How Boise came to be a city

The area which is now Boise, Idaho, was named by French-Canadian trappers who called it "Boise," meaning "wooded."

The area remained undeveloped until 1834, when the Hudson Bay company established Fort Boise as a competitor to the nearby American Fort Hall. Both forts became stops along the Oregon Trail and were visited frequently over the next two decades. Fort Boise gradually fell into disrepair due to flooding and Indian attacks, and was abandoned around 1855.

The present city of Boise was founded 8 years later and about 50 miles to the East, after gold was discovered in the vicinity. In 1864, Boise became the capital of the Idaho territory, and remained the capital after Idaho was admitted as the 43rd state in 1890.

Links for more information about the Oregon Trail in the Boise area:

Other links about Idaho's history:

Email me if you like.

Comments

Name: Genell Robertson
Email address: gdlewis@indiana.edu
What I liked about this website: I enjoyed the layout, and thought that the pictures and links were great!
What I think could be improved: I wasn't able to connect to a few of the links, but I think that was already mentioned.

Name: Chris Essex
Email address: cessex@indiana.edu
What I liked about this website: Carla: I'm glad to see you using anchors to help users navigate through the page--though since the main part of the page (not including the comments section) is all on one screen, the anchors don't actually do much--at least on my computer. If anyone hasn't not iced the anchors, try clicking on Oregon Trail or Idaho. Anchors are a great way to help users navigate up and down really long web pages (such as course syllabi). The illustration on the first page is well-chosen, and makes for a nice comparison with the photograph on the second page. The links all work and are well chosen. I am particularly glad to see you found one created by schoolkids. The background color on both pages is pleasant and soothing. I like the way you use bullets on the second page. I'm glad you broke up the links into three sections, rather than having one long list. The "Back to Home Page" link on the second page is very useful. It's true that everyone has a back button, but in this day of search engines, there is no guarantee that they'll come in through the home page. What if they arrive on this page? How else w ould they find their way back to the front page?
What I think could be improved: On the second page, perhaps there could be some more text describing how Boise has grown and changed. Are all the links really "activities," though? The first page should have an "On to the Present Day" link to the second page--it is not totally obvious that that your second page is not an external link like all the others and a casual visitor might miss it.

Name: Laura Dailey
Email address: dandldailey@netscape.net
What I liked about this website: You've got some really great links. I particularly like the one that is being constructed by students. I also thought the Idaho potato link was an appropriate touch.
What I think could be improved: It's already been said-the technical problems (links). Otherwise, I like it just fine.

Name: Roberta Reagan
Email address: rreagan@indiana.edu
What I liked about this website: Cool! I always thought of corn fields and hicks when I thought of Idaho. Of course the same can be said for Indiana huh? hehehe. I never knew Boise was such an interesting place. I liked your page about current stuff as well as the history page.
What I think could be improved: I don't know, maybe a US map with where Idaho is located? Where Boise is located? somewhere on your home page so I could picture it right off.

Name: Diane Hughes
Email address: dmh_51@hotmail.com
What I liked about this website: Wow! I've never been to Idaho, but my daughter's boyfriend's brother lives there and is a forest ranger. I've seen pictures of his wedding in the mountains (he married a local Idaho girl). Anyway, I liked the websit e. Lots of information. I couldn't get the Oregon Trail or Idaho link to work either, but that could be my computer. Great job! I think I'll have to plan a trip out west.
What I think could be improved: I'm not crazy about the background color either, but, again, that could be my computer.

Name: Jeannie Galbreath
Email address: jgalbrea@iupui.edu
What I liked about this website: What a wealth of information! Heck, I wouldn't need to call a travel agancy if I was going to Idaho and knew about this site! I think this site would be valuable to students doing research in a variety of areas re garding Idaho. The picture of Ft. Boise is a good, interesting, touch to the site. It's nice that the opening page isn't too long as they can tend to be overwhelming that way.
What I think could be improved: I'm not sure I'm crazy about the background color, but I don't think that's too big of a deal. I couldn't get the "Oregon Trail" link and the "Idaho" link at the top of the site to work.

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