List of National Historic Landmarks in Idaho
Encyclopedia
This is a complete List of National Historic Landmarks in Idaho. The United States
National Historic Landmark
program is operated under the auspices of the National Park Service
, and recognizes structures, districts, objects, and similar resources nationwide according to a list of criteria of national dept.
The state
of Idaho
is home to 10 of these landmarks, spanning a range of history from the Lewis and Clark expedition
to the beginnings of nuclear power
.
The table below lists all 10 of these sites, along with added detail and description.
There are other historic sites preserved in Idaho. Considering them provides perspective on the NHLs. In particular, there are two areas in the National Park System:
Besides the NHLs and NPS areas, the state has approximately 1,000 properties and districts listed in Idaho on the National Register of Historic Places
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
program is operated under the auspices of the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, and recognizes structures, districts, objects, and similar resources nationwide according to a list of criteria of national dept.
The state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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 home to 10 of these landmarks, spanning a range of history from the Lewis and Clark expedition
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
to the beginnings of nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
.
The table below lists all 10 of these sites, along with added detail and description.
Landmark name | Image | Date declared | Locality name="NHLdat"> | County | Description | |
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Assay Office Assay Office (Boise, Idaho) Assay Office is a historic building in Boise, Idaho. It is significant for its role in the history of mining in Idaho. During the first half of the 1860s, Idaho’s gold production was the third highest in the nation. Due to the difficulty of transporting bulky, heavy ores the long distance to the... |
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,... |
Ada Ada County, Idaho Ada County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census, the county had a population of 392,365. The county seat and largest city is Boise, which is also the state capital. Other cities in the county with over 10,000 residents include Meridian, Eagle,... |
This assay office Assay office Assay offices are institutions set up to assay precious metals, in order to protect consumers. Upon successful completion of an assay, Assay offices are institutions set up to assay (test the purity of) precious metals, in order to protect consumers. Upon successful completion of an assay, Assay... symbolizes the importance of mining Mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock... in the history 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.... and the American West Western United States .The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time... . Built Construction In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking... in 1870-71, it operated by the federal government Federal government of the United States The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and... until 1933. |
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Bear River Massacre Site Bear River Massacre Site Bear River Massacre Site, near Preston, Idaho, is the site of the Bear River Massacre, in which a village of Shoshone Native Americans were attacked by the California Volunteers on January 29, 1863. Estimates of Shoshone casualties are as high as 384... |
Preston Preston, Idaho Preston is a city in Franklin County, Idaho, United States. The population was 4,682 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Franklin County. It is part of the Logan, Utah-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:... |
Franklin Franklin County, Idaho Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 11,329 . The county seat and largest city is Preston. Franklin County is part of the Logan, Utah-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area.Established in 1913, Franklin County was named... |
Where California Volunteers wrought Bear River Massacre Bear River Massacre The Bear River Massacre, or the Battle of Bear River and the Massacre at Boa Ogoi, took place in present-day Idaho on January 29, 1863. The United States Army attacked Shoshone gathered at the confluence of the Bear River and Beaver Creek in what was then southeastern Washington Territory. The... upon a Shoshoni village in 1863. |
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Camas Meadows Battle Sites Camas Meadows Battle Sites Camas Meadows Battle Sites, also known as Camas Meadows Camp and Battle Sites, are sites of the Battle of Camas Creek. The Nez Perce captured about 150 horses and mules of the pursuing army, and escaped to continue their trek for another 6 weeks.... |
Kilgore Kilgore, Idaho Kilgore is an unincorporated community on Antelope Valley Road in Clark County, Idaho, United States.It is the nearest community to Camas Meadows Battle Sites, a National Historic Landmark.... |
Clark Clark County, Idaho Clark County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 1,022 . The county seat and largest city is Dubois... |
Sites of the Battle of Camas Creek Battle of Camas Creek - Journey to Camas Meadows :From Birch Creek, the Nez Perce cavalcade passed around the foothills in a southeastward direction. By the evening their scouts reached the stage road a mile north of Hole-in-Rock stage station The station was located on a Beaver Creek, four miles above present-day Dubois... , which allowed Nez Perce to further elude capture. |
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Cataldo Mission Old Mission State Park Old Mission State Park is a state park and National Historic Landmark in northern Idaho, USA. It is also known as the Mission of the Sacred Heart or Cataldo Mission. It contains the church itself, the parish house, and the surrounding property... |
Cataldo Cataldo, Idaho Cataldo is an unincorporated community in Kootenai and Shoshone counties in the U.S. state of Idaho. It is located at , at an altitude of 2,139 feet .... 47°32′55.1"N 116°21′30"W |
Kootenai Kootenai County, Idaho Kootenai County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county was established in 1864, named after Kootenai tribe. The entire county comprises the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 138,494 at the 2010 census... |
This Jesuit Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a... mission Mission (station) A religious mission or mission station is a location for missionary work.While primarily a Christian term, the concept of the religious "mission" is also used prominently by the Church of Scientology and their Scientology Missions International.... to the Coeur d'Alenes Coeur d'Alene Tribe The Coeur d'Alene are a Native American people who lived in villages along the Coeur d'Alene, St. Joe, Clark Fork and Spokane Rivers; as well as sites on the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene, Lake Pend Oreille and Hayden Lake, in what is now northern Idaho, eastern Washington and western Montana.In... , dating from the 1850s, is the oldest remaining mission Mission (Christian) Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged... church in the Pacific Northwest Northwestern United States The Northwestern United States comprise the northwestern states up to the western Great Plains regions of the United States, and consistently include the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, to which part of southeast Alaska is also sometimes included... . |
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City of Rocks | Almo Almo, Idaho Almo is a very small unincorporated town in Cassia County, Idaho, United States. It is a short distance away from the City of Rocks National Reserve, a area with granite columns as much as high. Almo is renowned for its scenic, historic and geologic significance. Almo was established around a... 42°4′33"N 113°42′52"W |
Cassia Cassia County, Idaho Cassia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 22,952. The county seat and largest city is Burley.-History:... |
Thousands of emigrants Emigration Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people... on the California Trail California Trail The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California... made this a popular resting point, and left wagon Wagon A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float.... ruts Rut (roads) A rut is a depression or groove worn into a road or path by the travel of wheels or skis. Ruts can be formed by wear, as from studded snow tires common in cold climate areas, or they can form through the deformation of the asphalt concrete pavement or subbase material... that are still visible today. For these emigrants, the landscape of rock outcrop Outcrop An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be... s rising like city building Building In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:... s, woodland Woodland Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of... s, and mountain Mountain Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River... s provided a welcome change from the surrounding sagebrush Artemisia tridentata Artemisia tridentata is a shrub or small tree from the family Asteraceae. Some botanists treat it in the segregate genus Seriphidium, as S. tridentatum W. A. Weber, but this is not widely followed... plain Plain In geography, a plain is land with relatively low relief, that is flat or gently rolling. Prairies and steppes are types of plains, and the archetype for a plain is often thought of as a grassland, but plains in their natural state may also be covered in shrublands, woodland and forest, or... s. |
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Experimental Breeder Reactor No.1 Experimental Breeder Reactor I Experimental Breeder Reactor I is a decommissioned research reactor and U.S. National Historic Landmark located in the desert about southeast of Arco, Idaho. At 1:50 pm on December 20, 1951 it became the world's first electricity-generating nuclear power plant when it produced sufficient... |
Arco Arco, Idaho Arco is a city in Butte County, Idaho, United States. The population was 995 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Butte County.Craters of the Moon National Monument is located along U.S. Route 20, southwest of the city. The Idaho National Laboratory is located east of Arco... 43.5094965288°N 113.00562788°W |
Butte Butte County, Idaho Butte County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. It was established in 1917, and its county seat and largest city is Arco. As of the 2010 census, the county had a population of 2,891... |
This pioneering nuclear Nuclear power Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity... reactor was the site of several milestones in the development of nuclear technology Technology Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;... , including the first usable electricity Electric power Electric power is the rate at which electric energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt.-Circuits:Electric power, like mechanical power, is represented by the letter P in electrical equations... (1951), the first self-sustaining chain reaction Nuclear chain reaction A nuclear chain reaction occurs when one nuclear reaction causes an average of one or more nuclear reactions, thus leading to a self-propagating number of these reactions. The specific nuclear reaction may be the fission of heavy isotopes or the fusion of light isotopes... using plutonium Plutonium Plutonium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the chemical symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, forming a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four oxidation... rather than uranium Uranium Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons... (1963), and the first demonstration of the feasible use of high-temperature liquid metal as a reactor coolant Liquid metal cooled reactor A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor, liquid metal fast reactor or LMFR is an advanced type of nuclear reactor where the primary coolant is a liquid metal. Liquid metal cooled reactors were first adapted for nuclear submarine use but have also been extensively studied for power generation... . |
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Fort Hall Fort Hall Fort Hall, sitting athwart the end of the common stretch shared by the three far west emigrant trails was a 19th century outpost in the eastern Oregon Country, which eventually became part of the present-day United States, and is located in southeastern Idaho near Fort Hall, Idaho... |
image pending | Fort Hall Fort Hall, Idaho Fort Hall is a census-designated place in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho, split between northern Bannock County and southern Bingham County. It is located on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation along the Snake River north of Pocatello, near the site of the original Fort Hall in the... |
Bannock Bannock County, Idaho Bannock County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. It was established in 1893 and named after the local Bannock tribe. It is part of the Pocatello, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Bannock and Power counties. As of the 2000 Census... |
Outpost where the Oregon Trail Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat... forked, splitting off the California Trail California Trail The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California... . |
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Lemhi Pass Lemhi Pass Lemhi Pass is a high mountain pass in the Beaverhead Mountains, part of the Bitterroot Range in the Rocky Mountains The pass lies on the Montana-Idaho border on the continental divide, at an elevation of 7373 feet above sea level.-History:... |
Tendoy, ID Tendoy, Idaho Tendoy is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States. It is located at on State Highway 28, at an altitude of 4,842 feet... 44°58′29"N 113°26′41"W |
Lemhi, ID Lemhi County, Idaho Lemhi County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county was established in 1869, named after Fort Lemhi , a remote Mormon missionary settlement from 1855-58 in Bannock and Shoshone territory. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 7,806... and Beaverhead, MT Beaverhead County, Montana -National protected areas:* Beaverhead National Forest * Big Hole National Battlefield* Nez Perce National Historical Park * Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge-History:... |
Pass crossed by the Lewis and Clark Expedition Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William... in August 1805 |
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Lolo Trail Lolo Pass (Idaho-Montana) Lolo Pass, elevation , is a mountain pass in the United States, in the Bitterroot Range of the northern Rocky Mountains. It is on the border between the states of Montana and Idaho, approximately west-southwest of Missoula, Montana.... |
Lolo Hot Springs, ID 46°38′7"N 114°34′47"W |
Clearwater (ID) Clearwater County, Idaho Clearwater County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. Established in 1911, the county was named after the Clearwater River. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 8,930 . The county seat is Orofino.... and Missoula, MT Missoula County, Montana -National protected areas:*Bitterroot National Forest *Flathead National Forest *Lolo National Forest *Rattlesnake National Recreation Area-Demographics:... |
Difficult trail followed by the Lewis and Clark Expedition Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William... in 1805 and returning in 1806. |
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Weippe Prairie Weippe Prairie Weippe Prairie is a "beautiful upland prairie field of about nine by twenty miles of open farmland bordered by pine forests" at 3,000 feet elevation in Clearwater County, Idaho, at Weippe, Idaho. Camas flowers grow well there, and attracted native gatherers of the camas roots... |
Weippe Weippe, Idaho Weippe is a city in Clearwater County, Idaho, United States. The population was 416 at the 2000 census. Near present-day Weippe, the Lewis and Clark expedition met with the Nez Percé.-Geography:Weippe is located at .... |
Clearwater Clearwater County, Idaho Clearwater County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. Established in 1911, the county was named after the Clearwater River. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 8,930 . The county seat is Orofino.... |
Meadow of camas Camassia Camassia is a genus of six species native to western North America, from southern British Columbia to northern California, and east to Utah, Wyoming and Montana... , whose roots were basic food for Nez Perce, where the Lewis and Clark Expedition Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William... emerged from Lolo Trail. |
There are other historic sites preserved in Idaho. Considering them provides perspective on the NHLs. In particular, there are two areas in the National Park System:
- Nez Perce National Historical ParkNez Perce National Historical ParkThe Nez Perce National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park comprising 38 sites located throughout the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington which are the traditional aboriginal lands of the Nez Perce. The sites commemorate the history, culture, and stories of the...
, a set of 38 sites located throughout the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington which are the traditional aboriginal lands of the Nez Perce. The sites commemorate the history, culture, and stories of the people. Its headquarters are located in Lapwai, Idaho. - Minidoka National Historic Site, established in 2001, one of ten camps at which Japanese Americans were interned during 1942-45.
Besides the NHLs and NPS areas, the state has approximately 1,000 properties and districts listed in Idaho on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
See also
- Historic preservationHistoric preservationHistoric preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
- History of IdahoHistory of IdahoThe history of Idaho is an examination of the human history and social activity within the state of Idaho, a geographical area in the Pacific Northwest area near the west coast of the United States and Canada...
- Nez Perce National Historical ParkNez Perce National Historical ParkThe Nez Perce National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park comprising 38 sites located throughout the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington which are the traditional aboriginal lands of the Nez Perce. The sites commemorate the history, culture, and stories of the...
- Minidoka National Historic Site
External links
- National Historic Landmark Program at the National Park ServiceNational Park ServiceThe National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
- Lists of National Historic Landmarks