77-607: The International Selkirk Loop is a 280-mile-long (450 km) scenic highway in the U.S. states of Idaho and Washington , as well as the Canadian province of British Columbia . The loop encircles the Selkirk Mountain Range , and offers several side trips aside from the main route. Included on the loop is the Kootenay Lake Ferry , the longest free ferry in the world. The portion of the loop in
154-410: A difficult start as a territory, including the chaotic transfer of the territorial capital from Lewiston to Boise , disenfranchisement of Mormon polygamists upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1890, and a federal attempt to split the territory between Washington Territory, which gained statehood in 1889, a year before Idaho, and the state of Nevada which had been a state since 1864. Idaho
231-410: A household in the city was $ 24,509, and the median income for a family was $ 35,237. Males had a median income of $ 28,558 versus $ 16,776 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 13,343. About 17.3 percent of families and 20.0 percent of the population were below the poverty line , including 28.6 percent of those under age 18 and 10.9 percent of those age 65 or over. Boundary County Airport
308-729: A portion of the community. The highway proceeds southward, running parallel to a large river, continuing to the Canada–US border, where the BC 21 designation terminates. The Loop reenters the United States, and the designation transfers to Idaho State Highway 1 . The highway proceeds southeast, through the community of Porthill , before bending slightly northeastward. The road bends back southeast, and proceeds through rural area, before reaching an intersection with U.S. Route 95. The road proceeds southward, through rural area, occasionally intersecting
385-644: A small portion of Colville National Forest, before entering Ione. While traveling through Ione, WA 20 splits off, and the Loop designation transfers to Washington State Route 31 . Continuing northward, the roadway passes the Ione Municipal Airport, proceeding parallel to the Pend Oreille River, before crossing over the river and entering Colville National Forest. The road proceeds north, intersecting several small forest roads, before reaching
462-480: A small road. After continuing southward, the highway intersects U.S. Route 2, which continues concurrently with the highway. The road proceeds south, crossing over the Kootenai River, before entering the community of Bonners Ferry . The roadway continues southeast, intersecting several small roads, and passing several buildings. The route proceeds southeast, intersecting several small roads, and passing west of
539-476: A toll to drive through what had been the tribe's aboriginal land. The money would be used to house and care for elderly tribal members. Most tribes in the United States are forbidden to declare war on the U.S. government because of treaties, but the Kootenai Tribe never signed a treaty. The dispute resulted in the concession by the United States government and a land grant of 10.5 acres (42,000 m ) that
616-683: A trumpet interchange. The road passes northeast through Nelson, before passing over an arm of the Kootenay Lake, and traveling eastward along the arm of the lake. The Loop designation transfers to the Kootenay Lake Ferry at the intersection of BC 3A and BC 31. The ferry is approximately 5.4 miles (8.7 km) in length, and connects the loop to the eastern shore of the lake. After crossing the lake, BC 3A continues eastward, passing several small buildings. The road passes through Crawford Bay, before bending south and traveling along one of
693-848: Is Borah Peak , 12,662 ft (3,859 m), in the Lost River Range north of Mackay . Idaho's lowest point, 710 ft (216 m), is in Lewiston , where the Clearwater River joins the Snake River and continues into Washington. The Sawtooth Range is often considered Idaho's most famous mountain range. Other mountain ranges in Idaho include the Bitterroot Range , the White Cloud Mountains ,
770-434: Is a county-owned, public-use airport located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) northeast of the central business district of Bonners Ferry. The railroad reached town in 1892; the then Great Northern Railroad as part of its transcontinental line over Maria's Pass, now BNSF . The Kootenai Valley Railway existed 1898-1915. In 1910 a second railroad was built through Bonners Ferry: Spokane International Railroad connecting
847-579: Is an affiliate of the Fundamental Broadcasting Network . A prominent newspaper in Bonners Ferry is the weekly Bonners Ferry Herald , owned by Hagadone Publishing. Bonners Ferry High School has physical education programs such as wrestling, football, baseball, soccer, cheer, dance, golf, and basketball. There are teams fielded for Little league baseball, in association with nearby Sandpoint, Idaho . There
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#1732780026974924-653: Is collected by the Idaho State Tax Commission . Bonners Ferry, Idaho Bonners Ferry ( Kutenai language : ʔaq̓anqmi ) is the largest city in and the county seat of Boundary County , Idaho , United States. The population was 2,543 at the 2010 census . The Porthill-Rykerts Border Crossing connects Bonners Ferry with Creston, British Columbia , Canada, on the Kootenay River . The Eastport–Kingsgate Border Crossing connects Bonners Ferry with Yahk, British Columbia , Canada, on
1001-453: Is least prominent in the state's eastern part where the precipitation patterns are often reversed, with wetter summers and drier winters, and seasonal temperature differences are more extreme, showing a more semi-arid continental climate . Idaho can be hot, although extended periods over 98 °F (37 °C) are rare, except for the lowest point in elevation, Lewiston , which correspondingly sees little snow. Hot summer days are tempered by
1078-683: Is now the Kootenai Reservation . Bonners Ferry is 8 miles (13 km) from the site of the Ruby Ridge confrontation and siege in 1992, which occurred just outside Naples, Idaho. Bonners Ferry is located 27 miles (43.5 km) south of the Canada-United States border at 48°41′32″N 116°19′3″W / 48.69222°N 116.31750°W / 48.69222; -116.31750 (48.692110, −116.317626), at an altitude of 1,896 feet (578 m). According to
1155-555: Is of European descent. Most of Idaho's white residents trace their ancestry to the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, France, Italy, or Poland. There are also small numbers of Native Americans, Asians, and African Americans in the state. In 2018, the top countries of origin for Idaho's immigrants were Mexico , Canada , the Philippines , China and Germany . There are five federally recognized Native American tribes in
1232-839: Is the Snake River, a major tributary of the Columbia River. The Snake River flows from Yellowstone in northwestern Wyoming through the Snake River Plain in southern Idaho before turning north, leaving the state at Lewiston before joining the Columbia in Kennewick . Other major rivers are the Clark Fork / Pend Oreille River , the Spokane River , and, many major tributaries of the Snake River, including
1309-400: Is the country's largest Department of Energy facility. Idaho's agricultural sector supplies many products, but the state is best known for its potato crop , which comprises around one-third of the nationwide yield. The official state nickname is the "Gem State". The name's origin remains a mystery. In the early 1860s, when the U.S. Congress was considering organizing a new territory in
1386-597: Is the state's predominant language. Minority languages include Spanish and various Native American languages . Idaho's gross state product was $ 118.8 billion in 2023 and the state's per capita income that year was estimated to be $ 59,035. As of 2016, the state's total employment was 562,282, and the total employer establishments were 45,826. Important industries in Idaho are food processing, lumber and wood products, machinery, chemical products, paper products, electronics manufacturing, silver and other mining, and tourism. The world's largest factory for barrel cheese,
1463-537: The 13th-least populous and the seventh-least densely populated of the 50 U.S. states . For thousands of years, and prior to European colonization, Idaho had been inhabited by native peoples . In the early 19th century, Idaho was considered part of the Oregon Country , an area which was disputed between the U.S. and the British Empire . Idaho officially became a U.S. territory with the signing of
1540-519: The Canada–US border , where the WA 31 designation ends. The loop enters Canada, and the designation transfers to British Columbia Highway 6 . After entering British Columbia, the Loop proceeds northward, traveling parallel to a small creek. After intersecting several smaller roads, BC 6 intersects British Columbia Highway 3 , which runs concurrently with the highway. The highway proceeds north, continuing along
1617-890: The Clearwater River , the Salmon River , the Boise River , and the Payette River . The Salmon River empties into the Snake in Hells Canyon and forms the southern boundary of Nez Perce County on its north shore, of which Lewiston is the county seat. The Port of Lewiston , at the confluence of the Clearwater and the Snake Rivers is the farthest inland seaport on the West Coast at 465 river miles from
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#17327800269741694-574: The Libby Dam in 1975 lessened the threat of serious flooding. Today, much of Main Street dates from this initial period of solid, permanent construction. On September 20, 1974, the Kootenai Tribe , headed by chairwoman Amy Trice , declared war on the United States government. Their first act was to post soldiers on each end of the highway that runs through the town who would ask people to pay
1771-641: The Lost River Range , the Clearwater Mountains , and the Salmon River Mountains . Salmon-Challis National Forest is located in the east central sections of the state, with Salmon National Forest to the north and Challis National Forest to the south. The forest is in an area known as the Idaho Cobalt Belt, which consists of a 34 miles (55 km) long geological formation of sedimentary rock that contains some of
1848-726: The Moyie River . When gold was discovered in the East Kootenays of British Columbia in 1863, thousands of prospectors from all over the West surged northward over a route that became known as the Wildhorse Trail. Edwin Bonner, a merchant from Walla Walla, Washington , established a ferry in 1864 where the trail crossed the broad Kootenai River . In 1875, Richard Fry, and his Sinixt wife, Justine Su-steel Fry, leased
1925-942: The Oregon Trail , and many settlers chose to settle the area rather than risking the treacherous route through the Blue Mountains and the Cascade Range to the west. The western region of the plain is known as the Treasure Valley , bound between the Owyhee Mountains to the southwest and the Boise Mountains to the northeast. The central region of the Snake River Plain is known as the Magic Valley . Idaho's highest point
2002-691: The Oregon Treaty of 1846 , but a separate Idaho Territory was not organized until 1863, instead being included for periods in Oregon Territory and Washington Territory . The state was eventually admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, becoming the 43rd state . Forming part of the Pacific Northwest (and the associated Cascadia bioregion ), Idaho is divided into several distinct geographic and climatic regions. The state's north,
2079-477: The Rocky Mountains , the name "Idaho" was suggested by George M. Willing , a politician posing as an unrecognized delegate from the unofficial Jefferson Territory . Willing claimed that the name was derived from a Shoshone term meaning "the sun comes from the mountains" or "gem of the mountains", but it was revealed later that there was no such term and Willing claimed that he had been inspired to coin
2156-483: The Rocky Mountains . The United States Forest Service holds about 38% of Idaho's land, the highest proportion of any state. Industries significant for the state economy include manufacturing, agriculture, mining, forestry, and tourism. Several science and technology firms are either headquartered in Idaho or have factories there, and the state also contains the Idaho National Laboratory , which
2233-598: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 2.61 square miles (6.76 km ), of which 2.44 square miles (6.32 km ) is land and 0.17 square miles (0.44 km ) is water. Bonners Ferry has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb / Dsb ) with cold, snowy winters and dry summers with hot days and cool nights. It is almost warm enough to be classed as a Mediterranean climate or oceanic climate , and snow depths above 10 inches (0.25 m) occur on 23.6 days on average. As of
2310-543: The census of 2000, there were 2,515 people, 1,027 households, and 650 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,186.9 inhabitants per square mile (458.3/km ). There were 1,120 housing units at an average density of 528.5 per square mile (204.1/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 95.67 percent White , 0.04 percent African American , 1.59 percent Native American , 0.52 percent Asian , 1.31 percent from other races , and 0.87 percent from 2 or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.29 percent of
2387-570: The census of 2010, there were 2,543 people, 1,117 households, and 631 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,042.2 inhabitants per square mile (402.4/km ). There were 1,254 housing units at an average density of 513.9 per square mile (198.4/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 94.3 percent White , 0.2 percent African American , 2.0 percent Native American , 0.6 percent Asian , 0.2 percent Pacific Islander , 0.5 percent from other races , and 2.2 percent from 2 or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.7 percent of
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2464-570: The 20th century, the town became the center of a lumbering and farming community. The valley land was drained, levees were constructed and farms were cleared on the benches. The rich Kootenai Valley became known as the "Nile of the North," while the Bonners Ferry Lumber Company grew to be one of the world's largest lumber mills . The downtown took shape as brick buildings were constructed, replacing those on stilts. Completion of
2541-634: The Association of Religion Data Archives revealed Mormons remained the largest with 462,069, followed by Catholics (203,790), and non-denominational Protestantism (98,996). In 2022, the Public Religion Research Institute's American Values Survey estimated altogether, 72% of the population was Christian, 26% were religiously unaffiliated, and 3% were New Agers. Of its Christian population, 37% were Protestant, 24% Mormon, 9% Catholic, and 2% Jehovah's Witnesses . English
2618-781: The Boise City-Nampa, ID Metropolitan Statistical Area) is Idaho's largest. Other metropolitan areas, in order of size, are Coeur d'Alene , Idaho Falls , Pocatello and Lewiston . According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 1,998 homeless people in Idaho. According to the 2017 American Community Survey , 12.2% of Idaho's population was of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race: Mexican (10.6%), Puerto Rican (0.2%), Cuban (0.1%), and other Hispanic or Latino origin (1.3%). The five largest ancestry groups were: German (17.5%), English (16.4%), Irish (9.3%), American (8.1%), and Scottish (3.2%). The majority of Idaho's population
2695-649: The Kaniksu National Forest. The road proceeds south, entering the community of Sandpoint, and reaching an interchange with Idaho State Highway 200 , where U.S. Route 95 splits off from the highway. The roadway continues westward, traveling parallel to the Pend Oreille River, and intersecting the occasional small road. It enters the community of Priest River, and passes the Priest River Municipal Airport. The highway intersects Idaho State Highway 57 , before continuing west out of
2772-533: The North West Company in 1813, after which the post was abandoned. The first organized non-indigenous communities within the present borders of Idaho were established by Mormon pioneers in 1860. The first permanent, substantial incorporated community was Lewiston, in 1861. Early in its history, Idaho saw a large influx of Chinese immigrants , who by 1870 made up about 28.5% of the territory's population. Idaho achieved statehood in 1890, following
2849-579: The Pacific at Astoria, Oregon . The vast majority of Idaho's population lives in the Snake River Plain, a valley running from across the entirety of southern Idaho from east to west. The valley contains the major cities of Boise , Meridian , Nampa , Caldwell , Twin Falls , Idaho Falls , and Pocatello . The plain served as an easy pass through the Rocky Mountains for westward-bound settlers on
2926-508: The Pend Oreille River. The road continues, intersecting several small roads before entering the community of Usk and intersecting Washington State Route 211 . The roadway bends northward, passing the community of Cusick, and continuing parallel to the Pend Oreille. Continuing northward, the highway intersects several small roads, and makes a large northeastward bend, before returning to traveling northward. It proceeds north, passing through
3003-711: The US to Canada, now Union Pacific . While Amtrak's Empire Builder runs through town, the nearest station is at Sandpoint (the only Amtrak station in Idaho). Bonners Ferry has been home to KBFI AM 1450 since 1983. It is owned by local licensee Radio Bonners Ferry, Inc, owned by Blue Sky Broadcasting, Inc . While licensed to Bonners Ferry and having its transmitter site located there, KBFI shares studios and offices with its sister stations ( KSPT , KIBR , and KPND ), in nearby Sandpoint, Idaho. KSBF 88.9 FM began broadcasting in 2024. Owned and operated by Bonners Ferry Baptist Church, it
3080-624: The United States has been designated an All-American Road by the United States Department of Transportation . The International Selkirk Loop begins on U.S. Route 2 at the Washington-Idaho state line, in the city of Newport . The highway proceeds west for a short distance, passing several buildings that make up the twin, before U.S. Route 2 splits off, and the Loop designation transfers to Washington State Route 20 . The highway proceeds northwest, traveling parallel to
3157-601: The area that became the U.S. state. Humans may have been present in the Idaho area as long as 14,500 years ago. Excavations at Wilson Butte Cave near Twin Falls in 1959 revealed evidence of human activity, including arrowheads, that rank among the oldest dated artifacts in North America. American Indian peoples predominant in the area included the Nez Percé in the north and the Northern and Western Shoshone in
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3234-465: The areas that are south of the ice sheet. An early presence of French-Canadian trappers is visible in names and toponyms : Nez Percé, Cœur d'Alène, Boisé, Payette . Some of these names appeared prior to the Lewis and Clark and Astorian expeditions, which included significant numbers of French and Métis guides recruited for their familiarity with the terrain. Idaho, as part of the Oregon Country ,
3311-428: The arms of the lake. While traveling along the lakeshore, the highway passes through the community of Gray Creek, and passes west of Lockhart Creek Provincial Park. The roadway passes along Duck lake, before intersecting several small roads. The road enters Creston, where the Loop's designation transfers to British Columbia Highway 21 . The highway continues south, through Creston, passing numerous buildings which make up
3388-637: The border between the United States and British Columbia . Bonners Ferry in the 1880s flourished due to the mines in the north. Entering service in 1883 the Norwegian -built steamer Midge transported passengers and freight between Bonners Ferry and British Columbia for 25 years. In 1892 The Great Northern Railway was built, followed by the Spokane International and the Kootenai Valley lines. The village of Bonners Ferry
3465-591: The business, but the location retained the name of the original founder and later became the town of Bonners Ferry. Before the gold rush , only a few visitors had come to the region; one of the first was explorer David Thompson , a cartographer for the North West Company . Thompson and four fellow fur traders arrived in 1808 to trade with the Lower Kootenais. The local natives gave Thompson's party dried fish and moss bread. Thompson returned
3542-419: The continental United States. Idaho is a Rocky Mountain state with abundant natural resources and scenic areas. The state has snow-capped mountain ranges, rapids, vast lakes and steep canyons. The waters of the Snake River run through Hells Canyon , the deepest gorge in the United States. Shoshone Falls falls down cliffs from a height greater than Niagara Falls . By far, the most important river in Idaho
3619-440: The course of the small creek, intersecting several small roads. After several miles, BC 3 splits off the highway. The route proceeds through the community of Salmo, before proceeding northeast. The road bends northwestward, before zigzagging along a valley floor. The roadway passes to the west of West Arm Provincial Park, and enters the community of Nelson. In Nelson, the Loop's designation transfers to British Columbia Highway 3A at
3696-556: The creation of the Idaho Territory in 1863, parts of present-day Idaho were included in the Oregon , Washington , and Dakota Territories. The new Idaho territory included present-day Idaho, Montana , and most of Wyoming . The Lewis and Clark expedition crossed Idaho in 1805 on the way to the Pacific, and in 1806, on the return trip, largely following the Clearwater River in both directions. The first non-indigenous settlement
3773-439: The first people might not have come to North America by land, as previously theorized. On the contrary, they probably came through the water, using a Pacific coastal route. The most parsimonious explanation we think is that people came down the Pacific Coast, and as they encountered the mouth of the Columbia River, they essentially found an off-ramp from this coastal migration and also found their first viable interior route to
3850-402: The largest cobalt deposits in the U.S. Idaho has two time zones , with the dividing line approximately midway between Canada and Nevada . Southern Idaho, including the Boise metropolitan area , Idaho Falls , Pocatello , and Twin Falls , are in the Mountain Time Zone . A legislative error ( 15 U.S.C. ch. 6 §264) theoretically placed this region in the Central Time Zone , but this
3927-493: The largest single economic center (over 25% of the state's total revenue) within the state and are greater than agriculture, forestry and mining combined. During the COVID-19 pandemic , Idaho enacted statewide crisis standards of care as COVID-19 patients overwhelmed hospitals. The state had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country as of mid-October 2021. Idaho shares a border with six U.S. states and one Canadian province. The states of Washington and Oregon are to
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#17327800269744004-435: The last census of 58,884 (111,131 births minus 52,247 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 75,795 people into the state. There are large numbers of Americans of English and German ancestry in Idaho. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 14,522 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 61,273 people. According to the American Immigration Council, in 2018,
4081-433: The low relative humidity and cooler evenings during summer months since, for most of the state, the highest diurnal difference in temperature is often in the summer. Winters can be cold, although extended periods of bitter cold weather below zero are unusual. Idaho's all-time highest temperature of 118 °F (48 °C) was recorded at Orofino on July 28, 1934; the all-time lowest temperature of −60 °F (−51 °C)
4158-421: The name when he met a little girl named Ida . Since the name appeared to be fabricated, the U.S. Congress ultimately decided to name the area Colorado Territory instead when it was created in February 1861, but by the time this decision was made, the town of Idaho Springs, Colorado had already been named after Willing's proposal. The same year Congress created Colorado Territory, a county called Idaho County
4235-412: The next year and established a trading post on Lake Pend Oreille . He was followed in 1846 by Jesuit Priest Father DeSmet , a missionary to the Kootenai Tribe . The Oregon Question was settled by the Oregon Treaty of 1846 which established the 49th Parallel north as the boundary between the US and British North America . Government surveyors of the Boundary Commission came in 1858 to establish
4312-439: The population. There were 1,027 households, out of which 31.7 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0 percent were married couples living together, 11.2 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7 percent were non-families. 32.9 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
4389-425: The population. There were 1,117 households, of which 27.6 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1 percent were married couples living together, 12.5 percent had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8 percent had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.5 percent were non-families. 38.6 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 20% had someone living alone who
4466-478: The raw product for processed cheese , is in Gooding, Idaho . It has a capacity of 120,000 metric tons per year of barrel cheese and belongs to the Glanbia group. Hewlett-Packard has operated a large plant in Boise since the 1970s, which is devoted primarily to LaserJet printers production. Idaho has a state gambling lottery , which contributed $ 333.5 million in payments to all Idaho public schools and Idaho higher education from 1990 to 2006. Tax
4543-413: The relatively isolated Idaho Panhandle , is closely linked with Eastern Washington , with which it shares the Pacific Time Zone —the rest of the state uses the Mountain Time Zone . The state's south includes the Snake River Plain (which has most of the population and agricultural land), and the southeast incorporates part of the Great Basin . Idaho is quite mountainous and contains several stretches of
4620-415: The self-identified religious affiliations of Idahoans over the age of 18 in 2008 and 2014 were: According to the Association of Religion Data Archives , the largest denominations by number of members in 2010 were The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 409,265; the Catholic Church with 123,400; the non-denominational Protestants with 62,637; and the Assemblies of God with 22,183. In 2020,
4697-419: The south, and Washington and Oregon to the west; the state shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border to the north with the Canadian province of British Columbia . Idaho's state capital and largest city is Boise . With an area of 83,569 square miles (216,440 km ), Idaho is the 14th-largest state by land area. The state has a population of approximately 2.0 million people, it ranks as
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#17327800269744774-494: The south. A Late Upper Paleolithic site was identified at Cooper's Ferry in western Idaho near the town of Cottonwood by archaeologists in 2019. Based on evidence found at the site, first people lived in this area 15,300 to 16,600 years ago, predating the Beringia land bridge by about a thousand years. The discoverers emphasized that they possess similarities with tools and artifacts discovered in Japan that date from 16,000 to 13,000 years ago. The discovery also showed that
4851-450: The state. These tribes include the Shoshone-Bannock, the Shoshone-Paiute, the Coeur d’Alene, the Kootenai and the Nez Perce. Note: Births in table don't add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number. Religious self-identification, per Public Religion Research Institute 's 2022 American Values Survey According to the Pew Research Center on Religion & Public Life,
4928-401: The top countries of origin for Idaho's immigrants were Mexico, Canada, the Philippines, China and Germany. Idaho's population increased by 17.3% from 2010 to 2020, the second fastest rate of growth of any state that decade. Nampa, about 20 miles (30 km) west of downtown Boise, became the state's second largest city in the late 1990s, passing Pocatello and Idaho Falls. Nampa's population
5005-427: The town. The highway continues eastward, crossing over the Pend Oreille River, and reaching the Washington-Idaho state line, where the Loop begins again. Idaho Idaho ( / ˈ aɪ d ə h oʊ / EYE -də-hoh ) is a landlocked state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain West subregions of the Western United States . It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to
5082-453: The west, Nevada and Utah are to the south, and Montana and Wyoming are to the east. Idaho also shares a short border with the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north. The landscape is rugged, with some of the largest unspoiled natural areas in the United States. For example, at 2.3 million acres (930,000 ha), the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area is the largest contiguous area of protected wilderness in
5159-470: The winter when cloud cover, humidity , and precipitation are at their maximum extent. This influence has a moderating effect in the winter where temperatures are not as low as would otherwise be expected for a northern state with predominantly high elevations. In the panhandle, moist air masses from the coast are released as precipitation over the North Central Rockies forests , creating the North American inland temperate rainforest . The maritime influence
5236-414: Was Kullyspell House , established on the shore of Lake Pend Oreille in 1809 by David Thompson of the North West Company for fur trading. In 1812 Donald Mackenzie , working for the Pacific Fur Company at the time, established a post on the lower Clearwater River near present-day Lewiston. This post, known as "MacKenzie's Post" or "Clearwater", operated until the Pacific Fur Company was bought out by
5313-427: Was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.00. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.9 percent under the age of 18, 8.2 percent from 18 to 24, 24.5 percent from 25 to 44, 21.3 percent from 45 to 64, and 19.1 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males. The median income for
5390-447: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age in the city was 41.9 years. 23.7 percent of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5 percent were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.9 percent were from 25 to 44; 27.4 percent were from 45 to 64; and 19.5 percent were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0 percent male and 52.0 percent female. As of
5467-417: Was claimed by both the United States and Great Britain until the United States gained undisputed jurisdiction in 1846. From 1843 to 1859, present-day Idaho was under the de facto jurisdiction of the Provisional Government of Oregon . When Oregon became a state in 1859, what is now Idaho was situated in what remained of the original Oregon Territory, designated as the Washington Territory. Between 1849 and
5544-567: Was corrected with a 2007 amendment. Areas north of the Salmon River , including Coeur d'Alene , Moscow , Lewiston , and Sandpoint , are in the Pacific Time Zone , which contains less than a quarter of the state's population and land area. Idaho's climate varies widely. Although the state's western border is about 330 miles (530 km) from the Pacific Ocean, the maritime influence is still felt in Idaho; especially, in
5621-475: Was created in eastern Washington Territory . The county was named after a steamship named Idaho , which was launched on the Columbia River in 1860. It is unclear whether the steamship was named before or after Willing's claim was revealed. Regardless, part of Washington Territory, including Idaho County, was used to create Idaho Territory in 1863. Idaho Territory would later change its boundaries to
5698-532: Was formally established in 1893, along the south bank of the Kootenai River. Scattered along the valley and benchland were a few ranches and homesteads. Numerous mines were developed in the nearby mountains, including the Continental Mine in the Selkirks. The lumber industry also grew rapidly. Bonners Ferry, perched on stilts to avoid the inevitable spring floods, appeared to be a boom town. Moving into
5775-605: Was one of the hardest hit of the Pacific Northwest states during the Great Depression . Prices plummeted for Idaho's major crops: in 1932 a bushel of potatoes brought only ten cents compared to 1919 for $ 1.51, while Idaho farmers saw their annual income of $ 686 in 1929 drop to $ 250 by 1932. In recent years, Idaho has expanded its commercial base as a tourism and agricultural state to include science and technology industries. Science and technology have become
5852-413: Was recorded at Island Park Dam on January 18, 1943. As of 2018: The United States Census Bureau determined Idaho's population was 1,900,923 on July 1, 2021, a 21% increase since the 2010 U.S. census . Idaho had an estimated population of 1,754,208 in 2018, which was an increase of 37,265, from the prior year and an increase of 186,626, or 11.91%, since 2010. This included a natural increase since
5929-544: Was under 29,000 in 1990 and grew to over 81,000 by 2010. Located between Nampa and Boise, Meridian also experienced high growth, from fewer than 10,000 residents in 1990 to more than 75,000 in 2010 and is now Idaho's third largest city. Growth of 5% or more over the same period has also been observed in Caldwell , Coeur d'Alene , Post Falls , and Twin Falls. From 1990 to 2010, Idaho's population increased by over 560,000 (55%). The Boise metropolitan area (officially known as
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