Fascinating Facts ...
about Idaho, Government, History and Politics
February 25 2013
The phonograph was invented in 1877 by Thomas Edison. More Information
February 18 2013
Presidents' Day was started by President Nixon, to honor all past presidents of the United States, and set on the day when Washington's Birthday was celebrated. More Information
February 11 2013
Jean Baptiste Charbonneau was the son of Sacagawea and is buried in a tiny cemetery in what is now southeastern Oregon, about 20 miles southwest of Jordan Valley. Charbonneau's image appears with that of his mother on the United States Sacagawea dollar silver coin. He is the only child ever depicted on United States currency. The grave site is about three miles up a gravel road. More Information
February 04 2013
The Yalta Conference held February 4–11, 1945, was the World War II meeting of the heads of government of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union, represented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and General Secretary Joseph Stalin, respectively, for the purpose of discussing Europe's post-war reorganization. More Information
January 28 2013
The Idaho Legislature is in session. You can track the previous day's action, bills by status, and find information for contacting your Legislators at their web site. More Information
January 21 2013
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a United States federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year. More Information
January 14 2013
It was this week in 1943 that the world's largest office building, the Pentagon, was completed. More Information
January 07 2013
It was this week in 1953 that President Truman announced that the U.S. had developed the hydrogen bomb. More Information
December 31 2012
The Marshall Plan was the American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to prevent the spread of Soviet Communism. More Information
December 24 2012
It was this week in 1943 that Gen. Dwight Eisenhower was appointed Supreme Commander of Allied Forces by President Franklin Roosevelt. More Information
December 17 2012
Poor Richard's Almanack (sometimes Almanac) was a yearly almanac published by Benjamin Franklin, who adopted the pseudonym of "Poor Richard" or "Richard Saunders" for this purpose. The publication appeared continually from 1732 to 1758. More Information
December 10 2012
Find Idaho trails for outdoor recreation for motorbike, ATV and UTV use. More Information
December 03 2012
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Just one of their famous alumni is Mary Church Terrell, one of the first African-American women to earn a college degree.
November 26 2012
It was this week in 1895 that Alfred Nobel signed his last will, which established the Nobel Prize. More Information
November 19 2012
Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863. More Information
November 12 2012
The Holland Tunnel, completed in 1927, is one of the earliest examples of a mechanically ventilated design, running under the Hudson River and connecting the island of Manhattan with Jersey City at Interstate 78 on the mainland of the United States. More Information
November 05 2012
What could today's fact possibly be except the history of United States election day? More Information
October 29 2012
It was this week in 1938 that the radio broadcast of "The War of the Worlds", starring Orson Welles, caused nationwide panic among listeners. More Information
October 22 2012
It was today in 1836 that Sam Houston was inaugurated as the first President of the Republic of Texas. More Information
October 15 2012
It was this day in 1951 that "I Love Lucy", starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, had its television debut. More Information
October 08 2012
The Brooklyn Bridge is a bridge in New York City and is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. With a main span of 1,595.5 feet, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world from its opening until 1903, and the first steel-wire suspension bridge. More Information
October 01 2012
Vinnie Ream was the first and youngest female artist to receive a commission from the United States government for a statue. She was awarded the commission for the full-size Carrara marble statue of Lincoln by a vote of Congress on July 28, 1866, when she was 18 years old. More Information
September 24 2012
September 25th proclaimed Voter Registration Day. More Information
September 17 2012
Today is Constitution Day. More Information
September 10 2012
More than 70 companies have signed up for the “Hiring our Heroes” Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Idaho Center in Nampa. All have job openings. More Information
September 03 2012
Discover the Top 10 Scenic Drives in the Northern Rockies. More Information
August 27 2012
It was this week in 2005 that Hurricane Katrina slammed into the U.S. Gulf Coast, destroying beachfront towns in Mississippi and Louisiana. More Information
August 20 2012
It was this week in 1959 that Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States. More Information
August 13 2012
Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995) was an American baseball center fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1968. Mantle is regarded by many to be one of the greatest players in baseball history. More Information
August 06 2012
Established in 1789, The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army. More Information
July 30 2012
The first U.S. patent was issued to Samuel Hopkins of Vermont for a process of making fertilizer. More Information
July 23 2012
It was this week in 1775 that the U.S. postal system was established by the Second Continental Congress, with Benjamin Franklin as its first postmaster general. More Information
July 16 2012
It was this date in 1945 that the first nuclear device ever detonated was an implosion-type bomb at the Trinity test, conducted at New Mexico's Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range. More Information
July 09 2012
The Fields Medal, officially known as International Medal for Outstanding Discoveries in Mathematics, is a prize awarded to two, three, or four mathematicians not over 40 years of age at each International Congress of the International Mathematical Union (IMU), a meeting that takes place every four years. More Information
July 02 2012
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. More Information
June 25 2012
It was this week in 1876 that Lt. Col. George A. Custer and all his men were killed by combined forces of the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho people at the Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana. More Information
June 18 2012
The Washington quarter is the present quarter dollar or 25-cent piece issued by the United States Mint. The coin was first struck in 1932; the original version was designed by sculptor John Flanagan. More Information
June 11 2012
Sir Barton was the first horse to win the Triple Crown. More Information
June 04 2012
The first president to speak over the radio was Warren G. Harding on June, 14, 1922, when he spoke at the dedication of a memorial for Francis Scott Key. More Information
May 28 2012
XSports4Vets is a group of current conflict veterans that strive to help other combat veterans succeed by utilizing extreme sports to take the edge out of civilian life. More Information
May 21 2012
Clara Barton founded what would become the American Red Cross in 1881. More Information
May 14 2012
It was in 1792 that the New York Stock Exchange was established when a group of 24 brokers and merchants met by a tree on what is now Wall Street and signed the Buttonwood Agreement. More Information
May 07 2012
Youth Conservation Camp will be held August 13-17, at Trinity Pines Camp and Conference Center in Cascade. More Information
April 30 2012
The Library of Congress was established in 1800. More Information
April 23 2012
Fishing in Idaho: It's Better Than Ever More Information
April 16 2012
The first use of the term "Cold War" to describe post-World War II geopolitical tensions between the Soviet Union and its western allies has been attributed to American financier and US presidential advisor Bernard Baruch. In South Carolina on April 16 1947, Baruch delivered a speech (composed by journalist Herbert Bayard Swope) in which he said, "Let us not be deceived: we are today in the midst of a cold war." More Information
April 09 2012
Winston Churchill was the first person to become an honorary United States citizen. More Information
April 02 2012
On April 2, the National Archives and Records Administration will make individual records from the 1940 Census available to the public for the first time. More Information
March 26 2012
Be Outside Idaho! Our youth are experiencing obesity, diabetes, depression, attention deficit disorders and pharmaceutical use at an alarming rate. The "cure" for many of these physical, mental and emotional problems may be just outside the door. Outdoor activity inspires children to be more active, both physically and mentally. More Information
March 19 2012
It was this week in 1985 that Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the Iditarod. More Information
March 12 2012
Faneuil Hall, located near the waterfront and today's Government Center, in Boston, Massachusetts, has been a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1742. More Information
March 05 2012
Frances Perkins was the first woman appointed to a US Cabinet position. More Information
February 27 2012
It was in 1951 that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, limiting the President to two terms. More Information
February 20 2012
ENIAC was developed under a 1943 contract with the U.S. Army to speed ballistics calculations. It was built under total secrecy and completed only after WWII, however. At 30 feet by 60 feet, weighing 30 tons and using 19,000 vacuum tubes, ENIAC was the epitome of a large system. More Information and Of Special Interest
February 13 2012
The Saint Valentine's Day massacre is the name given to the 1929 murder of 7 mob associates as part of a prohibition era conflict between two powerful criminal gangs in Chicago. More Information
February 06 2012
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs was formed this month in 1876. More Information
January 30 2012
Parker Brothers released the popular board game Monopoly® for the first time in 1935. More Information
January 23 2012
The Great Lawrence Strike —popularly referred to as the Bread & Roses Strike—began during the second week in January,1912. Several individuals and organizations have put together a year-long calendar of events to consider the strike’s history. More Information.
January 16 2012
Mountain Home Air Force Base is a US Air Force installation located in Elmore County, Idaho. The host unit at Mountain Home since 1972 has been the 366th Fighter Wing of the Air Combat Command, nicknamed the "Gunfighters." The base's primary mission is to provide combat airpower and combat support capabilities to respond to and sustain worldwide contingency operations. More Information
January 09 2012
Wildlife Express is a newspaper published nine times a year (September through May) by Idaho Fish and Game for upper elementary and middle school students. More Information
January 02 2012
It was President Nixon who ordered the development of the Space Shuttle. More Information
December 26 2011
LegiStorm is a web site that is dedicated to bringing transparency to the US Congress by disseminating public documents and non-partisan information. More Information
December 19 2011
The American Presidency Project was established in 1999 as a collaboration between John Woolley and Gerhard Peters at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The archives contain over 97,000 documents related to the study of the Presidency. More Information
December 12 2011
UNICEF was created in 1946 to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II. More Information
December 05 2011
John Drake Sloat was a Commodore in the United States Navy who, in 1846, claimed California for the United States. More Information
November 28 2011
The China Clipper (NC14716) was the first of three Martin M-130 four-engine flying boats built for Pan American Airways and was used to inaugurate the first commercial transpacific air service from San Francisco to Manila in November, 1935. More Information
November 21 2011
There are three branches of government in the United States,the third branch of government is the executive branch. More Information
November 14 2011
There are three branches of government in the United States,the second branch of government is the judicial branch. More Information
November 7 2011
There are three branches of government in the United States, the legislative branch is made up of the two houses of Congress—the Senate and the House of Representatives. The most important duty of the legislative branch is to make laws. Laws are written, discussed and voted on in Congress. More Information
October 31 2011
It's Halloween! More Information
October 24 2011
Today is United Nations Day. More Information
October 17 2011
It was this month in 1966 that the US Department of Transportation was created. More Information
October 10 2011
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. More Information
Also, here in Idaho, the Secretary of State's office administers the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP). More Information
October 03 2011
It was this week in 1957 that Sputnik became the first space vehicle. More Information
September 26 2011
The Museum of Idaho is hosting the exhibit "A Grateful Nation: A Look Back at WWII" from September 30 through November 26. More Information
September 19 2011
The American Legion is a congressionally chartered mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by the United States Congress. More Information
September 12 2011
This Saturday, September 17th is Constitution Day! More Information
September 05 2011
The original Purple Heart, designated as the Badge of Military Merit, was established by George Washington — then the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army — by order from his Newburgh, New York headquarters on August 7, 1782. More Information
August 29 2011
In 1926, RCA (Radio Corporation of America) formed the first national network, called NBC (National Broadcasting Company). Their first nationwide broadcast was the 1927 Rose Bowl football game from Pasadena. More Information
August 22 2011
It is estimated that more than $250,000,000 in gold was mined during the Boise Basin Gold Rush; greater than the California 49er and of the Klondike in Alaska. It is reported that gold from the Boise Basin helped to strengthen the Union treasury during the most crucial days of the Civil War, perhaps preserving the United States. More Information
August 15 2011
Social Security turned 76 yesterday. It was signed into law August 14, 1935. More Information
August 08 2011
Some of Idaho's designated byways have historic significance, but all have extraordinary scenic value. More Information
August 01 2011
The Social Security Act of 1965 was signed into law on July 30, 1965, by President Lyndon B. Johnson as amendments to existing Social Security legislation. This legislation included the establishing of the Medicare program. More Information
July 25 2011
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has redesigned their web page. It's even easier than before to find any information you need about licenses, seasons and rules. More Information
July 18 2011
It was this week in 1969 that Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. More Information
July 11 2011
It was this week in 1804 that the famous duel occured between two prominent American politicians, the former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton and sitting Vice President Aaron Burr. More Information
July 04 2011
What else could the fact possibly be on today's date? More Information
June 27 2011
The oldest elected president was Reagan (age 69); the youngest was Kennedy (age 43). Theodore Roosevelt, however, was the youngest man to become president—he was 42 when he succeeded McKinley, who had been assassinated. More Information
June 20 2011
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a committee consisting of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson "to bring in a device for a seal of the United States of America." More Information
June 13 2011
The UNIVAC I (UNIVersal Automatic Computer I) was the first commercial computer produced in the United States. More Information
June 06 2011
Submarine USS Boise has won the 2010 Battenberg Cup Award as the best all-around ship in the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. More Information
May 30 2011
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. More Information
May 23 2011
The New York Public Library, at the time the largest marble structure ever built in the United States, was dedicated by President Taft in New York City after 16 years of construction. More Information
May 16 2011
The space shuttle Endeavor is currently on it's final mission. More Information
May 09 2011
April 14 1935 was
Black Sunday. The worst black blizzard of the Dust Bowl years. More Information
May 02 2011
Harriman State Park is located within a geological feature called a caldera, the Henry's Fork Caldera. More Information
April 25 2011
Can you believe the first Earth Day was 41 years ago already? More Information
April 18 2011
It is claimed that Edgar Allan Poes "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is the first detective story ever published. More Information
April 11 2011
It was this week in 1945 that President Franklin Roosevelt died. More Information
April 04 2011
USRC Levi Woodbury was the oldest active-duty ship in U.S. government service by the end of her 51-year career. More Information
March 28 2011
The Wyakin Warrior Foundation provides scholarship, mentoring, training and networking for severely wounded or injured veterans. More Information
March 21 2011
The Tri-State Tornado of March 1925, was the deadliest tornado in U.S. history. More Information
March 14 2011
How DO they decide who is on the FBI's Most Wanted List? The Criminal Investigative Division (CID) at FBI headquarters calls upon all 56 field offices to submit candidates for the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list. The nominees received are reviewed by Special Agents in the CID and the Office of Public and Congressional Affairs. The selection of the "proposed" candidate(s) is forwarded to the Assistant Director of the CID for his/her approval and then to the FBI's Deputy Director for final approval. More Information
March 07 2011
It was this month in 1981 that Walter Cronkite, "the most trusted man in America," retired from the CBS Evening News. More Information
February 28 2011
Yellowstone was America's first national Park. More Information
February 21 2011
In honor of President's Day, a fun Presidential Trivia Quiz. More Information
February 14 2011
February is American Heart Month. More Information
February 07 2011
The Kennedy Presidential Library has launched a new website to mark the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of our 35th president. More Information
January 31 2011
The Idaho Department of Labor publishes a monthly newsletter that is jam-packed with current information on employment, labor force data, unemployment rates, economic indicators, economic trends, business developments, and more. More Information
January 24 2011
Elizabeth Blackwell was the first female physician in the United States. More Information
January 17 2011
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. / Idaho Human Rights Day. More Information
January 10 2011
It was in January of 1968 that Surveyor 7, the last of America's unmanned lunar probes, landed on the Moon. A total of 21,091 pictures were transmitted to Earth. More Information
January 03 2011
It was in 1908 that the ball signifying the New Year was dropped for the first time at Times Square in New York City. More Information
December 27 2010
The Lincoln cent is a cent coin (or penny) which has been struck by the United States Mint since 1909. More Information
December 20 2010
Saturday, January 8, 2011 will be the 25th Annual Free Ski / Snowshoe Day within Idaho State Parks and Park N’ Ski Areas. More Information
December 13 2010
Peace was the fifth and final prize area that Alfred Nobel mentioned in his will. More Information
December 06 2010
December 7th is the annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance day. More Information
November 29 2010
Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, Jr., USN was a naval officer who specialized in feats of exploration. He was a pioneering American aviator, polar explorer, and organizer of polar logistics. More Information
November 22 2010
Forty-seven years ago, John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. More Information
November 15 2010
It was President Lincoln in 1863 who officially proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day, to be celebrated on the final Thursday in November. More Information
November 08 2010
Former president Grover Cleveland is the only president to date to win nonconsecutive terms in the White House. More Information
November 01 2010
Can you pass the Elections and Voting Quiz? More Information
October 25 2010
October 24th is United Nations Day, this year was the 65th anniversary celebration. More Information
October 18 2010
Idaho is one of only two places in the world where star garnets can be found (the other is the Himalaya Mountains, in India), and is the only place six pointed star garnets have been found. More Information
October 11 2010
Hells Gate State Park is the gateway to both Idaho's Lewis and Clark country and to Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in North America. More Information
October 04 2010
In 1987, President Ronald Reagan presented the first trillion dollar budget to Congress. More Information
September 27 2010
Thomas Jefferson was American's first Secretary of State. More Information
September 20 2010
The Battle of Antietem was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history. More Information
September 13 2010
President Grover Cleveland's daughter, Esther Cleveland, was the first president's child to be born in the White House. More Information
September 06 2010
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed the first Monday in September. More Information
August 30 2010
It was today in 1967 that Thurgood Marshall was confirmed by the Senate to the United States Supreme Court. He was the 96th person to hold the position, and the first African-American. More Information
August 23 2010
It was this month in 1920 that the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was certified by Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby, giving women the right to vote. More Information
August 16 2010
The Erie Canal, linking the Hudson River to Lake Erie, opened for traffic October 1825. More Information
August 09 2010
Samuel Colt was an American inventor and industrialist. He was the founder of Colt's Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company (now known as Colt's Manufacturing Company), and is widely credited with popularizing the revolver. More Information
August 02 2010
Opened on January 1, 1892, Ellis Island became the nation's premier federal immigration station. In operation until 1954, the station processed over 12 million immigrant steamship passengers. More Information
July 26 2010
The Idaho Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Public Outreach Campaign Web site is a one-stop source for OHV riders in Idaho. It features detailed descriptions and maps for 26 OHV rides in the state, links to all of the Idaho OHV clubs and a number of informative videos. More Information
July 19 2010
The Oregon Treaty, signed in 1846, set the boundary between the US and Canada at the 49th parallel. More Information
July 12 2010
Congress passed the 26th Amendment to the US Constitution on March 23, 1971 lowering the voting age to 18. Idaho ratified the amendment on March 30, 1971. More Information
July 05 2010
A day late, but here are some 4th of July facts. More Information
June 28 2010
Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to travel through the asteroid belt, on July 15, 1972, and to make direct observations of Jupiter. More Information
June 21 2010
Located next to the Old Penitentiary in Idaho’s Historical District, the Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology (IMMG) offers exhibits and educational programs about Idaho’s fascinating geologic history and rich mining heritage. More Information
June 14 2010
The third week of June is the National Oldtime Fiddlers Contest in Weiser. More Information
June 07 2010
It was this week in 1884 that Civil War hero Gen. William T. Sherman refused the Republican nomination for president with the words, “I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected.” Such a categorical rejection of a candidacy is now referred to as a "Shermanesque statement". More Information
May 31 2010
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. More Information
May 24 2010
Passport in Time (PIT) is a volunteer archaeology and historic preservation program of the USDA Forest Service. More Information
May 17 2010
Lewis and Clark in Idaho. Explore the legacy through these five Idaho Public Television productions. More Information
May 10 2010
The Department of Insurance has a page with information about Federal Health Care Reform and how it affects Idahoans. More Information
May 03 2010
Henrys Lake was formed in the late Pleistocene by glacial action, it was enlarged in 1922 by the dam built on the Henrys Fork. More Information
April 26 2010
The Great Seal of the State came into existence in 1891 by act of the first state legislature. The seal was designed by Emma Edwards Green, the only woman to design a state seal. More Information
April 19 2010
The Kooskia National Fish Hatchery raises 1.2 million spring chinook salmon annually. More Information
April 12 2010
Earth Day 2010 is April 22nd. More Information
April 05 2010
April 17-25 is National Park Week. Entrance to all 392 national parks is free during park week. More Information
March 29 2010
The US Army Transportation Museum is devoted entirely to the history of military transportation from colonial days to the present. More Information
March 22 2010
The First Tee of Idaho will offer golf instruction combined with character and life skills education to children of National Guardsmen and Reservists at no charge. More Information
March 15 2010
Palisades Dam, located on the Snake River was authorized in 1941 but not completed until 1959. At the time, it was the largest earth dam yet built by the Bureau of Reclamation. More Information
March 08 2010
Wilson Butte Cave is a lava blister formed by gas expansion within the cooling lava during the early or middle Pleistocene. More Information
March 01 2010
The National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol is comprised of statues donated by individual states to honor persons notable in their history. More Information
February 22 2010
Going-to-the-Sun Road through Glacier National Park is both a National Historic Landmark and a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. More Information It also has spectacular scenery.
February 15 2010
Today is Presidents Day. More Information
February 08 2010
President Harry S. Truman was the recipient of the first Medicare Card, presented to him by President Lyndon B. Johnson at the ceremony where Medicare (in part) was signed into law as the Social Security Act of 1965, an amendment to Social Security legislation. More Information
February 01 2010
Ground Hog Day is February 2nd. It began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries. More Information
January 25 2010
Columbia University in New York is the Ivy League school that awards the Pulitzer Prizes. More Information
January 18 2010
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed in 1986. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000. More Information
January 11 2010
Each census has contained invaluable information about individuals and particular places from the most rural to the most urban. Those worried about the intrusiveness of the questions should know that page-by-page census information is not available for research purposes for 72 years after the original census date, to protect personal privacy. The most recent US census detail information available for research is the 1930 census. More Information
January 04 2010
The Office of the Historian is responsible for the preparation and publication of the official historical documentary record of U.S. foreign policy. More Information
December 28 2009
The Bureau of Reclamation built the Cascade Dam as part of the Black Canyon irrigation project. More Information
December 21 2009
Big Southern Butte is one of three rhyolitic domes near the center of the Eastern Snake River Plain. More Information and Video Tour
December 14 2009
Rainbow Rock, a natural arch located on the Krassel District is the only natural arch in Idaho. More Information
December 07 2009
Bruneau Dunes State Park contains the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America, rising to 470 feet high above small lakes in the high desert south of Mountain Home. More Information
November 30 2009
The Library of Congress has posted a collection of photos showing life in America in the 1930's and 1940's. More Information
November 23 2009
The Salmon River, known as the "River of No Return" because of its difficult passage, is the nation's longest free-flowing river that heads and flows within a single state. More Information
November 16 2009
The Idaho State Capitol Commission invites you to "Save the Date" Saturday, January 9th, 2010 for the rededication of the Idaho State Capitol. More Information and an opportunity to RSVP.
November 09 2009
November 11th is the official holiday in the United States honoring veterans of the armed forces and the men and women who have served in the country's wars. More Information
November 02 2009
Census 2010: Why Your Count Matters More Information
October 26 2009
It's a great time of year to take a scenic drive on Idaho's Pioneer Historic Byway. More Information
October 19 2009
As hunters head into the woods this fall, the U.S. Forest Service reminds them to be alert for riders on all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles. The Forest Service has produced a video warning hunters to watch out for ATV operators during hunting season. More Information
October 12 2009
The week of October 18-24 is Winter Weather Awareness Week in the Pacific Northwest, including the states of Idaho, Oregon and Washington. More Information
October 05 2009
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. More Information
September 28 2009
Perched at 9,500 feet on Trinity Mountain is the highest fire lookout in the Boise National Forest. More Information
September 21 2009
National Public Lands Day is Saturday, September 26th. More Information
September 14 2009
Created in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) was the first major broadcast network in the United States. More Information
September 07 2009
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September. More Information
August 31 2009
Nez Perce National Historical Park has three sites used by the Lewis and Clark expedition - the Weippe Prairie (1805), Canoe Camp (1805), and Long Camp (1806). The Lolo Trail, the ancient travel route used by the expedition in 1805 and 06 is also included as a park site. More Information
August 24 2009
Have you ever wanted to find more information on government spending? Have you ever wondered where Federal contracting dollars and grant awards go? Or perhaps you would just like to know, as a citizen, what the Government is really doing with your money. More Information
August 17 2009
Wildlife Express is a newspaper published nine times a year (September through May) by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game for upper elementary and middle school students. More Information
August 10 2009
In 1782 General George Washington, then commander of the Continental Army, created the "Badge for Military Merit". The Order of the Purple Heart, the oldest American military decoration for military merit, is awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces who have been killed or wounded in action against an enemy. It is also awarded to soldiers who have suffered maltreatment as prisoners of war. More Information and The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor
August 03 2009
The Boulder and White Cloud Mountain Ranges span an area of half a million acres. The White Clouds’ alabaster peaks that from a distance appear to merge with the clouds above give them their name. More Information
Panoramic photos here [requires QuickTime]
July 27 2009
The Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho Historical Society began promoting the historical heritage of Idaho through the use of highway markers in 1956. There are now 244 historical markers along the gem state's highways. More Information
July 20 2009
Farragut State Park is located 30 miles north of Coeur d’Alene on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho’s largest lake. Once the world’s second largest naval training station, today the 4,000-acre park provides a multitude of recreation opportunities. More Information
July 13 2009
With over 3,000 miles of whitewater, Idaho offers adventure opportunities for everyone. The Idaho Whitewater Trail presents some of the best white water rafting in the United States in a natural progression around the state. More Information
July 06 2009
The National Security Act of 1947 was signed by United States President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1947, and realigned and reorganized the U.S. Armed Forces, foreign policy, and Intelligence Community apparatus in the aftermath of World War II. More Information
June 29 2009
Established by Congress in 1988 as a National Reserve, City of Rocks encompasses 14,407 acres of federal, state, and private lands containing grand scenery, rich cultural history, and places of relative solitude and silence. More Information
June 22 2009
Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration created the G.I. Bill--officially the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944--hoping to avoid a relapse into the Great Depression after the war ended. More Information
June 15 2009
The first observance of Father's Day is believed to have been held on July 5, 1908 in a church located in Fairmont, West Virginia. More Information
June 08 2009
On July 1 about $1.7 million of Idaho’s unclaimed money goes to the state’s general fund. And some of that money could be yours. Many assets go unclaimed because people didn’t know they had them or just forgot about them, according to the Idaho State Tax Commission, which holds unclaimed property for Idaho. Sometimes those assets are worth thousands of dollars. They include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, bank accounts, uncashed payroll checks, utility deposits, traveler’s checks, contents from deposit boxes, and other money.More Information
June 01 2009
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly due to the fact that the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal which served New York City. More Information
May 25 2009
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. More Information
May 18 2009
It was this week in 1980 that the climactic eruption of Mount St. Helens occurred, resulting in widespread devastation and killing 57 people. More Information
May 11 2009
The Boise Art Museum began in 1931 as the Boise Art Association when a group of thirty people interested in promoting art in the city of Boise and throughout the state met in the Crystal Lounge of the Hotel Boise. Their purpose was to organize an association whose duties were to acquire and maintain a suitable gallery, hosting traveling exhibitions and promoting fine art in Boise. Their first official exhibition was held at the Hotel Boise. More Information
May 04 2009
In the United States, Mother's Day started nearly 150 years ago, when Anna Jarvis, an Appalachian homemaker, organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community, a cause she believed would be best advocated by mothers. She called it "Mother's Work Day". More Information
April 27 2009
The Organization of American States (OAS) was created in 1948 to work with the United Nations to promote peace, justice, and hemispheric solidarity. Originally composed of 21 nations, 17 more have joined over the years and permanent observer status is held by 46 additional states and the European Union. More Information
April 20 2009
Fraud is on the rise. Senior citizens have typically been easy targets for fraud; however, in today’s current economic downturn, an increasing number of people are falling victim to fraud because of their personal financial instability. May 4-8 is Fraud Awareness Week. More Information
April 13 2009
A non-United States citizen of exceptional merit may be declared an Honorary Citizen of the United States by an Act of Congress or by a proclamation issued by the President of the United States pursuant to authorization granted by Congress. As of 2008, six people have had this honor bestowed upon them, three during their lifetime. More Information
April 06 2009
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is a federal agency in the Department of Commerce. The office employs over 7,000 full time staff to support its major functions--- the examination and issuance of patents and the examination and registration of trademarks. More information
March 30 2009
Governor Butch Otter has declared April Financial Literacy Month. The Department of Finance is partnering with the Idaho Financial Literacy Coalition and others to provide financial education to Idahoans. More Information
March 23 2009
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall USA website is dedicated to honoring those who died in the Vietnam War. The Wall USA is a non-profit endeavor maintained by veterans of the 4th Battalion 9th Infantry Regiment. More Information
March 16 2009
The Great Blizzard of 1888 (March 11 – March 14, 1888) was one of the most severe blizzards in United States' recorded history. Snowfalls of 40-50 inches fell in parts of New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut. More Information
March 09 2009
The United States Military Academy, the first military school in the United States, was founded by Congress for the purpose of educating and training young men in the theory and practice of military science. Located at West Point, New York, the U.S. Military Academy is often simply known as West Point. More Information
March 02 2009
Although the Stars and Stripes originated in 1777, it was not until 146 years later that there was a serious attempt to establish a uniform code of etiquette for the U.S. flag. More Information
February 23 2009
It was this week in 1945 that the most famous image from the Battle of Iwo Jima, the photograph of the flag raising at the summit of Mount Suribachi, was taken by the AP's Joe Rosenthal. The picture won the 1945 Pulitzer Prize in News Photography, among other awards, and is perhaps the most reproduced photograph in history. On November 10, 1954, a bronze monument of the famous flag-raising, sculpted by Felix de Weldon and located in Arlington National Cemetery, was dedicated. More Information
February 16 2009
Boston Latin School is the oldest public school in America with a continuous existence. It was founded April 23, 1635 by the Town of Boston. More Information
February 09 2009
In 1992, the Idaho Legislature passed a wildlife license plate bill that allowed a portion of the wildlife license plate proceeds to benefit the Idaho Department of Fish and Game's Nongame Wildlife Program. More Information
February 02 2009
Set at 8100 feet, mile long Ship Island lake is ringed by 10,000-foot peaks, with 1,500-foot spires guarding its outlet. Set in the Middle of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, the fishing is excellent for rainbow & cutthroat. More Information
January 26, 2009
It was this week in 1915 that Congress passed legislation creating the United States Coast Guard. More Information
January 19 2009
Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an African American clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement. His main legacy was to secure progress on civil rights in the United States and he is frequently referenced as a human rights icon today. More Information
January 12 2009
The Pentagon is one of the world's largest office buildings. It houses approximately 23,000 military and civilian employees and about 3,000 non-defense support personnel. More Information
January 05 2009
It was this week in 1999 that the US Mint began distributing the 50 State Quarters. Quarters were released in the order that the states were admitted to the union. More Information
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