Assay Office (Boise, Idaho) facts for kids
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Assay Office
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 Assay Office
Location in Idaho
Assay Office
Location in the United States
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| Location | 210 Main Street, Boise, Idaho |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1871 |
| Architect | Alfred B. Mullett; John R. McBride |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000305 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | May 30, 1961 |
The Assay Office is an old, important building located at 210 Main Street in Boise, Idaho. It played a big part in Idaho's mining history. It was also the very first major building built by the United States government in the Idaho Territory.
In the early 1860s, Idaho was one of the top places in the country for finding gold. But gold and other valuable metals are not found pure. They are mixed with other stuff. To find out how much a rock (called "ore") was worth, the pure metal had to be separated. This process is called assaying. It was hard to send heavy ores all the way to the U.S. Mint in San Francisco. So, people really needed an assay office closer to the mines in Idaho. This building helped miners learn the true value of their discoveries.
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Building the Assay Office
In 1869, the U.S. Congress decided to spend $75,000 to build an assay office in Boise. A well-known citizen named Alexander Rossi gave the city block for the building. This block was bordered by Main, First, Idaho, and Second streets.
Construction started in 1870 and finished in 1871. The builder was John R. McBride, who was also the Chief Justice of Idaho. The building had a special dome on top, called a cupola, to help with air flow. Inside, the doors had strong iron cages.
Inside the Building
- The first floor held the main offices.
- It had vaults and safes for storing valuable metals.
- There were special rooms with furnaces for assaying and melting metals.
- A laboratory and storage for chemicals were also on this floor.
The second floor was where the chief assayer lived. It had a living room, a pantry, a dining room, a kitchen, and three bedrooms. The basement was used for storing fuel and supplies. It also had rooms for guards and wells for water.
How the Assay Office Worked
All the special equipment was ready by March 2, 1872, when the first assay was done. John R. McBride, the builder, became the Superintendent of the Assay Office. Alexander Rossi, who donated the land, was the temporary Chief Assayer.
When the office first opened, mining in Idaho was a bit slow. This was because it was getting harder to find gold on the surface. This slow period lasted about ten years. Then, more gold was found in the northern part of the state.
Growth and Changes
In 1887, railroads came to Idaho. This, along with more money being invested, made it possible to dig deeper for metals. A few years after opening, the Assay Office started buying gold for the U.S. government. By 1895, the value of the metals they handled was over one million dollars! For the next eleven years, this amount was more than one and a half million dollars each year.
The building also got some upgrades. In 1889 and 1890, workers added a new fence and new floors. They also put in a hot and cold water system and electric lights.
What Happened Next
The Assay Office closed its doors in 1933. The building was then given to the United States Forest Service. They used it for their offices.
When the Forest Service took over, they made some changes:
- The iron bars were removed from the windows.
- New windows were added to the back wall.
- The old vaults and assaying furnaces were taken out.
- The inside walls were rearranged to create new office spaces.
In 1961, the Assay Office was named a National Historic Landmark. This honor recognized its very important role in how Idaho grew and developed.
In 1972, the building was given to the Idaho State Historical Society. Today, it is home to the State Historical Preservation Office. It also houses the Archaeological Survey of Idaho, which studies old human history in the state.
See also
