Idaho History

The following important events in the history of Idaho affected political boundaries, record keeping, and family movements.

1834: Fort Hall trading post was founded on the Snake River near the site of present-day Pocatello. During the 1840's and 1850's it became a major way station for those who passed through Idaho over the Oregon Trail.

1848: Idaho became part of the Oregon Territory.

1859: Idaho became part of the Washington Territory.

1860: The Mormon community of Franklin in Cache Valley became the first permanent white settlement in Idaho.

1860-1863: Gold discoveries in the river valleys of northern Idaho attracted temporary settlement.

1860-1880s: A series of Indian conflicts continued until the Indians were assigned to reservations.

1863:  The Idaho Territory was created out of the Washington and Dakota Territories. In 1864, the Montana Territory was cut away from the Idaho Territory. In 1868, a small part of Idaho Territory was transferred to the new Wyoming Territory.

1880's: Mining booms in the north and the coming of the railroads to the south brought new settlers.

1890: Idaho became a state.

1900-1910: Reclamation projects brought another wave of settlement to the former desert lands of southern Idaho.

An especially helpful source for studying the history of Idaho is Merrill D. Beal and Merle W. Wells, History of Idaho, Three Volumes. (New York, New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1959; FHL book 979.6 H2b). Volume 3 has family histories.

A bibliography of local histories for Idaho is Milo G. Nelson and Charles A. Webbert, eds., Idaho Local History: A Bibliography. (Moscow, Idaho: The University Press of Idaho, 1976; FHL book 979.6 A3n).