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95-576: The Weeks Act also provided measures for more cooperation between federal and state governments in regard to fire control. This legislation was heavily influenced by the fire season of 1910 because it wreaked havoc across the western United States, particularly in Idaho , where 85 people, including 72 firefighters, were killed in fires and more than 3 million acres (12,000 km) of land and roughly 8,000,000,000 board feet (19,000,000 m) of timber were destroyed by fires that year. This year's fire season alone put

190-484: A code of laws known as the Organic Law . It included the creation of an executive committee of three, a judiciary, a militia, land laws, and four counties. There was vagueness and confusion over the nature of the 1843 Organic Law, in particular, whether it was constitutional or statutory . In 1844, a new legislative committee decided to consider it statutory. The 1845 Organic Law made additional changes, including allowing

285-410: 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

380-593: A northern boundary for Spanish California, nor did it extinguish Spanish rights to the Pacific Northwest. Spain later relinquished any remaining claims to territory north of the 42nd parallel to the United States as part of the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819. In the 1820s, Russia gave up its claims south of 54°40′ and east of the 141st meridian in separate treaties with the United States and Britain. Meanwhile,

475-575: A pole and a notice claiming the country for the United Kingdom and stating the intention of the North West Company to build a trading post on the site. Later in 1811, on the same expedition, he finished his survey of the entire Columbia, arriving at a partially constructed Fort Astoria two months after the departure of John Jacob Astor 's ill-fated Tonquin . The Oregon Country was originally claimed by Great Britain, France, Russia, and Spain;

570-587: A provisional government at Champoeg . Political pressure in the United States urged the occupation of all the Oregon Country. Expansionists in the American South wanted to annex Texas , while their counterparts in the northeast wanted to annex the Oregon Country. It was seen as significant that the expansions be parallel, as the relative proximity to other states and territories made it appear likely that Texas would be pro-slavery and Oregon against slavery. In

665-500: A thriving colony of mixed origin, including Scottish Canadians and Scots , English , French Canadians , Hawaiians , Algonkians , and Iroquois , as well as the offspring of company employees who had intermarried with various local native populations. Astor continued to compete for Oregon Country furs through his American Fur Company operations in the Rockies. In the 1820s, a few American explorers and traders visited this land beyond

760-463: A variety of other kinds of woods. Between these high lands lie what is called the valley of the Wallamitte [ sic ], the frequented haunts of innumerable herds of elk and deer ... In ascending the river, the surrounding country is most delightful, and the first barrier to be met with is about forty miles up from its mouth. Here the navigation is interrupted by a ledge of rocks, running across

855-800: 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 ,

950-724: Is collected by the Idaho State Tax Commission . Oregon Country Oregon Country was a large region of the Pacific Northwest of North America that was subject to a long dispute between the United Kingdom and the United States in the early 19th century. The area, which had been demarcated by the Treaty of 1818 , consisted of the land north of 42° N latitude , south of 54°40′ N latitude, and west of

1045-646: Is in the province of Ciudad Real , also considering that the individualization in Spanish language el Orejón with the mutation of the letter g instead of j . Another theory is that French Canadian fur company employees called the Columbia River "hurricane river" le fleuve d'ouragan , because of the strong winds of the Columbia Gorge . George R. Stewart argues in a 1944 article in American Speech that

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1140-453: 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

1235-485: 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

1330-738: 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

1425-400: 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

1520-597: 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,

1615-469: The Beaver had shown the growing value of coal economically and strategically. A general HBC shift toward Pacific shipping and away from the interior of the continent made Victoria Harbour much more suitable than Fort Vancouver's location on the Columbia River. The Columbia Bar at the river's mouth was dangerous and routinely meant weeks or months of waiting for ships to cross. The largest ships could not enter

1710-523: 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

1805-505: The 1844 U.S. Presidential election , the Democrats had called for expansion into both areas. After being elected president, however, James K. Polk supported the 49th parallel as a northern limit for U.S. annexation in Oregon Country. Polk's uncompromising support for expansion into Texas and relative silence on the Oregon boundary dispute led to the phrase "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!" referring to

1900-516: The 49th parallel (except Vancouver Island ). With the end of joint occupancy, the region south of the 49th parallel became Oregon Territory in the United States while the northern portion became part of the British colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver Island . The area, which once encompassed Oregon Country, now lies within the present-day borders of the Canadian province of British Columbia and

1995-840: The Clarke–McNary Act in 1924. Major national forests that were formed under the Weeks Act are the Allegheny National Forest , White Mountain National Forest , Green Mountain National Forest , Pisgah National Forest , George Washington National Forest , and Ottawa National Forest . To date, the Weeks Act has protected more than 20 million acres of forestland, which has had a tremendous benefit for ecosystems and society by providing habitat for plants and animals, creating lucrative recreation spots for tourists, and creating economic opportunities for local communities, stimulating

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2090-843: 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

2185-472: The Fraser River to its mouth in 1808, attempting to ascertain whether it was the Columbia, as had been theorized about its northern reaches through New Caledonia, where it was known by its Dakleh name as the "Tacoutche Tesse". Thompson was the first European to voyage down the entire length of the Columbia River. Along the way, his party camped at the junction with the Snake River on July 9, 1811. He erected

2280-537: The Kootenai River and Columbia River following the southern portion of the well-established York Factory Express trade route. The Canadian effort proved to be too little, too late. In what was dubbed " The Great Migration of 1843 " or the "Wagon Train of 1843", an estimated 700 to 1,000 American emigrants came to Oregon, decisively tipping the balance. In 1843, settlers in the Willamette Valley established

2375-614: 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

2470-614: The Mexican–American War . In 1805, the American Lewis and Clark Expedition marked the first official American exploration of the area, creating the first temporary settlement of Euro-Americans in the area near the mouth of the Columbia River at Fort Clatsop . Two years later, in 1807, David Thompson of the Montreal-based North West Company penetrated the Oregon Country from the north via Athabasca Pass , near

2565-886: 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

2660-604: 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,

2755-632: The Rocky Mountains down to the Pacific Ocean and east to the Continental Divide . Article III of the 1818 treaty gave joint control to both nations for ten years, allowed land to be claimed, and guaranteed free navigation to all mercantile trade. However, both countries disputed the terms of the international treaty. Oregon Country was the American name, while the British used Columbia District for

2850-413: 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

2945-472: 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

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3040-630: The Ukase of 1821 , which was quickly challenged by the other powers and withdrawn to 54°40′N by separate treaties with the U.S. and Britain in 1824 and 1825, respectively. Spain gave up its claims of exclusivity via the Nootka Conventions of the 1790s. In the Nootka Conventions, which followed the Nootka Crisis , Spain granted Britain rights to the Pacific Northwest. However, it did not establish

3135-575: The Viceroyalty of New Spain . This chronicle is the first topographical and linguistic source with respect to the place name Oregon . There are also two other sources with Spanish origins, such as the name Oregano , which grows in the southern part of the region. It is most probable that the American territory was named by the Spaniards, as there are some populations in Spain such as Arroyo del Oregón , which

3230-632: The region . British and French Canadian fur traders had entered Oregon Country prior to 1810 before the arrival of American settlers from the mid-1830s onwards, which led to the foundation of the Provisional Government of Oregon . Its coastal areas north of the Columbia River were frequented by ships from all nations engaged in the maritime fur trade , with many vessels between the 1790s and 1810s coming from Boston . The Hudson's Bay Company , whose Columbia Department comprised most of

3325-486: The 1860s , and were able to maintain relative economic independence thanks to the necessity of their hunting skills in the fur trade. The eventual partition of the Oregon Country into national domains by the two colonial powers, increasing settlement, and the drastic decline of the fur trade due to diminishing supply all contributed to catastrophic decline in Indian population after 1846, and the arbitrary seizure of their land over

3420-459: The 49th parallel, excluding Vancouver Island. Despite McLoughlin's stalling, the HBC had begun the process of shifting away from Fort Vancouver and toward Vancouver Island and the northern coast in the 1830s. The increasing number of American settlers arriving in the Willamette Valley after 1840 served to make the need more pressing. In 1848, the U.S. portion of the Oregon Country was formally organized as

3515-614: 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

3610-773: 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

3705-501: The Columbia River by David Thompson and on prior discovery and exploration along the coast. Spain's claim was based on the Inter caetera and Treaty of Tordesillas of 1493–94, as well as explorations of the Pacific coast in the late 18th century. Russia based its claim on its explorations and trading activities in the region. It asserted its ownership of the region north of the 51st parallel by

3800-550: The Columbia River. Despite the posturing, neither country wanted to fight what would have been the third war in 70 years against the other. The two countries eventually reached a peaceful agreement in the 1846 Oregon Treaty that divided the territory west of the Continental Divide along the 49th parallel to Georgia Strait , with Vancouver Island remaining under British control. Today, this border divides British Columbia from neighboring Washington, Idaho, and Montana. In 1843,

3895-403: The HBC shifted its Columbia Department headquarters from Fort Vancouver to Fort Victoria on Vancouver Island. The plan to move to more northern locations dates back to the 1820s. George Simpson was the main force behind the move north; John McLoughlin became the main hindrance. McLoughlin had devoted his life's work to the Columbia business, and his personal interests were increasingly linked to

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3990-612: The Indians. Jason Lee , a Methodist minister from New York , was the first Oregon missionary . He built a mission school for Indians in the Willamette Valley in 1834. American settlers began to arrive from the east via the Oregon Trail starting in the early 1840s and came in increasing numbers each subsequent year. Increased tension led to the Oregon boundary dispute . Both sides realized that settlers would ultimately decide who controlled

4085-464: 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

4180-543: The Oregon Country and north into New Caledonia and beyond 54°40′ N, with operations reaching tributaries of the Yukon River , managed and represented British interests in the region. After the dispute became an election issue in the 1844 U.S. presidential election , the United Kingdom and the United States agreed to settle the problem with the Oregon Treaty in 1846. It established the British-American boundary at

4275-470: The Oregon Country because of the Hudson's Bay Company policy of creating a "fur desert": deliberate over-hunting of the area's frontiers so that American trades would find nothing there. The mountain men, like the Metis employees of the Canadian fur companies, adopted Indian ways, and many of them married Native American women. Reports of Oregon Country eventually circulated in the eastern United States . Some churches decided to send missionaries to convert

4370-448: The Oregon Country's primary economic activity until mid-century, and the language of the Chinook nation of the lower Columbia river ( Chinook jargon ) formed the lingua franca between Indians and the small European population during and after the 1818-46 period. This was the last period in which the Oregon Country's Indian nations retained a sizeable majority in their land, prior to the rapid and devastating arrival of European diseases in

4465-477: The Oregon Territory. In 1849, Vancouver Island became a British Crown colony —the Colony of Vancouver Island —with the mainland being organized into the Colony of British Columbia in 1858. Shortly after the establishment of Oregon Territory, there was an effort to split off the region north of the Columbia River. As a result of the Monticello Convention , Congress approved the creation of Washington Territory in early 1853. President Millard Fillmore approved

4560-407: 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

4655-459: The Rocky Mountains. Long after the Lewis and Clark Expedition and also after the consolidation of the fur trade in the region by the Canadian fur companies, American mountain men such as Jedediah Smith and Jim Beckwourth came roaming into and across the Rocky Mountains, following Indian trails through the Rockies to California and Oregon. They sought beaver pelts and other furs, which were obtained by trapping . These were difficult to obtain in

4750-432: The Senate's version of the bill, was named a member of the initial committee. The commission would exist from 1911 to 1966. The drafting of Weeks Act was originally motivated by the intent to purchase lands in eastern United States, where the federal government owned no large tracts of land devoted to conservation. Later western lands were acquired under the Weeks Act. The Weeks Act was substantially expanded and modified by

4845-420: The Spanish claim was later taken up by the United States. The extent of the region being claimed was vague at first, evolving over decades into the specific borders specified in the U.S.-British treaty of 1818 . The United States based its claim in part on Robert Gray's entry of the Columbia River in 1792 and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Great Britain based its claim in part on British overland explorations of

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4940-417: The US Forest Service $ 1.1 million in debt. The Weeks Act also authorized establishment of the National Forest Reservation Commission to consider and approve purchase of these identified lands. The commission was composed of the secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and War (for the Corps of Engineers ), as well as two members each from the House and Senate . Jacob Gallinger , who had sponsored

5035-418: The United States and Britain negotiated the Anglo-American Convention of 1818, which extended the boundary between their territories west along the 49th parallel to the Rocky Mountains. The two countries agreed to "joint occupancy" of the land west of the Rockies to the Pacific Ocean. In 1843, settlers established their government, called the Provisional Government of Oregon . A legislative committee drafted

5130-425: The area in 1811. This settlement later became the nucleus of present-day Astoria, Oregon . During the construction of Fort Astoria, Thompson traveled down the Columbia River, noting the partially constructed American Fort Astoria only two months after the departure of the supply ship Tonquin . Along the way, Thompson had set foot on and claimed for the British Crown the lands near the future Fort Nez Percés site at

5225-427: 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

5320-414: 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 ,

5415-428: The confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers. This claim initiated a very brief era of competition between American and British fur traders. During the War of 1812 , Fort Astoria was captured by the British and sold to the North West Company. Under British control, Fort Astoria was renamed Fort George. In 1821, when the North West Company was merged with the Hudson's Bay Company, the British Parliament moved to impose

5510-419: 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

5605-440: 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

5700-452: The east, Nevada and Utah to 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

5795-460: The economy. The Weeks Act effectively outlawed some Native American fire management practices . The Weeks Act was involved in the United States Forest Service v. Cowpasture River Preservation Assn. decision. 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

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5890-433: The entirety of the U.S. states of Oregon , Washington , and Idaho , as well as parts of Montana and Wyoming . Throughout this period, the Oregon Country was inhabited by numerous independent American Indian peoples, who received no recognition by the British or American governments in the eventual disposition of the territory. Indian traders nevertheless played a critical role in the ongoing fur trade that still formed

5985-439: 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

6080-438: The following two decades in the interests of newly arrived settlers. The earliest evidence of the name Oregon has Spanish origins. The term orejón comes from the historical chronicle Relación de la Alta y Baja California (1598) which was written by the New Spaniard Rodrigo Motezuma and which made reference to the Columbia River when the Spanish explorers penetrated into the North American territory that became part of

6175-487: The growing settlements in the Willamette Valley. He fought Simpson's proposals to move north in vain. By the time Simpson decided in 1842 to move the headquarters to Vancouver Island, he had many reasons for doing so. There was a dramatic decline in the fur trade across North America. In contrast, the HBC saw increasing profits with coastal exports of salmon and lumber to Pacific markets such as Hawaii . Coal deposits on Vancouver Island had been discovered, and steamships such as

6270-426: The headwaters of the Columbia River. From there he navigated nearly the full length of the river through to the Pacific Ocean. In 1810, John Jacob Astor commissioned and began the construction of the American Pacific Fur Company fur-trading post at Fort Astoria, just 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the site of Lewis and Clark's former Fort Clatsop, completing construction of the first permanent Euro-American settlement in

6365-402: 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

6460-493: 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

6555-435: 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,

6650-399: The laws of Upper Canada upon British subjects in Columbia District and Rupert's Land and issued the authority to enforce those laws to the Hudson's Bay Company. Chief Factor John McLoughlin was appointed manager of the district's operations in 1824. He moved the regional company headquarters to Fort Vancouver (modern Vancouver, Washington ) in 1824. Fort Vancouver became the centre of

6745-433: 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)

6840-750: The name came from an engraver's error in a French map published in the early 18th century, on which the Ouisiconsink ( Wisconsin River ) was spelled Ouaricon-sint , broken on two lines with the -sint below, so that there appeared to be a river flowing to the west named Ouaricon . This theory was endorsed in Oregon Geographic Names as "the most plausible explanation". George Vancouver explored Puget Sound in 1792. Vancouver claimed it for Great Britain on June 4, 1792, naming it for one of his officers, Lieutenant Peter Puget . Alexander Mackenzie

6935-472: 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

7030-555: The new territory on March 2, 1853. Alexander Ross , an early Scottish Canadian fur trader, describes the lower reaches of the Willamette River, in the south of the Oregon Country (known to him as the Columbia District): The banks of the river throughout are low and skirted in the distance by a chain of moderately high lands on each side, interspersed here and there with clumps of wide spreading oaks, groves of pine, and

7125-454: The northern border of the region and often erroneously attributed to Polk's campaign. The goal of the slogan was to rally Southern expansionists (some of whom wanted to annex only Texas in an effort to tip the balance of slave/free states and territories in favor of slavery) to support the effort to annex Oregon Country, appealing to the popular belief in manifest destiny . The British government, meanwhile, sought control of all territory north of

7220-498: The participation of British subjects in the government. Although the Oregon Treaty of 1846 settled the boundaries of U.S. jurisdiction, the provisional government continued to function until 1849, when the first governor of Oregon Territory arrived. A faction of Oregon politicians hoped to continue Oregon's political evolution into an independent nation, but the pressure to join the United States prevailed by 1848, four months after

7315-624: 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

7410-599: The region. The Hudson's Bay Company, which had previously discouraged settlement as it conflicted with the lucrative fur trade, belatedly reversed its position. In 1841, on orders from Sir George Simpson , James Sinclair guided more than 100 settlers from the Red River Colony to settle on HBC farms near Fort Vancouver. The Sinclair expedition crossed the Rockies into the Columbia Valley , near present-day Radium Hot Springs , British Columbia, then traveled southwest down

7505-585: 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

7600-414: The river at all. The growing numbers of American settlers along the lower Columbia gave Simpson reason to question the long-term security of Fort Vancouver. He worried, rightfully so, that the final border resolution would not follow the Columbia River. By 1842, he thought it more likely that the United States would at least demand Puget Sound , and the British government would accept a border as far north as

7695-458: The river from side to side in the form of an irregular horseshoe, over which the whole body of water falls at one leap down a precipice of about forty feet, called the Falls . After living in Oregon from 1843 to 1848, Peter H. Burnett wrote: [Oregonians] were all honest, because there was nothing to steal; they were all sober, because there was no liquor to drink; there were no misers, because there

7790-577: 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,

7885-591: 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

7980-779: 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,

8075-455: 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

8170-564: 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

8265-589: 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

8360-597: 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

8455-480: 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

8550-493: 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

8645-412: 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

8740-530: 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

8835-413: 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

8930-577: Was the first European to cross North America by land north of New Spain, arriving at Bella Coola on what is now the central coast of British Columbia in 1793. From 1805 to 1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark explored the territory of the United States on the Lewis and Clark Expedition . David Thompson , working for the Montreal -based North West Company , explored much of the region beginning in 1807 with his friend and colleague Simon Fraser , following

9025-539: 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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