Boise, Idaho
By Jay Witcher
State Tree
State Bird
State Flower
State Map
State Flag
State Song
• Here We Have Idaho
Written by McKinley Helm & Albert J. Tompkins
Composed by Sallie Hume-Douglas
• You've heard of the wonders our land does possess,
It's beautiful valleys and hills,
The majestic forests where nature abounds,
We love every nook and rill.
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• And here we have Idaho
Winning her way to fame.
Silver and gold in the sunlight blaze,
and romance lies in her name.
Singing, we're singing of you,
Ah, proudly too,
State song
• All our lives thru, we'll go
Singing, singing of you,
Singing of Idaho.
• There's truly one state in this great land of
ours
Where ideals can be realized.
The pioneers made it so for you and me,
A legacy we'll always prize.
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The Folk Song Dance
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The American Folk Dance of Idaho
Square Dance
Adoption of the American Folk Dance of Idaho
By Concurrent Resolution, the square dance was designated "...as the
American Folk Dance of Idaho." on March 17, 1989. A Concurrent
Resolution is approved by both bodies of the Idaho Legislature (House of
Representatives and Senate), but is not entered into the Idaho Statutes as
law and does not require the signature of the Governor. The text of the
resolution follows:
• A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE SQUARE DANCE AS THE
AMERICAN FOLK DANCE OF IDAHO.
• Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
– by the quadrille (another square dance).
• Idaho Statutes
• The square dance was designated by legislative Concurrent Resolution
and, therefore, was not entered into the Idaho Statutes
The Whereas
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WHEREAS, love of state and professions is enhanced by traditions that have
become a part of our way of life and the customs of the American people; and
WHEREAS, we have distinctive and meaningful symbols of our ideals in our state's
flag and in many cultural endeavors, but no official designation of a state folk
dance; and
WHEREAS, the Square Dance, which was first associated with the American people
and recorded in history since 1651, has consistently been the one dance
traditionally recognized by the American people as a dignified and enjoyable
expression of American folk dancing; and
WHEREAS, Square Dancing is the American folk dance which is called, cued, or
prompted to the dancers, and includes squares, rounds, clogging, contra, line, and
heritage dances; and
WHEREAS, official recognition of the Square Dance will enhance the cultural
stature of Idaho both nationally and internationally; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting that the Square Dance be added to the array of symbols of
our state character and pride.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the First Regular Session of
the Centennial Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate
concurring therein, that the folk dance known as the SQUARE DANCE is hereby
designated as the American folk dance of Idaho
State Web Site
• According to the Idaho State web site:
• The 1989 legislature designated the square dance as the
American Folk Dance of Idaho. The square dance was first
associated with the American people and recorded in
history since 1651. Square dancing includes squares,
rounds, clogging, contra, line and heritage dances. Modern
western square dance clubs across the country have
collaborated to have the Square Dance declared the state
folk dance in all fifty states. They have also been active in
efforts to make the Square Dance the national folk dance.
There is some controversy over their efforts, which can be
read about in the "Additional Information" section below.
• About the American Folk Dance of Idaho
When State Approved
– .
• Approved March 17, 1989.
• The square dance is a popular type of folk dance in the United States. This
dance for four couples, or groups of four couples, is performed in a
compact framework of a square, each couple forming a side. Traditionally
accompanied by a fiddle, accordion, banjo and guitar, the couples perform
a variety of movements prompted by the patter or singing calls
(instruction) of a "caller". Cooperative movement is the hallmark of wellexecuted square dancing.
• Square dancing is to be distinguished from related dances called contra or
long ways dance where couples stand double file in a line and from round
dances where couples stand in a circle. The origin of the square dance can
be traced to English derivation and to the stately French cotillion
performed in square formation that was popular at the court of Louis the
fifteenth later replace
State Seal
State Landmarks
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Jump to: navigation, search
Assay Office U.S. National Register of Historic Places U.S. National Historic Landmark
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Location: 210 Main Street, Boise, Idaho Coordinates: 43°36′40.98″N 116°11′45.03″W / 43.6113833°N
116.1958417°W / 43.6113833; -116.1958417Coordinates: 43°36′40.98″N 116°11′45.03″W / 43.6113833°N
116.1958417°W / 43.6113833; -116.1958417 Built/Founded: 1871 Architect: Alfred B. Mullett; John R. McBride
Architectural style(s): No Style Listed Governing body: State Added to NRHP: October 15, 1966[1] Designated NHL:
May 30, 1961[2] NRHP Reference#: 66000305 Assay Office is a historic building in Boise, Idaho. It is significant for
its role in the history of mining in Idaho. During the first half of the 1860s, Idaho’s gold production was the third
highest in the nation. Due to the difficulty of transporting bulky, heavy ores the long distance to the nearest U.S.
Mint in San Francisco, there was great demand for an assaying office in Idaho.[3] Gold and other precious metals
are not mined in a pure form. In order to place a value on an ore, the precious metal must be separated from the
impurities. This is what an assay office does.[4]
Contents
1 The building
2 Operations
3 Subsequent Uses
4 References
[edit] The building
ows,
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State Info.
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adding windows to the back wall, removal of the vaults and assaying furnaces and rearrangement
of partitions. The Assay Office was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961.[2][3] In 1972 the
building was turned over to the Idaho State Historical Society.[3] It currently houses the State
Historical Preservation Office and the Archaeological Survey of Idaho.[6]
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[edit] References
^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park
Service. 2007-01-23. http://www.nr.nps.gov/.
^ a b "Assay Office". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service.
http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=196&ResourceType=Building. Retrieved 2008-0202.
^ a b c d e f Blanche Higgins Schroer (April 1, 1976) National Register of Historic Places InventoryNomination: Assay Office, National Park Service and Accompanying 1 photo, exterior, from 1960
^ a b Arthur Hart (2007-11-13). "“Idaho history: Boise’s U.S. Assay Office is the city’s only national
landmark”". The Idaho Statesman. http://www.idahostatesman.com/history/story/178720.html.
Retrieved 2008-02-03. [dead link]
^ "The Old Assay Office In Boise". Reference Series. Boise, Idaho: Idaho State Historical Society,
Public Archives and Research Library. 1974.
http://www.idahohistory.net/Reference%20Series/0359.pdf. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
^ "“IdahoState Historical Society”". http://www.idahohistory.net/historic_sites.html. Retrieved
2008-02-03
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Landmarks
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In 1869, Congress appropriated $75,000 to build an assay office in Boise, Idaho. The city block site bounded by
Main, First, Idaho and Second was donated by Alexander Rossi, a prominent citizen of Boise. Ground was broken in
1870. The structure, designed by Alfred B. Mullett, supervising architect for the U.S. Treasury Department, was
completed in 1871. The builder was John R. McBride, Chief Justice of the Idaho Territorial Court. The exterior walls
of the two story building were built of local Idaho sandstone and are more than two feet thick. The building is
topped by a hip roof with a central cupola for ventilation. The landscape plantings were all donated by the citizens
of Boise. For security, all of the windows were covered with iron bars and the interior doors were equipped with
iron cages. The first floor of the building held the assayers offices, vaults and safes, assaying and melting rooms
(furnaces), laboratory and reagents storage. The second floor was devoted to living quarters for the chief assayer.
There was a parlor, pantry, dining room, kitchen and three bedrooms. The basement housed fuel and supply
rooms, guards’ quarters and wells.[3]
[edit] Operations
All equipment was finally in place by the time of the first assay on March 2, 1872. Builder John R. McBride was
appointed Superintendent of the Assay Office. Alexander Rossi, who donated the land, was temporary Chief
Assayer.[4] By this time, mining was in a slump due to the playing out of surface mines. This slump lasted about a
decade until further gold strikes were made in the northern part of the state. In 1887, the advent of the railroad in
Idaho and an influx of capital made deep mining possible.[3] A few years after opening, the Assay Office had begun
purchasing gold on behalf of the U.S. government.[5] By 1895, deposits were over one million dollars. For the next
eleven years they averaged over one and a half million dollars per year.[3] Renovations on the building in 1889 and
1890 included a new fence, new floors, a hot and cold water system and electric lights.
[edit] Subsequent Uses
The Assay Office closed in 1933 and the building was turned over to the U.S. Forest Service for use as offices.
Renovations at that time included removing the iron bars from the wind.
State University
State Governor
• "My goal as your Governor
is to empower Idaho to be
all that America was meant
to be, and to empower
Idahoans to be the
architects of their own
destiny. I hope you will join
me in that