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Place Name
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Boise
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Pronunciation
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BOI-see
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Place Status (Type)
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city
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Capital Of
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Idaho and Ada County
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Population
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125,738 (1990)
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Location
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Ada County, Idaho (ID), United States, North America
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Latitude
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43°37'N
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Longitude
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116°14'W
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Boise
(BOI-see), city (1990 pop. 125,738),  Idaho and
Ada co., SW Idaho, on the Boise R.; 43°37'N 116°14'W. The largest
city in Idaho, with one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in
the U.S., Boise is a RR junction and an important trade and
transportation center. Mfg. (food processing, paper and wood prods.,
computer hardware and software, specialty semiconductors and
electronics). Has many state and Federal govt. offices. A
gold rush in the Boise valley and the establishment of a military post
in 1863 led to the founding of Boise City, which grew as a distributing
center for miners and became the capital of Idaho Territory in 1864.
Later, particularly with the building of Arrow Rock (1911-1915) and
Lucky Peak dams, both to SE, the region was developed for farming, and
Boise drew wealth from orchards and fields rather than mines. Increased
irrigation, hydroelectric power, and flood-control projects associated
with the Boise R. have increased the area's agr. yield. In the city
are Boise State Univ., Idaho (ID) State Historical Mus., an art mus., zoo,
and Old Idaho Penitentiary and Mus. in E part of city; Botanical
Gardens adjacent. Boise Municipal Airport in S. Snake River Birds of
Prey Natural Area 30 mi/48 km S, at Swan
Falls, Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center; Lucky Peak Reservoir (Boise R.)
and State Park to SE, Veterans Memorial State Park in N part of city,
on Snake R.; Boise Natl. Forest to NE; Bogus Basin Ski Area to N. Inc.
1864.
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