Enjoy the Scenic Beauty of Idaho

Idaho, located in the northwestern area of the United States, has been a state since 1890. The state population is 1,523,816 people. The largest city in Idaho is Boise. Nicknamed "the gem state," Idaho has abundant natural resources and beautiful scenery. With a land area of 83,557 miles, beautiful mountains, canyons and lakes, Idaho is considered to be an outdoorsman's paradise. For example, the famous Sun Valley ski area is located in Idaho. There are many other outdoor tourist spots in Idaho as well.

History
As early as 14,500 B.C., there were Native Americans in Idaho. European settlement of Idaho first occurred in 1810 when Andrew Henry of the Missouri Fur Company built Fort Henry on the Snake River. Other notable fur trading settlements occurred at Kullyspell House on Lake Pend Oreille in 1809 and at Mackenzie Post in 1812. Over the next few years, more small towns were established. In 1861, Lewiston officially became a town. When the Idaho Territory was created in 1863, Lewiston became the capital of the territory. Then in 1865, Boise became the capital of the territory, with Idaho officially becoming a state in 1890. Since that time, Idaho's state economy has expanded to include metal mining, fishing, agriculture, tourism, forestry, food processing, health care, science, technology and renewable energy such as hydroelectric power, geothermal power and wind power.

Recreation Areas
Famous national recreation areas in Idaho are Sun Valley and Hells Canyon. Famous national parks include Craters of the Moon Monument, Lewis and Clark Historic Trail, Nez Perce National Park and Yellowstone National Park.

Universities
Famous universities in Idaho include the University of Idaho-Moscow, Idaho State University-Pocatello, Boise State University and Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston. In addition, Idaho has community colleges such as North Idaho College in Coeur d'Alene and the College of Western Idaho located in Nampa, Idaho.

State Flower
The state flower is the Syringa (Syringa vulgaris) which is a flower-producing shrub. The plant currently grows in Idaho, however, it originally grew in Europe and Asia.

Famous People
Famous people from the state of Idaho include the late movie actress Lana Turner, famous skier Picabo Street, and the late poet Ezra Pound.

Professional Sports Teams
Famous professional sports teams in Idaho include the Boise Hawks (minor league baseball), the Idaho Falls Chukars (minor league baseball), the Idaho Stampede (professional basketball), the Idaho Steelheads (professional hockey), and the Boise Burn (arena football).