Idaho State Historical Society facts for kids

The Idaho History Center

The Idaho State Historical Society (ISHS) helps keep Idaho's amazing history and culture safe. It's like a special guardian for the past, making sure we remember important events and people.

This society started way back in 1881, even before Idaho became a state in 1890. It became an official state group in 1907. Today, over 50 staff members and more than 100 volunteers work there. They manage the Idaho State Historical Museum, the state's official museum, and the Idaho State Archives, where you can find old records. They also have the State Historic Preservation Office, which looks after historic places, and the Historic Sites Program, which cares for places like the Old Idaho State Penitentiary.

What is the Idaho State Historical Society?

The Idaho State Historical Society (ISHS) was created in 1881. This was 18 years after the Idaho Territory was formed. Its first name was the Historical Society of Idaho Pioneers. Their main goal was to find and protect Idaho's history.

Because of these early efforts, the ISHS became an official state agency in 1907. The ISHS is in charge of saving Idaho's rich history. This includes both recent history and very old history from before written records.

The ISHS has a special board of trustees. These seven people are chosen by the governor. They help make decisions for the society. The ISHS now reaches over 100,000 people every year. Its website helps another 700,000 people learn about Idaho's past.

Idaho State Historical Museum

The Idaho State Historical Museum is in Boise, Idaho's capital city. It is the official history museum for the state. What started as a small collection of interesting items is now the biggest and most visited museum in Idaho.

The museum has many interactive programs. These programs teach visitors about the value of its large collections. It is the official place where artifacts about Idaho's history are kept.

The museum's collection has over 250,000 objects. It has a main exhibit that shows Idaho's history. There are also exhibits about the state's different cultures and jobs. The museum also creates special temporary exhibits.

One special exhibit is the J. Curtis Earl Exhibit. It is at the Old Idaho State Penitentiary. This exhibit shows one of the nation's largest collections of old weapons. The museum also built and takes care of Pioneer Village next door. This village has some of Idaho's oldest buildings. These include the Isaac Coston log cabin from 1863 and the Thomas Logan adobe house from 1865.

The Idaho State Historical Museum was one of the first museums in the western U.S. to be approved by the American Alliance of Museums. This means it follows high professional standards. Over 30,000 people visit the museum each year. About 12,000 of these visitors are schoolchildren. The museum also sends educational kits and exhibits to communities all over the state.

Public Archives and Research Library

The Idaho State Archives (ISA) lets people and researchers look at a huge collection of materials. These materials are about the history of Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. The collection covers many different topics and time periods.

The ISA is open to everyone. It helps over 12,000 researchers each year, both in person and online. The staff also helps government groups with managing their records. They also offer workshops for the public on how to do research.

Public Archives

In 1947, Idaho's lawmakers decided that the ISHS should be in charge of state archives. An archive is a place where old records are kept safe. The goal was to protect important state, county, city, and village records. This makes it easier to use Idaho's records for official needs and historical research.

The law allowed officials to send old but important records to the ISHS. This ensures they are kept safe forever. The archives have been part of the Public Archives and Research Library (PARL) since 2006.

The archives help set standards for managing public records. They offer guidelines and training on many topics. These include how to protect important records and how to store electronic records. They also cover how to prepare for disasters and how to keep records for a long time.

Research Library

The Research Library helps anyone who asks for information. You can visit in person or ask questions online. The collection is very broad, but it focuses on the history of Idaho.

The library has many different types of materials. These include:

• About 65,000 cubic feet of old handwritten papers and state archives.
• Around 30,000 rolls of microfilm. This includes Idaho newspapers from 1863 to today.
• About 500,000 photos, including prints and negatives.
• Around 5,000 old movies and videos.
• A large collection of oral histories. These are about 3,100 recorded interviews with people.
• About 32,000 maps and building plans.
• About 25,000 books and magazines that you can browse.
• Other materials like old public records and special indexes. They also have a recreated 1890 census and records from the Old Idaho State Penitentiary.

The library works with the Northwest Digital Archives. This helps people find the collections available at the library. They have already created a guide for oral histories from guards at the Old State Penitentiary. These interviews talk about the prison, riots, and prisoners' rights.

The Historical Society also has a collection of 3,000 photos and scrapbooks. These were made by Idaho photographer Everett L. "Shorty" Fuller. His photos show street scenes, parades, and daily life in Boise during the 1930s and 1940s.

Idaho Oral History Center

The Idaho Oral History Center (IOHC) collects recorded interviews. These are with Idahoans who have lived through much of the state's history. The collection has almost 3,200 interviews. Most of these have been organized, and many have been written down.

Since 1999, the IOHC's Oral Historian has conducted new interviews. They also process interviews given to the center by other people. You can find basic information about interviews from 1969 to 1998 on their website.

The interviews cover many topics. These include pioneer life, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and mining. They also talk about the women's movement of the 1960s and 1970s. You can listen to these interviews at the PARL. Some are also available through interlibrary loan.

The center also teaches people how to collect oral histories. They offer workshops and guides. The Idaho Oral History Center is a partner with the National Veterans History Project.

State Historic Preservation Office

The Idaho State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) started in 1966. Its job is to lead efforts to protect historic places in Idaho. The SHPO does many activities across the state.

One of its main jobs is to manage the National Register of Historic Places program for Idaho. The SHPO also keeps records of archaeological sites and historic buildings. Right now, there are about 70,000 properties in their inventory.

The SHPO works with government groups and tribes. They try to reduce the impact of new buildings on historic properties. They also help builders get tax benefits for fixing up old buildings. The office plans preservation activities. It also oversees archaeological studies in Idaho. This includes taking care of old collections.

Historic Sites

The Historic Sites program looks after several important places. These are in Pierce, Franklin, Rock Creek, and Boise. One of these is the Assay Office in Boise. This is where the State Historic Preservation Office is located.

These sites let visitors experience places that are very important to Idaho's history. The Historic Sites managed by the ISHS include:

• The Pierce Courthouse in Pierce. This is the oldest public building in Idaho.
• Rock Creek Station and Stricker Homesite. This is southeast of Twin Falls. It was a popular camping spot on the Oregon Trail. It was also the first trading post between Boise and Fort Hall.
• Franklin Historic Properties. These include the Lorenzo Hill Hatch House and the Pioneer Relic Hall in Franklin.
• The Old Idaho Penitentiary State Historic Site. This is the largest site managed by the ISHS. It is also one of the biggest National Register of Historic Places sites in Idaho. The society wants visitors to learn about the prison's history. They hope this will make people want to help protect it.

Programs at the Old Penitentiary include:

• Self-guided tours for everyone.
• Guided walks for the public.
• Special learning programs for school groups.
• Exhibits inside the prison buildings.
• A video called "Doing Time."
• Information and resources about the Old Idaho Penitentiary online. This includes an educational kit and worksheets.

Notable Artifacts

• Nampa figurine

See also

• List of historical societies in Idaho