New Digital Collection: Boise Development

Are you interested in the history of economic development, urban planning, or transportation in Boise? Special Collections and Archives created a new collection of historical documents and photographs related to Boise’s development. This set of historic reports, brochures and plans covers topics like urban renewal, bicycle lanes, greenbelts, shopping malls and more.

Urban Renewal

In 1965 Idaho introduced an urban renewal laws that ushered in an era of building demolition in the downtown corridor. The city council created the Boise Redevelopment Agency with the mission of revitalizing downtown Boise. This agency oversaw many projects that were intended to bring new business and buildings to Boise. This digital collection showcases some of the plans and reports generated through the planning process to help researchers understand the ideas behind urban renewal in Boise.

The Greenbelt and Bicycles

This digital collection also includes several proposals, maps, and reports on the development of a greenbelt along the Boise River and increased bicycle paths and bicycle lanes for commuters and recreation.

A Shopping Mall for Boise

One interesting set of documents from the 1980s deals with the process of deciding the location of Boise’s modern shopping mall. Besides its ultimate location near Franklin street and Milwaukee avenue, other plans called for a shopping mall in the heart of Downtown, others proposed construction near 30^th street by the Boise River. By reading these documents researchers will see how parking, traffic, and urban sprawl factored into the final decision.

Items in the collection range from 1905 to the 1989, with plans to add more content in the future. Browse or search the collection again.

Jim Duran,
Special Collections & Archives