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Desert Land (Carey) Act Signed to Encourage Irrigation in the West [otd 8/18]
On August 18, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed the Desert Land Act of 1894, better known as the Carey Act. Sponsored by Wyoming Senator Joseph M. Carey, the Act was meant to improve the success...
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Philo Farnsworth, Inventor of the First Practical Television Recorder [otd 8/19]
Inventor and television pioneer Philo T. Farnsworth was born August 19, 1906 in Beaver County, Utah. The family moved to a farm near Rigby, Idaho during World War I. There, Philo set off on the path...
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Wildfire -- "The Big Burn" -- Ravages North Idaho [otd 8/20]
On August 20, 1910, serious forest fires in and around Northern Idaho “blew up” into arguably the worst wildfire in U. S. history. More than anything else, weather conspired to set the stage for this...
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Dr. Edward E. Maxey and Research on Spotted Fever [otd 8/21]
Dr. Maxey. H. T. French photo.Prominent Boise physician Edward E. Maxey, M.D, was born August 21, 1867, in Irvington, Illinois, about sixty miles east of St. Louis, Missouri. His father, also a...
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Freighter, Stockman, and Legislator William Allison [otd 8/22]
W. B. Allison. H.T. French photo.Salubria stockman and Idaho legislator William B. Allison was born August 22, 1845 in Glasgow, Ohio, about 60 miles south of Akron. The family moved twice before coming...
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Traveler Joel Palmer Tackles Notorious Three Island Crossing [otd 8/23]
Joel Palmer. Oregon Historical Society.On August 23, 1845, the small wagon train led by pioneer Joel Palmer approached the notorious Three Island Crossing, near today’s Glenns Ferry, Idaho. In his...
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Educator, Cultural Promoter, and Purple Heart Winner Sofia (Demos) Adamson...
Youthful Sofia Adamson.LifeInLegacy.comEducator and philanthropist Sofia (Demos) Adamson was born August 24, 1916 in Pocatello, Idaho. Her parents were Greek immigrants. The family later moved to Los...
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Screenwriter Talbot Jennings: From Mutiny on the Bounty to the The Sons of...
Talbot Jennings, ca 1935Screenwriter Talbot Lanham Jennings was born August 25, 1894 in Shoshone, Idaho. The family moved first to Caldwell and then Nampa. He graduated from Nampa High School and...
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Hotel Owner/Operator and "Hospitality" Industry Pioneer Frank Blackinger [otd...
Hotel owner and operator Frank J. Blackinger was born August 26, 1855 in Buffalo, New York. His father Valentine had come to America from Bavaria in 1839. Around ten years later, he traveled to “the...
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Helpmate, Education Advocate, and Philanthropist Kathryn Albertson [otd 8/27]
Kathryn (McCurry) Albertson was born August 27, 1908 in Boise, Idaho. After high school, she matriculated at the College of Idaho, a private, liberal arts institution in Caldwell. Kathryn never said...
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Car Customizer Boyd Coddington ... "King of the Hot Rods" [otd 8/28]
Boyd Coddington. Sons of Boyd web site.Boyd Leon Coddington, the famous car customizer known as the “King of the Hot Rods,” was born August 28, 1944 in Rupert, Idaho. Like many boys in the Fifties,...
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"Uncle" John Hailey: Miner, Stage Line Pioneer, Stockman, Public Servant, and...
John Hailey. Library of Congress.John Hailey – Idaho stockman, miner, stage line operator, politician, and historian – was born August 29, 1835 in Smith County, Tennessee, 30-40 miles east of...
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Idaho Cattle Baron and Nevada Governor John Sparks [otd 8/30]
Idaho-Nevada cattleman and later Nevada Governor John Sparks was born August 30, 1843 in Winston County, Mississippi, 60-80 miles northeast of Jackson. The Sparks family became moderately wealthy by...
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Ray Hunt: Legendary Trainer of Horses (and Riders) [otd 8/31]
Tribute photo. Richard Beal’s Blog.Renowned horse trainer Ray Hunt was born August 31, 1929 in Paul, Idaho (about 4 miles north of Burley). A few years later, the family moved to Mountain Home. A child...
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Tarzan Creator, and Idaho Cowboy, Edgar Rice Burroughs [otd 9/1]
Edgar Rice Burroughs,successful writer.Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.Edgar Rice Burroughs, creator of Tarzan and many imaginative worlds, was born September 1, 1875 in Chicago. Edgar tried many jobs, in...
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Mining Investor and Twin Falls Area Developer Harry Hollister [otd 9/2]
Harry Hollister. H. T. French photo.Central Idaho developer Harry L. Hollister was born September 2, 1859 in Rockton, Illinois, about seventy miles northwest of Chicago. He showed an early talent for...
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Emigrant Elizabeth Porter on the Oregon Trail [otd 9/3]
On Saturday, September 3, 1864, Oregon-bound pioneer Elizabeth (Lee) Porter wrote in her diary, “Morning: 12 head of cattle gone, found 5 head. Hunted all day for the rest but found no cattle....
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Dentist, Rancher, Banker and Oakley Mayor John Lowe [otd 9/4]
Mayor Lowe. H. T. French photo.Dentist and Oakley Mayor John O. Lowe was born September 4, 1877 in Willard, Utah, 10-12 miles north of Ogden. Soon, the family moved to Cassia County, Idaho. In fact,...
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Astorian Fur Trade Party Led by Robert Stuart at American Falls [otd 9/5]
On September 5, 1812, fur trader Robert Stuart wrote in his journal, “The whole body of the stream is here scarcely 60 feet wide, but immediately above expands to the breadth of half a mile, with...
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Opening Day for Boise Junior College, Precursor to Boise State University...
On September 6, 1932, Boise Junior College greeted its first students, 41 men and 37 women. BJC can actually trace its roots back to 1892, when the Episcopal church started St. Margaret's School. For...
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