The Idaho House
Encyclopedia
The State of Idaho Executive Residence, also known as the Governor's House or Idaho House, is the official residence
of the governor of Idaho, located in Boise
, the state capital.
Located at 4000 Simplot Lane on the top of a prominent hill in the Highlands area of North Boise, the house is the former residence of billionaire potato
and agribusiness
magnate J. R. (Jack) Simplot
and wife Esther Simplot. Simplot donated the house to the State of Idaho
in November 2005 as a residence for future governors on the sole condition that a massive American flag
continue to fly above the home. The property, located north of Hill Road off of Bogus Basin Road, covers 37.749 acres and includes the house (7,370 ft²) and garages
(1,151 ft²). The main level of the home consists of two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a library
, a main kitchen and caterer's kitchen, and a boardroom/dining room, while the upper level consists of an office, bathroom, entertainment area and great room
/formal dining room.
The Governor's Housing Committee and Residence Fund were created by statute
(Idaho Code 67-455) in 1995, with the Fund being established "for the purpose of providing a Governor's housing allowance and/or the acquisition, construction, remodel, furnishing, equipping, or maintaining a Governor's residence". In 1999, the Legislature
amended Idaho law (Idaho Code 67-455A) to allow the Governor's Housing Committee to accept grants, gifts, or donations related to a governor's residence.
The Mediterranean-style villa
was built by Simplot in 1979. The house is visible for miles and was dubbed "Fort Simplot" by neighbors who said it resembled a Boy Scout camp. The flag pole that carries the 30-foot-by-50-foot flag was erected in 1980. Neighbors soon complained that the noise from the flag disturbed their sleep at night; Simplot responded by raising the flag pole to 100 feet. A 1983 mudslide from the slopes of the hill caused $20,000 in damage to an adjacent home. In the 2006 gubernatorial election, Otter's Democratic opponent, Jerry Brady, called the house "too gaudy for a governor". Some state legislators have suggested selling the home, using the proceeds to build a new mansion on state-owned residential property nearby.
Dirk Kempthorne
, who was governor at the time of the donation, accepted the $2.1 million property in 2004 and launched a $3 million private fund raising effort to renovate the interior. He also planned to sell naming rights
to various rooms to make the house a showcase for Idaho industry, but Kempthorne left to become Secretary of the Interior
and the plans were never implemented. Kempthorne's successor Butch Otter, the current governor, is a former executive with the Simplot Company
; he divorced the Simplots' daughter, Gay, in 1993 and refuses to live in the mansion that his former father-in-law owned. In January 2009, it was reported that a fund-raising campaign for the mansion had "sputtered" and that the cost of maintaining the lawn, $100,000 a year, was depleting funds. Otter and his current wife, Lori
, live on their ranch west of the city near Star
and receive a state housing allowance of $58,000 per year, causing controversy; the Idaho Statesman
editorialized that "It is ridiculous to subsidize his living expenses." Otter said he would stop taking the allowance once the state finishes minimal renovations, but would still not live there.
Official residence
An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside...
of the governor of Idaho, located in 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,...
, the state capital.
Located at 4000 Simplot Lane on the top of a prominent hill in the Highlands area of North Boise, the house is the former residence of billionaire potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
and agribusiness
Agribusiness
In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term for the various businesses involved in food production, including farming and contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales....
magnate J. R. (Jack) Simplot
J. R. Simplot
John Richard Simplot was the founder of the J. R. Simplot Company, an agricultural supplier specializing in potato products, based in Boise, Idaho. In 2007 he was estimated to be the 89th-richest person in America, at $3.6 billion...
and wife Esther Simplot. Simplot donated the house to the State 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....
in November 2005 as a residence for future governors on the sole condition that a massive American flag
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
continue to fly above the home. The property, located north of Hill Road off of Bogus Basin Road, covers 37.749 acres and includes the house (7,370 ft²) and garages
Garage (house)
A residential garage is part of a home, or an associated building, designed or used for storing a vehicle or vehicles. In some places the term is used synonymously with "carport", though that term normally describes a structure that is not completely enclosed.- British residential garages:Those...
(1,151 ft²). The main level of the home consists of two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, a main kitchen and caterer's kitchen, and a boardroom/dining room, while the upper level consists of an office, bathroom, entertainment area and great room
Great room
thumb|A great roomThe term great room denotes a room space within an abode which combines the specific functions of several of the more traditional room spaces into a singular unified space...
/formal dining room.
The Governor's Housing Committee and Residence Fund were created by statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
(Idaho Code 67-455) in 1995, with the Fund being established "for the purpose of providing a Governor's housing allowance and/or the acquisition, construction, remodel, furnishing, equipping, or maintaining a Governor's residence". In 1999, the Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
amended Idaho law (Idaho Code 67-455A) to allow the Governor's Housing Committee to accept grants, gifts, or donations related to a governor's residence.
The Mediterranean-style villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
was built by Simplot in 1979. The house is visible for miles and was dubbed "Fort Simplot" by neighbors who said it resembled a Boy Scout camp. The flag pole that carries the 30-foot-by-50-foot flag was erected in 1980. Neighbors soon complained that the noise from the flag disturbed their sleep at night; Simplot responded by raising the flag pole to 100 feet. A 1983 mudslide from the slopes of the hill caused $20,000 in damage to an adjacent home. In the 2006 gubernatorial election, Otter's Democratic opponent, Jerry Brady, called the house "too gaudy for a governor". Some state legislators have suggested selling the home, using the proceeds to build a new mansion on state-owned residential property nearby.
Dirk Kempthorne
Dirk Kempthorne
Dirk Arthur Kempthorne , was the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who served under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009. A Republican, Kempthorne previously served as the 30th Governor and as a U.S. Senator from Idaho...
, who was governor at the time of the donation, accepted the $2.1 million property in 2004 and launched a $3 million private fund raising effort to renovate the interior. He also planned to sell naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
to various rooms to make the house a showcase for Idaho industry, but Kempthorne left to become Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
and the plans were never implemented. Kempthorne's successor Butch Otter, the current governor, is a former executive with the Simplot Company
Simplot
The J. R. Simplot Company, commonly referred to as Simplot, was founded in 1923 by 14-year-old J. R. Simplot near the small agricultural community of Declo in south central Idaho. J. R. Simplot led his company to tremendous growth in the period between its founding and World War II...
; he divorced the Simplots' daughter, Gay, in 1993 and refuses to live in the mansion that his former father-in-law owned. In January 2009, it was reported that a fund-raising campaign for the mansion had "sputtered" and that the cost of maintaining the lawn, $100,000 a year, was depleting funds. Otter and his current wife, Lori
Lori Easley
Lori Easley Otter has served as First Lady of Idaho since 2007. She is a former beauty queen who is married to current Governor of Idaho C. L. "Butch" Otter....
, live on their ranch west of the city near Star
Star, Idaho
Star is a city in northwestern Ada County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,795 at the 2000 census. It was named in the 19th century by travelers on their way to Middleton and Boise who used the star on the school house to find east and west. The name stuck and it became Star, Idaho...
and receive a state housing allowance of $58,000 per year, causing controversy; the Idaho Statesman
Idaho Statesman
The Idaho Statesman is a U.S. daily newspaper serving the Boise, Idaho metropolitan area. The paper has a circulation of 61,000 daily, 83,038 Sunday, and employs about 300 people. It is owned by The McClatchy Company....
editorialized that "It is ridiculous to subsidize his living expenses." Otter said he would stop taking the allowance once the state finishes minimal renovations, but would still not live there.
External links
- The Governor's House
- Idaho Statesman.com - photo gallery - Simplot house
- Idaho Statesman.com - other options for governor's residence - 19-Jan-2008
- Aerial photo and topographic map from USGS via Microsoft Research Maps