Ada County

	More About Ada County
County statistics
Interesting Facts
What To See And Do
Famous Ada County Natives and Residents

Ada County was established on December 22, 1864, making it the seventh county formed in the state. The county was named for Ada Riggs, the first white child born in the area and the daughter of H.C. Riggs, one of the founders of Boise.

The county seat is Boise, which became the state capital of Idaho in 1865. It is the most populous city in the State of Idaho and has been given the nickname "The City of Trees." Its name was given by French-Canadian trappers who first explored the area after crossing the desert plains of the territory. Upon finding green trees at the site, primarily cottonwoods along the river, they named it "boise," meaning wooded.

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County statistics:

County Seat: Boise
Population: 384,656 (2009 estimate)
Ada County website

Borders:  Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, and Owyhee counties

 

Interesting Facts:

Ada County, located in southwestern Idaho, is the state's most populated county and ranks thirty-first in area.  Approximately 45 percent of the county is federally owned.  Its diversified economy forms the regional trade center.  Annual average total civilian employment grew 40.4 percent from 1990 to 1997. 

Ada and Canyon counties comprise the Boise Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).   Ada County is home to the state capital and to Boise State University, both located in Boise, Idaho's largest city.  Albertsons, Boise Cascade Corporation, Micro Technology, and Morrison-Knudsen are headquartered in Boise, as is one of Hewlett-Packard's most significant research and development sites.  Points of interest include the Snake River Birds of Prey Area (south of Kuna) and the Boise River Festival, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

The Snake River Birds of Prey area has the largest concentration of nesting raptors in North America.  The birds can be observed from March to August each year.

Underground hot springs in Boise allow many buildings and homes in the city to use geothermal heat, including the Idaho Statehouse. 

What To See And Do:

Eagle Island State Park. Located west of Boise, featuring a swimming beach, picnic area and waterslide along with horse trails.

Lucky Peak State Recreation Area. Located ten miles east of Boise near Lucky Peak Reservoir. You can enjoy picnicking, fishing, hiking and boating.

Snake River Birds of Prey Natural Area. 600,000 acres located approximately 20 miles south of Boise. Established in 1993 to protect a unique environment that supports one of the world's densest concentration of nesting birds of prey, including falcons, eagles, hawks and owls. The birds are not on display and public facilities are few.

Basque Museum and Cultural Center. Exhibits tells the history of Basques in Idaho. 611 Grove Street.

Boise Art Museum. Features exhibitions, collections and educational experiences. 670 Julia Davis Drive.

Discovery Center of Idaho. Exhibits focus on science, math and technology with interactive opportunities for children. 131 West Myrtle Street.

Idaho Black History Museum. The only museum in the Pacific Northwest focused on African American history. 508 Julia Davis Drive.

Idaho Military History Museum. Established to preserve, display and interpret military history and artifacts with ties to the people and state of Idaho. 4748 Lindberg Street, Building 924 (next to Gowen Field).

Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology. Offers exhibits and educational programs on Idahos geologic history and mining heritage. 2455 Old Penitentiary Road.

Idaho State Historical Museum. Features exhibits that identify, preserve and interpret Idaho's cultural heritage. 610 North Julia Davis Drive.

 

The Idanha Hotel (now the Idanha Building):  Construction of the historic Idanha Hotel began in 1900. At that time, it was the most expensive building ever built in Boise. Architect Walter S. Campbell designed it in the French chateau style. With its distinctive round corner turrets, the building is a fixture of downtown Boise. It is located on the corner of 10th and Main Streets, and once had the distinction of being the state's highest building.  A major renovation of the Idanha Hotel converted its 104 hotel rooms into 53 apartment units.  The ground floor and basement are being modified to accommodate retail space.

Cecil Andrus (1931-) was born in Oregon, but has the distinction of serving four terms as the governor of Idaho (1971-1977, and 1987-1994). Between his terms as governor, he served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior under Jimmy Carter.

Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) served in both public office and national religious positions. He was born in Whitney, just over the border from Utah. He was a farm economist and Boise church leader. He served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 1953 to 1961 in the Eisenhower Administration. He was named the 13th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1985, and served in that position until his death in 1994.

William E. Borah (1865-1940) is well-known for his public service to Idaho. Idaho's tallest mountain peak, Borah Peak (elevation 12,662) in the Sawtooth National Forest, is named for him. He was born in Illinois and moved to Boise at age 35, in 1890, and worked as a lawyer. He was elected in 1907 to represent Idaho in the U.S. Senate, a position he held until he passed away in 1940.

Frank Church (1924-1984) was born in Boise and served for many years as a U.S. Senator (1957-1981). He was a leading opponent of the Vietnam War. He also worked on behalf of U.S. schools and the elderly. He worked to protect Idaho's wilderness, and the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area in central Idaho is named for him.

Paul Revere Dick was the founder of the 1960s rock band, Paul Revere and the Raiders, which initially started in Boise. The group enjoyed success with hits like "Indian Reservation" (1971), "Steppin' Out" (1965), and "Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon" (1969).

Bernard F. Fisher (1927- ) is the first living U.S. Air Force recipient of the Medal of Honor and the first USAF member to receive the medal as a result of an act of heroism during the Vietnam War. He is also a Silver Star recipient. He was born in San Bernadino, CA, and moved to Kuna, ID when he retired from the Air Force. A local park in Kuna, the Colonel Bernard Fisher Veteran's Memorial Park, is named after him. The plane he flew during the Vietnam War, an A-1 Skyraider, is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Gene Harris (1933-2000) was a jazz pianist who, after a successful career, retired to Boise in 1997. The Gene Harris Jazz Festival began in 1998 and is held in Boise annually.

Vernon Law (1930- ) was born in 1930 in Meridian. He played for 16 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a pitcher, winning 162 games. In 1960, he was awarded the Cy Young Award as baseball's best pitcher.

Bill Johnson (1960- ) was the first American man to ever win an Olympic gold medal in alpine skiing. He took the gold medal in the downhill event at in the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo. Although he was reared in Oregon, he learned to ski at Bogus Basin Ski Resort, just outside of Boise.

Howard W. Hunter (1907-1995) served as the 14th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, following fellow Idahoan Ezra Taft Benson. He served the shortest amont of time of any Church president--just nine months. Hunter was born in Boise.

Mark Lindsay (1942- ) joined the 1960s rock band Paul Revere and the Raiders after hearing them play at a Boise venue. He was one of eighteen children and began performing with local bands in Boise when he was 15. Lindsay was the lead singer and played the saxophone in the band. He left the group in 1975.

Harry W. Morrison (1889-1971) was a co-founder of the Morrison-Knudsen Company (now The Washington Group), an international engineering, mining, civil and industrial construction company. M-K was responsible for a number of the 20th Century's most notable projects, including a number of large dams: the Hoover Dam, the Imperial Dam, the Bonneville Dam and the Grand Coulee Dam. The company helped build Navy airfields across the Pacific during World War II and constructed the San Francisco side of the Bay Bridge. Morrison moved to Boise during his teen-age years and began M-K there in 1912.

William Petersen (1953- ) is an actor best know for his role on the TV series "CSI." Petersen graduated from Bishop Kelly High School in Boise and attended Idaho State University in Pocatello on a football scholarship. During his time at ISU, he gained an interest in acting and has pursued a career in acting.

Gracie Bowers Pfost (1906-1965) was born in Arkansas; her family moved to a farm near Boise a few years later. She ran as a Democrat for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1950, but lost to John T. Wood, the Republican incumbent. In 1952, she ran again and was elected this time. She served as Idaho's first women in the U.S. House of Representatives for five terms (1953-1963), and played a key role in making Alaska the 49th state.

Jason "Jake" Plummer (1974- ) played professional football for ten years, six years as quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals and four with the Denver Broncos. He was born in Boise.

Steve Preece (1947- ) played for nine seasons (from 1969-1977) in the National Football League. He grew up in Boise and played football at Borah High School. He was the starting quarterback for Oregon State University. Preece played various positions for the New Orleans Saints, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Denver Broncos, the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawkes before retiring.

John Richard "Jack" Simplot (1909- ) is better known as J.R. Simplot. He came to Idaho in 1911 at age two from Iowa. As a young man, Simplot rented a farm near Declo and grew potatoes. He became the country's largest shipper of fresh potatoes. In the 1950s, he developed the technique that created the frozen French fry. Today, his company, J.R. Simplot, is based in Boise and is one of the world's largest frozen potato manufacturers/processors. For many years, Simplot spent a day, serving French fries at a Boise-area fast food restaurant.

 

(Sources include The Idaho Blue Book; Idaho Place Names: A GeograpicalDictionary; County Profiles of Idaho.)