Idaho’s original inhabitants were five distinct groups of Native American tribes, each adapted to their unique environments. In northern Idaho, the Nez Perce (Nimiipuu) people occupied the river valleys and were among the largest Indigenous populations in the region. The Coeur d’Alene (Schitsu’umsh, meaning “The Discovered People”), the Kootenai, and the Kalispel also made their homes in the northern panhandle. In southern Idaho, the Shoshone and Bannock adapted to the harsh desert, living a nomadic lifestayle, following seasonal food sources. The Shoshone have lived in Idaho for at least 4,000 years based on archaeological evidence.
When Lewis and Clark arrived in 1805, they encountered the Shoshone and received crucial assistance, including horses, that made their expedition possible. Unfortunately, this first contact with Europeans would ultimately affect dramatic changes for Idaho’s indigenous peoples.
The arrival of gold seekers transformed Idaho almost overnight. When gold was discovered in September 1860, thousands of miners rushed into the territory, disrupting traditional ways of life. The U.S. government responded by creating the Idaho Territory on March 3, 1863, signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. The territory was originally enormous including present-day Montana and most of Wyoming. Life in the territory was rough and often lawless, with miners, merchants, and settlers competing for limted resources and hidden fortune. By 1880, Idaho’s population had grown to over 32,000, though the territory remained divided between a mining-dominated north and an agricultural south.
Idaho’s journey to statehood was complicated by religious and political tensions. In the 1880s, anti-LDS Republicans used public opposition to the practice of polygamy to disenfranchise Latter-day Saints voters, effectively removing the Democratic vote from the territory. With this political obstacle removed, national Republicans pushed for Idaho statehood to increase their influence in Congress. In 1889, Governor Stevenson called for a constitutional convention, and voters approved the resulting constitution on November 5, 1889. President Benjamin Harrison signed the statehood bill on July 3, 1890, making Idaho the 43rd state admitted to the Union—just a week before Wyoming became a state. Interestingly, Idaho achieved statehood before Utah, despite Utah having a larger population and being settled longer, largely because of the anti-LDS sentiment that dominated Idaho politics at the time.
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail traces the explorers’ route through Idaho, and the Oregon Trail Backcountry Byway follows the path of thousands of pioneers who crossed the state. Hawke and I followed it all the way across the state (and through several others) on a recent trip. Though it’s modernized, it is easy to imagine the struggles of theose following the Oregon Trail through the rough terrain.
The Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve is otherworldly with its volcanic landscape. It covers thousands of acres in lava flow and cinder cones. We camped here for a couple of nights and were awed by the sheer size of the lava flow.
Quilt Shops
- The Quilt Crossing in Boise
- JK Quilts in Meridian
- Sun Valley Fabric Granary in Hailey
- Sew Fun Quilting in Shelley
If you live in Idaho or know of quilt shops, natural wonders or anything else I should see in the state, leave a comment below.
P.S. Here’s a shot of the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen, taken from the back porch of a quilt shop (now closed) when I was teaching several years ago.
