Fascinating Facts ...
about Idaho, Government, History and Politics
June 23 2008
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee celebrated a quarter century of grizzly bear recovery on June 21 2008. More Information
June 16 2008
Gutzon Borglum, Mount Rushmore sculptor, was born in Bear Lake County March 25th, 1867. More Information
June 09 2008
Spud Drive-In Theater in Driggs is one of the last American
drive-in theaters, and one heck of a roadside attraction.
It is most famous for Old Murphy, a 1946 Chevy cab-over truck that carries a 2 ton potato. More Information
June 02 2008
The World's Largest Thermometer stands at 134 feet in the Mojave Desert in Baker, California as a symbol of the hottest day recorded in the U.S. More Information
May 26 2008
May is Idaho Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month. It's the 20th Anniversary! More Information
May 19 2008
Constructed in 1938-9, the old Ada County Courthouse (currently the Capitol Annex) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing element in the "Boise Capitol Area District." This district is significant for its association with the history of politics and government in Boise and the state. More Information
May 12 2008
The Hall of Presidents in the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery houses a richly varied array of presidential likenesses. More Information
May 05 2008
Did you know that the State of Idaho is holding $48 million in unclaimed property? On July 1st, the state will take ownership of unclaimed property held 10 years. Many of the assets are unclaimed because people didn’t know they had them or just forgot about them, and sometimes they’re 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
April 28 2008
Silver City is the queen of Idaho ghost towns. And while she may be a ghost town during the winter months, in the summer a combination of weekend visitors and local residents make for a busy community.
More Information
April 21 2008
History and Politics Out Loud is a searchable archive of politically significant audio material. HPOL is a component of "Historical Voices" funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities in partnership with Michigan State University. More Information
April 14 2008
The National Arboretum, located in northeast Washington D.C., was established by Congress in 1927. It's mission is to serve the public need for scientific research, education, and gardens that conserve and showcase plants to enhance the environment. More Information
April 07 2008
Election Myth: Young people don't vote. Young people do vote and the percentage is on the rise. More Information
March 31 2008
The Idaho Geological Survey is the special public service and research agency at the University of Idaho mandated by law to collect and disseminate geologic and mineral data for the state. More Information
March 24 2008
The Constitution does not set forth requirements for the right to vote. As a result, at the outset of the Union, only male property-owners could vote. African Americans were not considered citizens, and women were excluded from the electoral process. Native Americans were not given the right to vote until 1924. More Information
March 17 2008
It's Outdoor Idaho's 25th Anniversary! More Information
March 10 2008
The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior. More Information
March 03 2008
During the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s, much of the prairie land in the U.S. and Canada was devastated by drought and swirling dust storms. The federal government initiated the Land Utilization Projects in order to restore the affected lands. From the dust, the Cimarron National Grassland was created. More Information
February 25 2008
The Idaho Veteran's Silver Medallions were created to honor all veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The sale of these one ounce silver coins will help fund the maintenance and operation of the Idaho Veterans Cemetery, dedicated on July 31, 2004. More Information
February 18 2008
2008 is the International Year of the Potato! Each month beginning in February, which is also Potato Lovers Month, a different chef and his/her recipe will be featured on www.idahopotato2008.org. Every time a visitor clicks on the recipe of the month, the Idaho Potato Commission will donate 10 cents to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF with a guaranteed donation of $50,000. Funds will support UNICEF's programs for children around the world. The Recipe for Relief program will run from February - December 2008.
February 11 2008
All but five state capitals are directly served by the Interstate Highway System. Those that aren’t are Juneau, Alaska; Dover, Delaware; Jefferson City, Missouri; Carson City, Nevada; and Pierre, South Dakota. More Information
February 04 2008
Sun Valley’s lift capacity totals 26,780 skiers per hour. More Information
January 28 2008
Anderson Ranch Reservoir is approximately 14 miles long, a mile wide, with depths to 315 feet, and 50 miles of shoreline. Hiking, boating, waterskiing, and fishing are the major recreation activities at Anderson Ranch Reservoir, located southeast of Boise. More Information
January 21 2008
The Idaho Water Resources Research Institute is administered by the University of Idaho, but works with faculty at all of Idaho's research universities to develop inter-institutional research teams to help analyze and solve Idaho's pressing water resources problems. More Information
January 14 2008
Denmark has the oldest national flag in the world still in use. More Information
January 07 2008
The six official languages of the United Nations are: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. More Information
December 31 2007
The Idaho Museum of Natural History acquires, preserves, studies, interprets, and displays natural and cultural objects for Idaho residents, and visitors. The Museum is located on the campus of Idaho State University in Pocatello Idaho. More Information
December 24 2007
There are seven points on the Statue of Liberty's crown. They signify liberty radiating to the seven continents and the seven seas. More Information
December 17 2007
2007 is the 100th anniversary of William Borah first taking office in the US Senate. He remains the longest-serving member of the United States Congress in Idaho history. Known for his integrity, eloquent speaking ability, and genuine concern for his constituents, one of his nicknames later in life was "The Lion of Idaho". William Borah died in Washington, D.C., on January 19, 1940 at the age of 74. He is buried in Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise. More Information
December 10 2007
The Cabinet Gorge Dam is located outside of Clark Fork, Idaho on the Pend Oreille Scenic Byway. The dam was a project sponsored by the Defense Program. The designer and supervisor of the project, Ebasco Services, Inc., contracted with Morrison-Knudsen. Construction began in 1951 and ended in April of 1952. Total cost of the dam was $47 million. More Information
December 03 2007
Presidential Electoral Votes: Idaho has 2 votes for our US Senators and 2 because we have 2 US Representatives, for a total of 4 votes. There are 538 total electoral votes divided among the states and the District of Columbia. Each state receives a number of electoral votes based on the 2 US Senators in each state and number of US Representatives in each state (based on population). More Information
November 26 2007
Bruneau Canyon Overlook offers a view into a 1,200 foot-deep, 800-foot-wide river canyon. More Information
November 19 2007
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian award, recognizing exceptional meritorious service. The medal was established by President Truman in 1945 to recognize notable service in the war. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy reintroduced it as an honor for distinguished civilian service in peacetime. More Information
November 12 2007
The Congressional Medal of Honor, established by joint resolution of Congress, 12 July 1862 is awarded in the name of Congress to a person who, while a member of the Armed Services, distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. More Information
November 05 2007
Elk River is the home of the Idaho Champion Western Red Cedar Tree, the largest tree in the state. Estimated to be over 3000 years old this giant is more than 18 feet in diameter and stands 177 feet tall. More Information
October 29 2007
Rigby is known as the birthplace of television since it is Philo T. Farnsworth's hometown. Farnsworth pioneered television technology. More Information
October 22 2007
Malad City has the oldest department store in the state of Idaho. Evans Co-op opened in 1865 and is still in business today. Malad City also has the longest running weekly newspaper in Idaho, called "The Idaho Enterprise" which published its first issue on June 6, 1879. More Information
October 15 2007
Seven Devils' Peaks, one of the highest mountain ranges in Idaho, includes Heaven's Gate Lookout, where sightseers can look into four states. More Information
October 08 2007
At the Tomb of the Unknowns, the sentinel on duty crosses a 63 foot rubber surfaced walkway in exactly 21 steps. He then faces the Tomb for 21 seconds, turns again, and pauses an additional 21 seconds before retracing his steps. The 21 is symbolic of the highest salute accorded in military and state ceremonies. More Information
October 01 2007
The Birds of Prey Wildlife Area is home to the world's most dense population of nesting eagles, hawks, and falcons. More Information
September 24 2007
In 1916, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman elected to the US House of Representatives (representing Montana) and the first female member of Congress. She was the only Legislator to vote against both WW I and WW II. More Information
September 17 2007
Abraham Lincoln is the only U.S. president to date to hold a patent. More information
September 10 2007
The oldest person to sign the United States Constitution was Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania (age 70). The youngest signer was Edward Rutledge of South Carolina (age 26). More Information
September 03 2007
American Falls is unique from most communities because the entire town was moved in the mid-1920s when the original American Falls Dam was constructed. More Information
August 27 2007
John F. Kennedy is the only U.S. President to receive a Pulitzer prize, for his book Profiles in Courage. However, he is not the only politician who has received a Pulitzer, there have been nine to date. More information
August 20 2007
Idaho's first territorial prison was built east of Boise in 1870. In 1973 it was closed as a prison, converted into a public facility and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today the Old Idaho Penitentiary is a popular Boise tourist attraction. The prison is open to visitors to walk through the courtyards, the cells, the gallows and "Siberia" where prisoners were sent for solitary confinement. More information
August 13 2007
Shoshone Falls, on the Snake River located approximately five miles east of Twin Falls, Idaho is sometimes called the "Niagara of the West". Shoshone Falls is 212 feet (64.7 meters) high and is over 50 feet taller than Niagara Falls. More information
August 06 2007
Astronaut Gene Cernan was the last man to walk on the moon. More Information
July 30 2007
It's a common belief that the number of hooves lifted into the air on equestrian statues reveals how the rider died. Some statues follow that convention, but many don't. More Information
July 23 2007
The Caribou National Forest was named for an early miner nicknamed Cariboo Jack who, along with two friends, discovered the first gold in 1870 near what is now called Caribou Mountain. President Theodore Roosevelt established what would become the Caribou National Forest by the designation of the Pocatello Forest Reserve in 1903. In 2000, the Caribou and Targhee National Forests were combined to achieve budget savings. The Forest lies almost entirely within "the Greater Yellowstone Area" or "the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem," an area of over 12 million acres and the largest remaining block of relatively undisturbed plant and animal habitat in the contiguous United States. More Information
July 16 2007
The Supreme Court of the United States is the most powerful judicial body in the world. The power of the Court comes from the doctrine of judicial review. This means the role the Court plays as the final authority on most, although not all, issues of the constitutionality of governmental acts. The Court engages in judicial review not only of the constitutionality of state and federal legislation, but also action of state and federal chief executives and state and federal courts. More Information
July 09 2007
The largest note ever printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing was the $100,000 Gold Certificate, Series 1934. These notes were printed from December 18, 1934 through January 9, 1935 and were issued by the Treasurer of the United States to Federal Reserve Banks only against an equal amount of gold bullion held by the Treasury. These notes were used for transactions between FRBs and were not circulated among the general public. The 100 dollar note has been the largest denomination of currency in circulation since 1969. More Information
July 02 2007
The lowest recorded temperature in Idaho occurred on January 18, 1943. It was a bone chilling -60 degrees Fahrenheit at Island Park Dam. More Information
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