Although the culture of Idaho

Idaho

Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....

 is reflective of the broader culture of the United States

Culture of the United States

The Culture of the United States is a Western culture originally influenced by European cultures. It has been developing since long before the United States became a country with its own unique social and cultural characteristics such as dialect, music, arts, social habits, cuisine, and folklore...

 to some extent, some of the forces that have shaped the culture of Idaho are ethnographic

Ethnography

Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...

, geographic

Geography

Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...

, and historical

History

History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...

 in nature. Additionally, the culture of Idaho is reflected in the state's symbols, traditions, stories, art, and cuisine.

Ethnographic Influences

Idaho is home to several immigrant groups with notable histories. Specifically, Idaho is home to significant numbers of people with historical English, Native American, German, and Mexican historical ties .

Cultural centers in the Treasure Valley region of southern Idaho include the Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho and the Basque Center in downtown Boise

Boise, Idaho

Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...

.

Geographic Influences

Geography has shaped the Idahoan identity, imprinting aesthetic and recreational aspects upon the culture. For example, consider that the world's first chairlift was built in Sun Valley

Sun Valley, Idaho

Sun Valley is a resort city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum, lying within the greater Wood River valley. Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis, and cycling. The population was 1,427...

and that skiing is cherished as an Idaho pastime . Additionally, the rivers and high mountain lakes of Idaho contribute to a rich fishing culture within the state . The significance of Idaho's fishing culture is partly revealed by the impact of fishing recreation on the economy of Idaho .

Other cultural variations arising from geography should be noted as well. For example, the state features some areas that could be classified as urban (such as Boise), and others that could be classified as decidedly rural.

Historical Influences

In examining historical influences upon the culture of Idaho, the effect of Mormon and European settlers holds a notable position.