Author Archives: ADavis
Boise, Idaho: The Birthplace of Air Mail
In 1926 Boise became the home of the first privately contracted air mail service in the United States. On April 6, Walter Varney, of Varney Airlines, and a crowd of spectators welcomed the small Swallow’s pilot Leon “Lee” Cuddleback and … Continue reading
Did you remember May Day? The Battle Over May 1st
For centuries May Day has been a tradition celebrated by ancient agricultural communities just after the last weeks of the winter chill subsided and just before the long planting season began. The Romans made offerings of milk and honey to … Continue reading
Remnants of Boise: 150 Years
For most of April the Boise City Department of Arts and History Sesqui-Shop hosted Remnants of Boise, an exhibit by Boise historian Brandi Burns, celebrating 150 years of Boise history through the themes of Environment, Community, and Enterprise. The exhibit … Continue reading
John Collias Boise Artist
If you have spent any amount of time in and around Boise or in any of its institutions, it’s likely you have seen the work of local artist John Collias. For the better part of a century he has become … Continue reading
Basque Boarding Houses
Political tension in the homeland encouraged Basque migration to the United States, and to Boise, in the 19th century. Young, single Basque men immigrated in the thousands, finding work in Idaho as sheepherders and sheep men. The peak of Basque … Continue reading
The Horse Economy in Boise
The nineteenth century has been called the “golden age of the horse” which aptly recognizes the historic importance of the animal as a primary means of industry before the mechanization of the industrial era.[1] The ‘horse economy’ certainly has a … Continue reading
The Drive of a Sheepherder
Not all successful western settlers arrived here with a trade or craft, often it took a willingness to do whatever it took to survive and make a living. Boise history is imbued with the inspirational story of the Basque immigrants … Continue reading
Boise Brewers
In order to make a living in the New World immigrant settlers often made use of traditional or family trades that allowed many to earn a living by providing a service to the wider community. Many of the enterprising young … Continue reading
Live Music and History at the Historic Bouquet
The Bouquet is a historic live music bar in downtown Boise. It has seen its share of Boise history over the last 110 years. In the 1970s the Bouquet managed to outlive Boise’s Urban Redevelopment program by relocating to its … Continue reading
‘Sergeant City’
In 1930 Boise’s population was around 26,000.[1] The establishment of Gowen Field as a military air field in 1940 brought thousands of men, women, and children into the Boise Valley. By 1940 the population neared 40,000 and the building rate … Continue reading
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