Boise's Original 1863 Plat Tour

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On the first stop of this tour, you will learn about the Pioneer Tent & Awning building, A.P. Hotaling & Co., the Idaho Statesman building, the telephone building, the Masonic Temple, and the Turnverein building.As you visit each stop on the tour, you will see how the landscape of Boise's original ten blocks have changed over 160 years.While the tour does not encompass all changes to the original ten blocks, it provides a summary of some of the most significant structures and businesses that shaped early Boise and helped to create the city you see today.When participating in this tour, please be mindful of traffic and obey all signals.

2. Stop Two: 5th and Grove

On the second stop of Boise original 1863 plat tour, you will visit the intersection of 5th and Grove. Here you will learn about C. W. Moore Park and the Boise Stage Stables.As you look around C.W. Moore park, take a moment to imagine the streets and buildings that these remnants once belonged to. How does it make you feel to be surrounded by these pieces?

3. Stop Three: 5th and Main

On the third stop of the original Boise plat tour, you will visit the former location of Jellison Bros Stone, the Belgravia Apartments, and what was once the site of a Veltex Station.As you visit this intersection, think about what it would have been like to live at the Belgravia apartments. What would you see around you?

4. Stop Four: 5th and Idaho

On the next stop in this walking tour, you will learn about the Church of the Good Shepherd, the Chandler building, and the Star Hotel.When you're looking around this intersection, you will see several buildings that have a relationship to Boise's Basque community. We recommend you check out other locations on Clio that explore the history of this community!

5. Stop Five: 6th and Idaho

On this stop of the tour, you will learn about the Central Fire Station, the Fraternal Order of Eagles building, the Idaho Brewing & Malting Co., the Gibson Funeral Home, and the R. Z. Johnson apartments. If the restaurant inside the old Central Fire Station is open, go inside and ask to see the bell!

6. Stop Six: Capitol and Idaho

Next stop on the tour! This time, you will learn about the Bush building, Adelmann building, the J. Gestal building, and the Union Block. As you continue to enjoy this walking tour, consider how many buildings are still around and how many are gone. Do you wish there were more historic buildings, or more modern ones? Do you think it is important for a city to have a mix of both?

7. Stop Seven: 8th and Idaho

On this stop, you will learn about one of Boise's former City Hall buildings, the Boise City National Bank, the Mode department store, and the Fidelity Building. This intersection is often part of the Boise Farmer's Market. While you're learning about the historic buildings nearby, reflect on what it means to use city streets in variety of ways--not just for driving, but for events. Why do you think it is important to have this ability?

8. Stop Eight: 9th and Idaho

You're halfway through the walking tour! On this stop, you will learn about the Pacific Hotel, the Kress building, the Broadbent building, and the McCarty building. The McCarty building is the only structure on this tour that was commissioned by a business woman. Why do you think there were not more structures built by women?

9. Stop Nine: 10th and Idaho

On this stop of the tour, you will learn about the Empire building, the First National Bank Building, the Rialto Theater, and the C. C. Anderson building.

10. Stop Ten: 10th and Main

On stop ten of this walking tour, you will learn about an intersection that once had a turreted structure on every corner. The Gem and Noble Block, the Merino building, the Idanha, and the W. E. Pierce building all featured this exciting architectural feature.

11. Stop Eleven: 10th and Grove

On the 11th stop of the walking tour, you will learn about an area of Boise impacted by railroad travel. You will read about the Hotel Bristol, the A.T. Ellis building and the downtown train depot. Can you imagine what Boise would have been like when railroad was the main form of travel?

12. Stop Twelve: 9th and Grove

At this stop in the tour, you will learn about the residential neighborhoods that once thrived here.

13. Stop Thirteen: 9th and Main

At this top, you will learn about the Yates building, the Alexander building, the Oxford Hotel, and the Sonna building.You'll recall having read about Moses Alexander at other points in the tour. Can you recall some of the other buildings he was associated with? Alexander was also one of the founders of the Temple Beth Israel on the Boise Bench.

14. Stop Fourteen: 8th and Main

At this stop in the walking tour, you will learning about the Lemp Block/Capitol Hotel, the First National Bank building, the Pioneer building, Falk's Mercantile, and the Eastman building. If you lived in Boise in the 1990s, you might recall that the empty lot that was once home to the Eastman building was commonly referred to as "the hole."

15. Stop Fifteen: Grove and 8th

On the last stop of Boise's original plat tour, you will learn about the C.W. Moore house and The Grove.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Boise's Original 1863 Plat Tour

Created by Maureen Lavelle on August 1st 2023, 1:10:42 am.

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Description

After the creation of Fort Boise on July 4, 1863, Boise City founders met at the home of Thomas Davis. (Davis would later donate the land that is Julia Davis Park). There, on July 7, 1863, the founders platted the original ten blocks of the city. Split evenly on each side of Main Street the original plat stretched from 5th to 10th, across modern-day Grove and Idaho Streets. This walking tour explores the history contained within the boundaries of the original plat, including what was lost and how the area has been transformed. This self-guided tour features 15 stops, each at an intersection. At each stop, you will explore multiple sites that exist, or once existed in and around that intersection.

Entries on This Tour

Boise's Original 1863 Plat Tour

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