BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
This July 3 marks 134 years of Idaho’s statehood, but its origins extend slightly further back and are slightly more contrived than one may think.
Predating European colonization by several centuries, what is now Idaho was land occupied by Indigenous peoples belonging to the Coeur d’Alene, the Kootenai, the Nez Perce, the Shoshone-Bannock, and the Shoshone-Paiute tribes.
What would eventually come to be known as Idaho was incorporated into the United States as a part of the Oregon Territory in 1846 as laid in the Oregon Treaty of 1846. However, it was not formally granted statehood until that fateful July day in 1890.
“Idaho’s admission into the Union as the 43rd state meant that a solid band of states extended from Maine to California for the first time in the country’s history,” said HannaLore Hein of the Idaho State Historical Society. “Idaho bridged the gap between the lone states along the Pacific Coast and the newly admitted states of Washington, Montana, and North and South Dakota, connecting the American West with the developed country east of the Mississippi River. The closing of Idaho’s territorial period did as much to connect ‘sea to shining sea’ as did any other moment in America’s past.”
As modest and straightforward as these origins may appear, there are a couple of curious wrinkles in Idaho history. When Idaho was still sorting itself as it moved toward statehood, Hein said that during that transient period in the late 1800s, Idaho’s political leaders relied heavily on Oregon’s congressional delegation to transact federal business.
“In becoming a state, Idaho finally achieved congressional representation and voting privileges on federal decisions, and with Wyoming’s admission as the 44th state one week later, the territorial period in the Pacific Northwest ended,” Hein said.
Idaho’s surprisingly complex history can even be inferred from its dubious etymology. In the sort of eccentric and individualistic move that would come to mirror Idaho’s political trajectory, one representative from the unrecognized Jefferson Territory named George Maurice “Doc” Willing, Jr. suggested before Congress that the name “Idaho” — allegedly translating from Shoshone to “gem of the mountains” — was perfect for the new little Rocky Mountain territory way out west.
The exact details of this occurrence are muddled with contradictory folk legends and other hairbrained stories from armchair experts and even Willing himself. Some of these other stories involve a wrecked steamship named Idaho while others concern a “real” girl named Ida that Willing had a chance encounter with. Regardless of what may or may not have actually been the origins of the word Idaho, the name would eventually stick as the state lines would solidify themselves and other potential and overlapping names would be applied elsewhere.
For all the effort that those Congressmen of yesteryear exerted in naming what would be the 43rd state to join the Union, out-of-towners and those who played hooky instead of taking those crucial fifth-grade geography quizzes, will still occasionally get Big 43 mixed up with Iowa, Ohio, and Illinois purely for the sonic similarities in their names.
As much as Idahoans may occasionally relish in some “Don’t move here!” and “Not in my backyard!” sloganeering or even historical inter-town tensions over who ought to be the rightful capital city of Boise, it is truly a shame because everyone else is totally missing out. There may be a certain bias among the particularly sentimental who say their home state is the best state there is and ever will be, but such unquantifiable metrics ought not hinder one’s appreciation for all things Idaho.
Be it seminal cult films like “Smoke Signals” and “Napoleon Dynamite” that were filmed and take place in Idaho, the countless sensational musical acts from Idaho such as garage rockers Paul Revere and the Raiders, slack rock heroes Built to Spill, and the infinite amount of artistic talent that defines Idaho in the present day, Ernest Hemingway’s famous and infamous time spent in and around Sun Valley, or the invention of novelty dish finger steaks, Idaho is not merely another big empty western state. At least, Gov. Brad Little does not seem to think so.
“As all Idahoans know, we live in an extraordinary state filled with beautiful places and wonderful people,” he said about the approaching state’s birthday. “Idahoans are fearless, forward-looking people. We have built an incredible trajectory over the past 134 years. Our economy is thriving, and our people are joyful and kind. We are protecting and improving the aspects of our state that we love — like our beautiful outdoor areas, natural resources, and safe communities.
“We are proud of our history and our contributions to the nation. Since 1890, Idahoans have pioneered incredible initiatives and ideas, championed milestone achievements, and experienced countless blessings. I am deeply grateful to every Idahoan for their contributions to the state’s success, and I look forward to our bright future.”
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist:
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET NEWS FROM KTVB:
Download the KTVB News Mobile App
Apple iOS: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Watch news reports for FREE on YouTube: KTVB YouTube channel
Stream Live for FREE on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching 'KTVB'.
Stream Live for FREE on FIRE TV: Search ‘KTVB’ and click ‘Get’ to download.