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Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter was elected on November 7, 2006. He previously served three terms in Congress representing Idaho's 1st District (2000-2006). Governor Otter is a father of four and a grandfather of five.
Originally suggested for Colorado, the name "Idaho" was used for a steamship which traveled the Columbia River. With the discovery of gold on the Clearwater River in 1860, the diggings began to be called the Idaho mines. "Idaho" is a coined or invented word, and is not a derivation of an Indian phrase "E Dah Hoe (How)" supposedly meaning "gem of the mountains."
Nickname
The "Gem State"
Motto
"Esto Perpetua" - let it be perpetual
Organized as a Territory
March 4, 1863, act signed by President Lincoln
Entered Union
July 3, 1890, 43rd state to join the Union
Music by Sallie Hume-Douglas and Arranged by Craig Chernos