Canyon County
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57. The First or Temporary Fort Boise. – In 1834 the Hudson's Bay Company erected Fort Boise, its first Idaho trading-post. It was built by chief trader Thomas McKay on the Reed or Boise River about ten miles from its mouth. It was a simple log structure. In 1838 the site was changed to the east bank of the Snake River and a short distance north of the mouth of the Boise River In the summer of 1836 the Whitman party were guests at this little Boise River post. Mrs. Whitman, in her diary, tells us that at eleven o'clock on Sunday morning, August 21, 1836, in response to an invitation from his Hudson's Bay hosts Reverend H. H. Spalding preached a sermon at the fort. This was the second sermon preached within the boundaries of the present Idaho.
58. The Second or Permanent Fort Boise. - The second or permanent Fort Boise had a romantic and interesting history. The amount of the fur business transacted at this post was never large. Built for the purpose of drawing away business from Fort Hall, which had been erected earlier in 1834, Fort Boise had been a success, for in 1836 the Hudson's Bay Company acquired Fort Hall by purchase and that became their chief Idaho trading-post. The later Fort Boise became one of the celebrated stopping-points on the old Oregon Trail during the third and fourth decades of the last century. Here, after the long dusty journey over the Snake River plains, the tired and hungry emigrants were welcomed and often their scanty stores replenished. The outside walls were thick and durable and made of adobe or clay. Blockhouses were placed at the corners so as to protect the sides in case of attack. The main entrance opened on Snake River. Within the walls were several small buildings one story high and arranged around the four sides. They were used as storehouses for the peltry and for living quarters.
59. Francis Payette. – The most interesting character associated with old Fort Boise during the fascinating fur-trading and emigration period was Francis Payette. It was he who gave his name to Payette River and the city of Payette. The numerous emigrants who were the beneficiaries of his generous and polite hospitality have expressed their gratitude in many a touching tribute. Thomas J. Farnham, who visited Fort Boise in 1839, has left us this brilliant pen-picture of the courtly Payette:
60. Farnham's Description of Francis Payette. -"Mr. Payette .. . received us with every mark of kindness; gave our horses to the care of his servants, and introduced us immediately to the chairs, table, and edibles of his apartments. He . . . is a merry, fat old gentleman of fifty, who, although in the wilderness all the best years of his life, has retained that manner of benevolence in trifles, of seating and serving you at table, of directing your attention continually to some little matter of interest, so strikingly agreeable in that mercurial [French-Canadian] people.
"The 14th and 15th [of September, 1839] were spent very pleasantly with this gentleman. During that time he feasted us with excellent bread, and butter made from an American cow, obtained from some of the missionaries; with baked, boiled, fried, and broiled salmon – and, at my request, with some of his adventures in the wilderness. On the i6th . . . a 'bon jour' having been returned by Mons. Payette, with the additional kind wish of a 'bon. voyage' to us over the mountains, we left the old gentleman to his solitary domain."
61. The Last Years of the Hudson's Bay Company in Idaho. - Although the Treaty of 1846 transferred to the United States title to that portion of the Oregon country lying south of the 49th parallel, yet the British flag with the letters H. B. C. (Hudson's Bay Company) woven in its folds continued to float over Fort Hall and Fort Boise for several years. Upon the breaking out of the Indian wars of 1855, these historic Idaho posts were abandoned. It was not until 1869 that the United States agreed to reimburse the Hudson's Bay Company for her possessory rights in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. In its later years the company engaged in merchandising with the emigrants, retired trappers, and the Indians, and in cattle-raising more than in gathering fur.
Source: History of the State of Idaho by Cornelis J. Brosnan, published 1918, pages 45-47.
Abstracted from "History of the State of Idaho," by Cornelis J. Brownan, published by Charles Scribner's Sons, 1918; p. 195.
Assassination of Governor Steunenberg (1905). – Six years afterward1, when Governor Steunenberg was entering his home at Caldwell, on the evening of December 30, 1905, a bomb which had been fastened to his gate was exploded and caused his death. Harry Orchard was arrested for this crime and confessed that he had placed the bomb which killed the former governor. His confession also implicated Charles H. Moyer, the president of the Western Federation of Miners, William D. Haywood, secretary and treasurer, and George A. Pettibone, a member of the executive committee, under instructions from all of whom Orchard claimed he had been acting. Orchard also freely confessed that he had committed a number of other serious crimes. Haywood, and Pettibone were separately tried for the murder (May, 1907, to January, 1908). At these trials, Orchard acted as chief witness for the State. Both trials, however, resulted in the acquittal of the defendants and soon afterward the State dropped the prosecution against Moyer. Later, Orchard himself entered a plea of guilty to the charge of murder and was sentenced to be hanged, but this sentence was afterward changed to life imprisonment and he is still confined in the penitentiary.
The assassination of Governor Steunenberg sent a wave of grief and indignation over the entire State. The confession of Orchard and the trials of Haywood and Pettibone attracted the attention of the nation, and newspaper men from all parts of the country attended and reported the trials.
1 Industrial Disturbances (1892 and 1899). – Idaho, like other mining States, has had her share of industrial troubles. The first outbreak occurred in the Coeur d'Alene mining district, in 1892. Trouble over wages led to a strike. New men were brought in. This gave rise to acts of violence. A mill was blown up and federal troops had to be called in to restore order. From then until 1899 there were various acts of lawlessness in the Coeur d'Alene district. Men were killed on little or no provocation and the towns were terrorized. The climax came in the destruction of the Bunker Hill and Sullivan Mill by dynamite, in 1899. Governor Steunenberg was forced to call for federal troops. Several hundred miners were arrested and confined for a time in a stockade which at one time had been used for cattle. The prisoners called this the "bull pen." Paul Corcoran, a leader, was tried and sentenced to prison for a term of years. Order was finally restored, but feeling ran high and many threats were uttered against the governor.
Located on Marble Front Road according to the 1915 Standard Atlas of Canyon County Idaho
The Canyon County Poor Farm was created in 1893 by the Board of County Commissioners during a regular meeting at the new court house building in Caldwell. Among the important matters to be considered by them are the fixing of school district boundaries, selecting a county poor farm, approving of license bonds and deciding the desirability of fixing a bounty on rabbits, gophers, etc. (Source: Idaho Daily Statesman, Boise, 11 July, 1893, p.2)
CANYON COUNTY POOR FARM. The contract for the management of the county poor farm was approved and signed by the county commissioners Wednesday. T.C. Pierson, who has had charge of the farm for the past four years, was again hired by the board and will be allowed 60 cents per day for the care of each pauper and pesthouse patient. the contract is practically the same as that of former years, and will be in force until the second Monday in January, 1915. (Source: Idaho Daily Statesman, Boise, 22 May, 1913, p.7)
LET CONTRACT FOR DWELLING. The contract for the erection of a seven-room dwelling on the Canyon county poor farm, for the occupancy of the superintendent of the farm and his family, has been let by the county commissioners to Fred Howard, a Caldwell contractor, Howard's bid for the contract was $2457. (Source: Idaho Daily Statesman, Boise, 9 July, 1913, p.7)
REPORT POOR FARM OF CANYON COUNTY IN GOOD CONDITION. "The Canyon County poor farm is in excellent condition, and the patients are
enjoying life," is the report brought by George W. Stovell, probate judge, and D.J. Westcott, Canyon County commissioner, who recently visited
the farm. There are now 16 patients, mostly men, said Judge Stovell, and everything about the home, both exterior and interior, is "most sanitary."
W.A. Perkins is caretaker. His wife, an aged woman, some time ago slipped on a wet board walk while crossing to another part of the building in
front of the home, and suffered a hip injury. She is still in bed, though, according to a report of the attending physician, Mrs. Perkins will
be able to resume routine work within two weeks. (Source: Idaho Daily Statesman, Boise, 2 June, 1921, p.5)
SANTA TO VISIT POOR FARM. Lots of candy, an apple, a handkerchief and an orange will be the Christmas presents to be given to those
at the Canyon County poor farm by men employes of the court house. Nineteen green stockings were made by the girl employes under direction of
Mrs. Katherine C. Wolf and Mrs. Henry Thompson. There are 15 men and four women at the institution.
The gifts have been sent to the farm and the superintendent left word at the court house that they will be held until Sunday, and then distributed.
The girls each adopted an orphan at the industrial school at St. Anthony, and made gifts which will please the recipents on this Yuletide.
(Source: Idaho Daily Statesman, Boise, 22 Dec., 1921, p.7)
Canyon County Poor Farm - 3 miles s of city RD 4 JK Moore supt. (Source: 1930-1931 Polk's Canyon, Gem, Payette and Washington Counties Directory)
Lake Lowell, originally known as Deer Flat Reservoir, is an offstream
reservoir formed by three earthfill dams enclosing a natural depression
southwest of Nampa, Idaho. These three dams are the Upper, Middle (Forest Dam),
and Lower Embankments. A fourth embankment called the East (Roadway Dike) is to
protect farmsteads on the eastern end of the reservoir when the reservoir is
full. The reservoir is filled primarily during the non-irrigation season by
diversions at the Boise River Diversion Dam and conveyance through the New York
Canal which discharges into the eastern (upper) end of Lake Lowell.
The Upper Embankment on the north side of the reservoir is 65 feet high and has two
outlets; near the right abutment is the Deer Flat Nampa Canal (100 cubic feet
per second) and near the left abutment is the Deer Flat Caldwell Canal (70 cubic
feet per second).
The Lower Embankment at the west end of the reservoir
is 41 feet high. The Deer Flat Low Line Canal (1,200 cubic feet per second)
outlets are on the left abutment and the Deer Flat North Canal (70 cubic feet
per second) outlets are on the right abutment.
The Middle Embankment, which has no outlets, is 12.7 feet high and helps to
close the reservoir near the Lower Embankment. It has been referred to as an
emergency spillway; however, no slope protection is provided for this purpose.
Source: usbr.gov United States Bureau of Reclamation, Deer Flat Lower Embackment
Guffey Bridge is on the Snake River, between Walter's Ferry and Celebration
Park. (East of Highway 45)
Cort Conley in Idaho for the Curious writes
that the bridge was built in 1897 by Colonel William Dewey. Dewey, a mining
promoter, organized the Boise, Nampa, and Owyhee Railroad which was to operate
from Nampa to Silver City (Owyhee Co.). The rails got as far as Murphy (Owyhee
Co.), south of the river, and trains ran that far in 1899, but the track was
never completed. It carried livestock from Murphy north to Guffey for a time.
Interurban Trolley Car
1907 Sheep grazing
Courtesy of John T. Richards
1908 City Hall
1909 Wool wagons
1910 South 7th Street
1910's O.S.L.R.R. Depot and park
Saratoga Hotel
Courtesy of Penny Casey
1935 Methodist Church
Cort Conley in Idaho for the Curious writes that the Saratoga Hotel was built
in 1903-1904 on the corner of 624 Main Street by the well-known pioneer
merchant, Howard Sebree, who established a chain of hardware and farm implement
stores along the Utah and Northern and Oregon Shortline railroad lines. It was
designed by the same archietect who designed the Idanha Hotel in Boise. At one
time it had octagonal turrets at each end of its Seventh Street Avenue facade, as
well as a massive canopy of the Main Street entrance. It was in room 19 of this
hotel that Harry Orchard lodged while plotting the assassination of ex-governor
Frank Steunenberg.
The building burned down in 1990. For several years prior to the
fire a popular restaurant occupied the ground floor.
I.O.O.F. Home
1940s Courthouse
1940s Street Scene
Simplot Dehydrating Plant
Courtesy of John T. Richards
"World's Largest Dehydrating Plant" This modern Simplot plant employing 1000 people, operates 24 hours daily to produce 25 million dried pounds yearly of potatoes and onions.
Bank
Contributed by MoodysPostcards.com
1900 Street Scene
1906 Oregon Shortline RR Depot
1904-1918 Kenwood School
Courtesy of Penny Casey
Oregon Short Line Depot "Designed by architect F. W. Clark out of Omaha, Neb., Nampa's train depot is one of a kind - unlike other depots in the region," Wendy Miller, Canyon County Historical Society, said. "They got the architect to design it in a particular way, but they when they built the other depots in the area, they went with a stock plan," she explained. "It's just a really unique building. It has a combination of several different kinds of architectural features, and we don't think there's another one exactly like it. . . . It's a train station from the 1903 era, so you have the men's waiting room on one side and the women and children's waiting room on the other."
"When the depot was scheduled to be demolished in 1972, a group of concerned citizens under the leadership of the Rotary Club organized the Canyon County Historical Society to rally support for saving the unique historical building. Union Pacific eventually donated the building and Historical Society opened the museum in 1976" -- interview in Idaho Press Tribune, Sunday, March 25, 2012
Campus Aerial View
"College of Idaho, founded in 1891 by Dr. William Judson Boone, Idaho's pioneer independent College of Arts ands Sciencds. The College Campus covers 75 acres. Its buildings are: Boys dormitory, girls dormitory, music and dramatics bldg., administration building, library, science building, and gymnasium. Its football field is ina sunken bowl and is equipped for night playing."
1897 College of Idaho
Note the numerals added by hand. This is from an original print of excellent quality, and in exceptionally good condition. The identifications on the back of the print are: 1 Ida White; 2 Carl Peterson; 3 Ella Horn; 4 James Boone; 5 Mary Callaway; 6 Frederick Brunzell
Courtesy of Geraldine Ingersoll and Jan Boles
This photo is undated, but on the back it says, "1909, Mrs. Tatum". I filled
in some of the names and made my best guesses at identifying the people in this
photo, based on the people in the 1911 photo, with the exception of my great
aunt Inez May Fern Alexanderson Van Zelf.
Row 1: 1 Marion
Buffington, 2 Charley Smith, 3 Leon Wolcott, 4 ?, 5 Ira Marrs, 6 ?, 7 ?
Row 2: 1
?, 2 ?, 3 Pearl Marrs, 4 ?, 5 Gladys Benson, 6
Clara Smith, 7 Edna Wolcott ?
Row 3: 1 ?, 2 Conrad York, 3 ?,
4 Inez May Fern Alexanderson (Van Zelf), 5 ?, 6 Mrs. Rozella Florence Tatum
(teacher), 7 Minnie Bowman (Sayre), 8 Hazel Benson (Chase), 9 ?, 10 ?
Photograph and information contributed by: Teresa Stewart Sitz
The comments to the right of the names, in parentheses, belong to my
grandmother, Hilma Johanna Alexanderson Larson. The genealogies under some of
the names, were compiled by me, Teresa Stewart Sitz, Hilma's granddaughter.
These genealogies are not intended to be definitive.
Bottom Row, Left to
Right:
1 Earl Powell
2 Ralph McCoy
3 Oscar Rice
4 Chester
Carl Alexanderson, b. 26 NOV 1903, Riverside, Humboldt County CA, d. 9 MAR
1980, Springfield, Lane County OR
5 Conrad York (deceased)
6 Emmett
McGuire
7 Albert William Alexanderson b. 8 MAR 1900, Eureka, Humboldt
County CA , d. 16 FEB 1973, Eugene, Lane County OR
8 Elmer McCoy
Second Row:
1 Elmer Perry Buffington (Mar 17-56 deceased) b. 15 DEC 1904,
Caldwell, Canyon County ID; d. 17 MAR 1956, Boise, Ada County ID
2 Joe Smith
3
Bertha Lida Buffington (Albert said Lottie was Inez's age) b. 28 MAR 1906,
Dixie, Canyon County ID; d. JUN 1971, Ojai, Ventura, CA
4 Ida Ellen Buffington
(Ford) b. 16 SEP 1901, Parma, Canyon County ID; d. 8 APR 1981, Emmett, Gem
County ID; m. Clyde Jefferson Ford, 20 FEB 1920, Caldwell, Canyon County ID
5
John Martin Earner (teacher) b. 3 JUN 1869, Minonk, IL; d. 21 DEC 1929,
Canyon County ID
6 Irene Mero b. about 1901, Wisconsin; dau of Herbert Edwin
Mero, b. 6 APR 1878, Wisconsin
7 Alta Fay Buffington (Healy) b. 7 AUG 1901,
Caldwell, Canyon County ID; d. 25 MAY 1994, Dallesport, Klickitat County WA;
m. Frank Healy, b. 6 JUN 1893, Salt Lake, Salt Lake County UT; d. 23 JAN 1972,
Dalles, Dalles County OR
8 Ernest Guy Buffington b. 24 MAY 1907,
Caldwell, Canyon County ID; d. 13 NOV 1973, Caldwell, Canyon County ID
9 Agnes
Mary Buffington (Wilson) b. 13 APR 1904, Dixie, Canyon County ID; d. 5 JAN
1993, Kuna, Ada County ID
10 Nellie Mero b. about 1902, Wisconsin;; dau of
Herbert Edwin Mero, b. 6 APR 1878, Wisconsin
Third Row:
1 Susie McCoy
(Ode)
2 Hazel Benson (Chase)
3 Edna Wolcott (Phillips)
4 Helma Johanna
Alexanderson b. 6 MAR 1899, Eureka, Humboldt County CA; d. 23 NOV 1976,
Boise, Ada County ID; m. Charles Leroy Larson, 1 MAY 1920, ID
5 Lola Bowman
(Davidson) b. 1898, Dixie, Canyon County ID; d. 5 MAR 1992, Boise, Ada County
ID
6 Minnie Bowman (Sayre) b. 26 JAN 1895, Caldwell, Canyon County ID;
m. Lewis Sayre, 6 MAR 1915, Caldwell, Canyon County ID
7 Ella? Mary?
McCoy
8 Clara Smith
9 Gladys Benson (Martin)
10 Pearl Marrs
Top
Row:
1 Charley Smith
2 Franklin Thomas Buffington b. 11 DEC 1898, Caldwell,
Canyon County ID; d. 30 SEP 1958, Wilder, Canyon County ID
3 Ira Huston Marrs
b. 6 MAY 1899; d. MAR 1971, Auburn, King County WA
4 Leon Wolcott
5 Harold
Wolcott (deceased)
6 Marion Joseph Buffington b. 10 JUL 1897, Caldwell,
Canyon County ID; d. 9 MAY 1955, Grofins, Clearwater County ID; m. Clara
Luella Ford, 28 AUG 1920, Caldwell, Canyon County ID
Photograph and
information contributed by Teresa Stewart Sitz
Copyright © 1996 - The USGenWeb® Project, IDGenWeb, Canyon County
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This page was last updated
11/26/2024