Idaho Real Estate Insights

Learn more about Idaho Homes for Sale

Meridian Homes for Sale

Jim Paulson CRS, GRI, ePro
Progressive Realty Corp.

Boise Condominium Updates

Bryant Forrester
Urban Concepts
of Homeland Realty

The Boise condominium and townhome real estate market is thirving. It is all about lifestyle!

Boise Homes for Sale

Kasey Boles
Jon Gosche Real Estate

Boise Real Estate is on the national radar as a great place to live but finding the right home makes it even better!

Treasure Valley Lots and Land: The Dirt on Treasure Valley

Kit Fitzgerald
Red Barn Real Estate

Considering building a new home? Stay in tune with Treasure Valley new construction market and the latest on building lots..

Boise Valley Commercial Real Estate

 Boise Home Loan Insights

Eric Leigh
EricsLoans.com

You can not talk about Idaho Real Estate without discussing  the latest news and strategies on the current home mortgage market.       

Eagle Homes for Sale

Melissa Norris
MovingIdaho.net
SelEquity Real Estate

Moving to Idaho's premier community? Learn more about Eagle Real Estate.

IDAHO GEOGRAPHY
Land Area: 83,557 square miles, 13th in area size
Water Area: 880 square miles
Highest Point IN Idaho: 12,662 feet above sea level at the summit of Mt. Borah, Custer County in the Lost River Range
Lowest Point in Idaho: 770 feet above sea level at the Snake River at Lewiston
Idaho's Length: 479 Miles
Idaho's Width: 305 miles at widest point
Geographic Center: Settlement of Custer on the Yankee Fork River, Custer County.
Number of Lakes in Idaho: More than 2,000
Navigable Idaho Rivers: Snake, Coeur d'Alene, St. Joe, St. Maries and Kootenai.
Idaho's Largest Lake: Lake Pend Oreille, 180 square miles.
Temperature Extremes: Highest, 118 degrees at Orofino July 28, 1934; Lowest, -60 degrees at Island Park Dam, January 18, 1943.
2004 Population: 1,393,262, 39th among states. (U.S. Census Bureau)

The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) was adopted as the state insect by the state legislature in 1992. The Monarch Butterfly is a unique insect. It is a great migrator, traveling many miles during its lifetime, which can be from a few weeks up to a year. Monarchs go through a complete metamorphosis in three to six weeks.

IDAHO STATE FISH

The Cutthroat trout was designated the state fish by the 1990 legislature. The Cutthroat, along with the Rainbow and Bull Trout, is native to Idaho. The body color varies with the back ranging from steel gray to olive green. The sides may be yellow brown with red or pink along the belly. The Cutthroat's name comes from the distinctive red to orange slash on the underside of its lower jaw.

Photo courtesy of:
Bill Mullins

The Mountain Bluebird (Sialia arctcia) was adopted as the state bird for Idaho by the state legislature in 1931. The Bluebird is about seven inches long, has an azure blue coat, and a blue vest with white underfeathers. The mother bird wears a quiet blue-gray dress and usually lays six or seven blue-white eggs. The Bluebird's nest is usually built in a hollow tree or in a crevice. The Bluebird is very neat about one's home and carries all refuse some distance from the nest.

IDAHO STATE HORSE

The Appaloosa is an intelligent, fast and hard working breed. An easy going disposition and exceptional abilities give this horse a great deal of versatility that no doubt contributes to its rapidly rising popularity. Once the warhorses of the Nez Perce, today the Appaloosa serves as a racehorse, in parades, ranch work and youth programs. The coloring of the Appaloosa's coat is distinct in every individual horse and ranges from white blanketed hips to a full leopard. Adopted by the 1975 legislature.

The Western White Pine (Pinus Monticola pinaceae), our state tree, is probably most notable since the largest remaining volume of this timber in the United States grows in the northern part of Idaho. White Pine has many fine qualities such as straight grain and soft even texture. Adopted by the 1935 legislature.

IDAHO STATE GEM STONE

Adopted by the 1967 Legislature, the Idaho Star Garnet is treasured throughout the world by collectors. This stone is considered more precious than either Star Rubies or Star Sapphires. Normally the star in the Idaho Garnet has four rays, but occasionally one has six rays as in a sapphire. The color is usually dark purple or plum and the star seems to glide or float across the dark surface.

The Syringa (Philadelphus lewisii) was designated the state flower of Idaho by the legislature in 1931. It is a branching shrub with clusters of white, fragrant flowers. The blossoms are similar to the mock orange, have four petals, and the flowers grow at the ends of short, leafy branches.

IDAHO STATE FOSSIL

The 1988 legislature designated the Hagerman Horse Fossil (species Equus simplicidens originally described as Plesippus shoshonensis) as the official state fossil. A rich fossil bed 3.5 million years old, which has yielded over 130 complete horse skeletons, was discovered in the 1920s near Hagerman and is said to be the best known Pleistocene-epoch fossil site in the world.

A silk flag, with a blue field, 5 feet 6 inches fly, 4 feet 4 inches on pike is bordered by gilt fringe 2 1/2 inches wide, with the State Seal of Idaho in the center. The words "State of Idaho" are embroidered in gold block letters two inches high on a red band below the Great Seal. Adopted by the 1907 legislature.

STATE FOLK DANCE

The 1989 legislature designated the square dance as the American Folk Dance of Idaho. The square dance was first associated with the American people and recorded in history since 1651. Square dancing includes squares, rounds, clogging, contra, line and heritage dances.

Photo courtesy of:
Danny L. Barney, Ph.D.,
University of Idaho

Several huckleberry species are native to Idaho, all belonging to genus Vaccinium section Myrtillus. The most common and popular is the black or thin-leaved huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum). Plants grow slowly, taking up to 15 years to reach full maturity. Black huckleberries produce single plump, dark purple berries in the axils of leaves on new shoots. They depend on an insulating cover of snow for survival during winter and have not been successfully grown commercially. Black huckleberries grow at elevations between 2,000 and 11,000 feet with many productive colonies between 4,000 and 6,000 feet. Black huckleberries usually grow from 1 to 6 feet tall and produce berries up to 1/2 inch in diameter. Huckleberries are a favorite food of bears.

IDAHO STATE VEGETABLE

The Potato became the state vegetable by the 2002 Legislature.  The soil, water, clean air and climate in Idaho contribute to those consistently high-quality potatoes that have made Idaho famous for so many years. Idaho's rich volcanic soil is ideally suited for potatoes.  Warm, sunny days, cool nights and water from melting snow in nearby mountains make the perfect combination for growing the world's best potatoes.

The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) was adopted as the state raptor for Idaho by the legislature in 2004.  The scientific name comes from the Latin words falco, meaning hook-shaped (falcate) and may refer to the beak or claws, and peregrinus, meaning to wander. Peregrines have also been called Duck Hawk, Great-footed Hawk, and Wandering Falcon. The Peregrine Falcon has a body length of 15 - 20 inches, a 3 1/2 foot wingspan, and weighs 1 1/4 - 2 3/4 pounds. The Peregrine Falcon has one of the most global distributions of any bird of prey. This falcon is found on every continent except Antarctica, and lives in a wide variety of habitats from tropics, deserts, and maritime to the tundra, and from a sea level to 12,000 feet. Peregrines are highly migratory in the northern part of their range. Boise is home to the World Center for Birds of Prey, The Peregrine Fund's world headquarters. Visit them on the web at www.peregrinefund.org/world.html or visit in person at the Velma Morrison Interpretive Center.