water Power Co. from its powerhouse on the Spokane River. However, resistance in the overhead lines caused voltage drops, meaning the electric locomotives couldn't operate further east than Gibbs, a mile and a half west of Coeur d’Alene. In 1904, to remedy the situation, five power-boosting substations were constructed at intervals along the route, this one being right in Coeur d'Alene, at the end of the line.

Though initially quite profitable, the railway was sold to Great Northern Railroad in 1909, but by 1919 the system went into bankruptcy due to a decline in mining and lumbering in the area. It was closed shortly after, the tracks and ties torn up, and the other substations were demolished. This substation is all that remains from this fascinating part of Coeur d’Alene’s early history as a tourist destination and Idaho’s electrification as a whole.

Though it has far outlived its initial purpose, the substation is still a powerful place, as it is the home to the Human Rights Education Institute:

"The Human Rights Education Institute (HREI) mission is to celebrate diversity and human rights by educating, raising awareness, and recognizing the value of all humanity. We are recognized as a center providing cultural education, raising awareness about critical human rights issues while honoring differences and working toward common goals. We do this by using unique, often Smithsonian-level exhibits, informative presentations and speaking opportunities, and by offering dynamic youth and community programs that teach acceptance, character building and respect. Our Service area spans the panhandle region of North Idaho, Eastern Washington and Western Montana. Our organization was established in December of 1998."

We commend HREI not only for their incredible work and fascinating exhibits, but for their exemplary care of this historic site. IHT has proudly supported several of the building’s historic preservation projects, most recently awarding a Heritage Grant this spring to stabilize and repoint brickwork on the exterior elevations.
Learn more about HREI at https://hrei.org/

This story is part of our ongoing series highlighting Idaho’s Frontier History in celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary. If you would like to show your support for IHT and our mission, please consider purchasing a limited edition ‘Heritage’ license plate at your local DMV or through https://itd.idaho.gov/dmv/registrations-plates-titles/

09/30/2026

If you have been on the road the past few weeks, you might recognize Idaho Heritage Trust’s new billboard at the top of our page. What you might not know, however, is this billboard not only features but was also designed by Erica Wagner, the same phenomenally talented graphic designer responsible for IHT’s current logo.

Learn about her approach to design, her process in creating our logo, what makes an effective billboard, and - most importantly- her love for classic cars (Mustangs in particular). A heartfelt thank-you to Erica for helping us look so good!

Read the full article here:
https://www.idahoheritagetrust.org/meet-erica-wagner-designer-of-ihts-logo-and-latest-billboard/

If you would like to show your support for IHT and our mission, please consider purchasing a limited edition ‘Heritage’ license plate at your local DMV or through https://itd.idaho.gov/dmv/registrations-plates-titles/

If you have been on the road the past few weeks, you might recognize Idaho Heritage Trust’s new billboard in a few places around the state. What you might not know, however, is this billboard not only features but was also designed by Erica Wagner, the same phenomenally talented graphic…

09/18/2026

Greetings from your Idaho Heritage Trust! We are on our annual Fall Tour, which takes place each year in a different part of the State, so we can learn about the specific history of different regions, tour many of their historic resources, and better understand the particular preservation challenges and needs throughout the Gem State.

This year, we are staying in Kamiah, where even the drive is historic. US Route 12, which passes through the remote Lochsa River Canyon and over Lolo Pass is the last major US Highway ever constructed. It opened in 1962 and connects Lewiston, Idaho to Missoula, Montana, finally taming an "impenetrable" wilderness corridor historically traced by Lewis and Clark and the Nez Perce.

Tomorrow, we will be headed to the Glade Creek Campsite. Nestled on the bank of the meandering Pack Creek, surrounded by 200-year-old pine, fir, and spruce, the campsite provided a picturesque respite for the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805. The broad, high elevation meadow near Lolo now hosts a public campground, where visitors flock to see the already lovely area made even more beautiful by a blanket of camas blooms. Glade Creek is the only undeveloped site between Great Falls and Astoria, Oregon associated with the Lewis and Clark expedition, and is widely considered to be the most immaculate site along the entire Trail. Of the site, Clark wrote:

"S. 30 W.7 miles over a mountain & a Dividing ridge of flat gradey land to a Creek from the left passing thro a glade of 1/2 mile in width, keeping down the Creek 2 mile & Encamped. The country as usial except the Glades which is open & boggey, water clare and sandey. Snow toped mountains to the S. E....I killed 4 Pheasents & Shields killed a Black tail Deer.”

In order to save this pristine campsite from being logged, the Idaho Heritage Trust, with the support of Governor Phil Batt and Dr. Stephen Ambrose, purchased the pristine campsite from Plum Creek Timber. The Trust provided a grant of $263,000, with matching funding coming from The Idaho Power Company, MJ Murdock Charitable Trust, Paul Allen Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and individual members of IHT’s board. The Trust then gifted this historic piece of untouched wilderness to the State of Idaho, so the site’s natural beauty can be the same wondrous oasis to contemporary visitors as it was to the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805.

We last visited Glade Creek in 2012 and produced this lovely timecapsule of a video featuring IHT’s Executive Director and several members of our Board of Trustees detailing the preservation of this indelible piece of both national and state history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THmFw8uX8Wo&t=17s
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This story is part of our ongoing series highlighting Idaho’s Frontier History in celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary. If you would like to show your support for IHT and our mission, please consider purchasing a limited edition ‘Heritage’ license plate at your local DMV or through https://itd.idaho.gov/.../registrations.../license-plates/

09/11/2026

Now that students are back in school, we’d like to bring you a fascinating relic of Idaho’s education history - Albion Normal School. The term ‘normal school’ is derived from the French école normale, which developed in the 16th Century. These schools featured model classrooms where teachers could gain hands-on experience in a controlled environment. The practice was embraced in New England and proliferated throughout the United States in the 1800s, both by high schools providing one-year normal school programs and through the establishment of dedicated institutions like Albion State.

The Albion State Normal School was established by the Idaho legislature in 1893 as one of two normal schools in the state, the other being located in Lewiston and eventually becoming Lewis-Clark State College. The community of Albion donated the land and labor for the new campus, which is comprised of eight distinct buildings, all but two built of stunning red brick and local sandstone. Swanger Hall, which initially served as the school’s primary administrative building and is dated from 1894, making it the first official structure on the site. Subsequent buildings include men's and women's dormitories, followed by the single-story ‘model’ schoolhouse. The Axline Gymnasium was next, designed by J. E. Tourtellotte and Company, and is the most impressive building on the campus. The first floor housed locker rooms, showers, and storage, with the main athletic area on the second floor, and a balcony outfitted with an ovular running track.

Additional buildings were added throughout the 20s, including a residents for school presidents, a central heating system, and an additional administrative building to replace Swanger Hall. In addition to J.E. Tourtellotte, a number of other noted architects contributed to the aesthetically pleasing campus, including names such as Campbell, Hummel, Wayland, Fennel, and Morse. There is remarkable diversity in the styles of the buildings, as well: Queen Anne-going-classical in Swanger Hall and Miller Hall; Colonial Revival in Hansen Hall, Cornish Hall and in a minimal way, McMurray Hall; eclectic Victorian Romanesque Revival in Axline Gymnasium; highly schematic neo-classicism in Bocock Memorial Hall; stylish utilitarian in the central heating plant; bungalcid in the president's residence; and even a hint of Prairie in the training school site. Despite the differing styles, there is remarkable unity and attention to detail in the way each subsequent structure adds to the overall aesthetic of the institution. This reflects the prevailing belief at the time that an aesthetically pleasing environment aided and added to educational pursuits.

Despite the time and care invested in the institution, Albion Normal School was troubled by lack of funding and low enrollment. It continued to offer a two-year teaching certification until 1947, when it was briefly rechristened Southern Idaho College of Education and accredited to confer baccalaureate degrees. In 1951, the school closed for good, and its programs were absorbed into Idaho State College (now Idaho State University). The campus remained vacant until 1957, when Magic Valley Christian College took over the property, though it, too, would close twelve years later in 1969, and the school was deeded to the City of Albion in 1970 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

In 2007, the empty grounds and property were sold at public auction to a private business. The buildings, with the exception of those housing the Normal School Museum and the Albion Senior Center, are being rehabilitated as a conference and retreat center, “Campus Grove at Albion.” As of 2022, the facility is known as "Albion Campus Retreat".

Since we are encroaching on spooky season, it is also important to note that the site has gained some notoriety for being potentially haunted. It was featured in a season 15 episode of Ghost Hunters, and there are ghost tours and other creepy events held throughout the month of October.

Learn more about the current uses of this incredible piece of Idaho history at https://www.albioncampusretreat.com/

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IHT has proudly contributed to the preservation of Albion Normal School, most recently awarding a Heritage Grant in 2021 to preserve their collection of yearbooks.

This story is part of our ongoing series highlighting Idaho’s Frontier History in celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary. If you would like to show your support for IHT and our mission, please consider purchasing a limited edition ‘Heritage’ license plate at your local DMV or through https://itd.idaho.gov/.../registrations.../license-plates/

09/04/2026

Happy Labor Day Weekend from your Idaho Heritage Trust!

Like many of you, we will be enjoying Idaho’s splendid late-summer-sendoff by spending time with family and friends. Labor Day’s history, however, stands in stark contrast to an ideal afternoon on the river, taking time in the garden, or a leisurely day at home. Indulge us as we take a brief look at the history of what we are truly celebrating this weekend:

In the 1800s during the height of the Industrial Revolution, working conditions in America were truly abhorrent. Many people, including children, worked six days a week with shifts lasting as long as 16 hours. Conditions were no better than the hours, with cramped spaces offering little-to-no ventilation, and deeply unsafe conditions. Exposure to chemicals, fumes, and heavy metals like lead and mercury were common, and so were injuries both chronic and catastrophic. To make matters worse, many factories required their workers to be silent throughout the day, docking folks’ pay for speaking or singing.

These factors combined with poor wages led to widespread calls for reform. The first Labor Day occurred in New York City and coincided with a General Assembly of the Knights of Labor, while public demonstrations, parades, and other festivities were coordinated with the Central Labor Union. The origin of this event and the proposal for making Labor Day a national holiday are not without controversy, however. Two gentlemen with oddly similar names are credited with the idea: Matthew Maguire, CLU Secretary and Peter J. McGuire, Vice President of the Federation of Trades and Organized Labor Unions. Regardless of its origin, the annual New York event quickly gained notoriety throughout the country, with Oregon becoming the first state to officially recognize it as a public holiday. By 1894, thirty states had passed similar legislation.

A cluster of events in Chicago in 1894 would further catalyze the movement. Still suffering from economic depression in the wake of the Civil War and the Panic of 1893 further eroded the national economy, demand for passenger cars produced at the Pullman Company outside of Chicago steeply declined, workers were laid off, and those remaining had their wages cut significantly. In response, the newly minted American Railway Union, led by Eugene Debs, attempted an unsuccessful strike at the Pullman plant. The Pullman Company refused to recognize the ARU and include them in negotiations, so Debs and the ARU changed tactics to boycott all rail lines that used Pullman cars. At its height, the boycott spread to over 250,000 workers across 27 states, and ground rail travel and freight lines to a halt. The federal government sought an injunction to exclude trains carrying mail, however the boycott continued, and widespread violence erupted as the US Army and strikebreakers clashed with striking workers across the country. In all, 30 strikers were killed and more than 50 wounded.

In the wake of the strike and as a way to ease tensions, President Grover Cleveland, backed by Congress, designated the first Monday of September as Labor Day. This only governed federal workers, however, and trade unions and other labor advocates were still fighting for this holiday to extend to all workers as late as the 1930s.

While many of us enjoy the welcome respite of a long weekend, it is important to remember Labor Day for what it is and what it represents. Regulations like the standard 8-hour work day, 5-day week, overtime pay, and, perhaps most importantly, safety regulations and child labor laws are a direct result of those who put their lives and livelihoods on the line to create a better, more hospitable world for us to enjoy the fruits of our labor. And for those who must work on such a holiday – whether it be the farmers tilling our fields, retail and hospitality folks, medical staff, or a host of other professions – thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

(Pictured: Minutes from the first meeting of the Boise Typographers Union, 1890)

PS. A gentle reminder that the deadline for our Fall Heritage Grant Cycle (September 30th) is quickly approaching. Visit https://www.idahoheritagetrust.org/grants/ to start your application today!

08/28/2026

We would like to invite you to one of our favorite treasure troves of Idaho Pioneer History, The Oneida County Pioneer Museum in the heart of Malad City. The Museum’s collection originates from artifacts gathered by Miss Hattie Morgan and local Native Daughters of Idaho Pioneers (NDIP) in the 1930s. A display was curated for the town’s centennial and was displayed at various locations in subsequent years before finding a permanent home in the R.B. Davis Building.

The Museum is chock full of local treasures, including furniture, photographs, quilts, toys, farm implements, musical instruments, clothing, hats, military uniforms, medical instruments, and books. A library corner is home to pictures, books, family histories, school yearbooks, and community histories for perusal. Pioneer-era crayon portraits are displayed throughout the Museum, which one of IHT’s historic preservationists deemed “the best collection in the state of Idaho.” IHT has proudly supported a half dozen projects undertaken by the Oneida County Relic Preservation and Historical Society over the years, including preserving these remarkable portraits, as well as a 2025 Heritage Grant Award to address deteriorating brick cornices along the parapet and some water damage near the foundation.

Be sure to get there in the next week or so, otherwise you'll have to wait until next year, as the Museum will be closed from Labor Day to Memorial Day.
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The Oneida County Museum is located in the center of Malad City on Bannock Street, itself a spur of the old Oregon Trail. The building was originally constructed to house the R.B. Davis Drug Store and opened for business on May 23, 1914. Like many drug stores, much more than just pharmacy items were on offer, including jewelry, sheet music, pianos, phonographs, and sewing machines. A jewelry repairman was on-site, and a barber operated a shop in the Davis building for some time, before it was taken over by Miss Florence Phillips for use as her millinery store. Later, a dentist set up shop in the basement, combining two of many folks' fears in a single location - subterranean spaces and dental work.

In the early 1940s, R.B. Davis fell ill and sold his stock in the drugstore in 1944. While owned by the Davis family, the building housed several different businesses, including the State Liquor Store, Sears, and Allen’s Western Wear. After being empty for a period, the family leased the building to the Oneida County Relic Preservation and Historical Society for $1 a year for 15 years, beginning in 1992. After much renovation, the R.B. Davis Drugstore building opened as the Oneida Pioneer Museum with a dedication ceremony on July 24, 1992. On December 26, 2012, the Davis family gifted the building to the Oneida County Relic Preservation and Historical Society as the permanent home of the Oneida Pioneer Museum.

The Museum has made special efforts to preserve their extensive collection of photographs of early settlers. All items in the collection have been donated to the Museum. Thirty of the photographs are large, framed portraits, most of which hang on the walls of the Museum. The photos date from the 1840s through the early 1900s. The Museum also has over 100 other smaller photos that identify people and places important to the history of Oneida County. These are the only copies; the whereabouts of the originals are unknown.
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For more information, please contact the Oneida Pioneer Museum at (208) 766-9247 and visit their website at https://www.oneidapioneermuseum.org/

This story is part of our ongoing series highlighting Idaho’s Frontier History in celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary. If you would like to show your support for IHT and our mission, please consider purchasing a limited edition ‘Heritage’ license plate at your local DMV or through https://itd.idaho.gov/.../registrations.../license-plates/

08/27/2026

Beautiful Downtown Lewiston shown a little brighter this past weekend, as the Liberty Theater Lewiston's newly restored marquee lit up for Hot August Nights, a 40-year tradition celebrating music, arts, and classic cars. Congratulations to all involved on completing this major milestone on the way to reopening!

In 2023, The Liberty received $100,000 to restore its historic marquee from IHT's Historic Theatre Revitalization Subgrant Program. This program is supported by the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program funded by the Historic Preservation Fund as administered by the National Park Service (NPS), Department of the Interior and the Idaho Heritage Trust Fund.

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The Liberty Theater is an exquisite Art Deco venue located within the Lewiston Historic District. The movie palace was remodeled from a farm implement store into a luxurious, state-of-the-art movie house in 1921. The iconic Liberty entertained generations of families until its closure in 2005. In 2015, the Liberty Theater Preservation Alliance (LTPA) was established to return the theater to its former glory as an arts and entertainment hub for Lewiston and the surrounding area. The Liberty is one of six arts and culture organizations comprising Beautiful Downtown Lewiston’s cultural corridor, and its return to prominence of this ‘Crown Jewel’ will only enhance other community efforts to revitalize the area.

The Liberty intends to return to full use soon, following a series of substantial restoration projects, beginning with this grant project to restore the distinctive exterior marquee. This serves as a very public demonstration of LTPA’s intentions to restore The Liberty to its rightful place of prominence and will be a key feature of their Capital Campaign. Once restored, the theater’s core programming shall include an array of classic films, independent cinema, live theater, music events, public gatherings, special events, and more.