Boise
District Guide
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Teetering between its rural roots and high-tech tomorrow, Boise's distinctive neighborhoods tell a story of growth. Elegant subdivisions line manicured golf courses and caress the Boise River. Rolling eastward and westward, these neighborhoods have replaced farmland, shortening the boundaries between adjacent towns.
What were once sleepy, rural villages are now considered Boise's bedroom communities like Meridian, Eagle, Nampa and Caldwell, all located west of Boise off Interstate 84. Boise proper is built around breathtaking mountains and sagebrush desert. Seven distinct districts, each with its own feel and attraction, introduce old Boise to new.
North End: The Beat of Boise
Tree-lined Harrison Boulevard's historic mansions set the tone for this old neighborhood. Including the downtown area, this northern district is referred to by locals as the North End. Young couples looking for charm are fixing up North End homes, creating a renewed interest in one of Boise's original neighborhoods.
In the middle of the North End sits Hyde Park, with its boutiques and popular eateries like Lucky 13. For more than 20 years the Hyde Park Street Fair has set the tone for this funky neighborhood. Spilling into Camel's Back Park, one of Boise's more popular open spaces, the fair attracts visitors from all over the Treasure Valley.
East End: Mixing Old With New
Like the North End, the area northeast of downtown Boise also boasts a historic street, Warm Springs Avenue. Posh Victorian homes make the avenue a tourist attraction. Many of the houses are geothermally heated, taking advantage of hot water sources for heat. Stretching high into the foothills, the East End also includes many modern homes with enviable views of the city.
In addition, the district hosts some of Boise's most impressive parks. Julia Davis Park, hugs the neighborhood's southern boundary while Warm Springs Golf Club stretches along its eastern edge. Nearby, the educational Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center is one of Boise's main attractions.
Northwest: Horses and High Prices
Merging farmland with modern subdivisions, this northwestern district is a good example of the changes Boise is undergoing. From its eastern boundary near Eagle, the district touches the Boise River to the south and stretches north to include some of Boise's most exclusive subdivisions and the Quail Hollow Golf Course.
Although new homes punctuate the landscape, there is still plenty of room for horse pastures and older farm homes in this neighborhood, dating back to the late 1800s. One of the main roads, Collister, is named for Dr. George Collister, a Boise pioneer. Pierce Park Road takes its name from Walter Pierce, whose park-building efforts have been transformed into the Plantation Golf Course.
Garden City: City Within City
Named for historic gardens raised by Chinese immigrants, this small city within Boise's boundaries stretches along Chinden Boulevard, also named for a Chinese garden. The 50-year-old city has a tarnished past from legalized gambling in the late 1940s to adult bookstores. Today, its main attraction is the Western Idaho Fairgrounds, home to the Western Idaho Fair. Les Bois Park offers horse racing, while professional baseball is found at the Hawks Memorial Stadium. Park and history lovers enjoy Centennial Park, honoring Garden City's original Chinese residents.
Boise Bench: 1950s Suburbia Meets High-Tech
Not that long ago, the Boise Bench was a mishmash of 1950s brick bungalows and grander homes overlooking downtown Boise and its string of parks. Today, the Bench's character has changed because of Hewlett-Packard (HP), one of Boise's largest private employers, and the Boise Towne Square Mall.
Divided by Highway 184, the Bench includes the West Bench, dominated by HP and the Boise Towne Square Mall, and the Central Bench, home to quiet bungalows. Boise's largest parks, Ann Morrison Park and Kathryn Albertson Park, are found in the Central Bench. The Boise Train Depot, with its priceless views of downtown Boise and surrounding mountains, and the Stage Coach Theatre, home to entertaining community theater, also call this district home.
Southeast: Micron
One word says it all for this southeastern district: Micron. Micron Technology's complex dominates the far eastern corner of this Boise neighborhood. Growing along with Micron, the area has sprouted subdivisions, housing Micron employees, and attractive green-spaces.
Even though the new threatens to overshadow the old here, southeastern Boise is also home to Barber Park, the official beginning for the longtime summer tradition of rafting the Boise River. Boise State University and the picturesque ParkCenter Boulevard are also found in southeastern Boise. ParkCenter hosts many corporate offices, hotels, posh eateries and exclusive Boise River neighborhoods.
Southwest: Big Sky
Just across Interstate 84, this southwestern neighborhood unfolds across a high desert plain. There is less of everything in this area, less development, less shopping and less services. The Boise Municipal Airport, Idaho Military History Museum, and Idaho Military History Museum are the tourist highlights.
Growing Pains
Southwest Boise also offers little in the way of transportation services. In fact, bus services are limited in Boise, but improving each year. The Boise Urban Stages (BUS) provides a comprehensive route through downtown Boise and the main shopping corridors. Nevertheless, Idahoans, like most Americans, love their cars and until recently traffic jams were unknown.
Growth has actually emphasized Boise's natural features. The imposing Boise Ridge, with its brown mountains reaching about 8,000-feet in height, is more important to Boiseans because of the growth spurt. In the winter residents dash to nearby Bogus Basin for a few hours of night skiing and in the summer Boise's recreation hub, the Boise River and Greenbelt Pathway come alive.
Who would have predicted Boise's growth? From the butt of late night comedians' jokes to repeated listings on best places to live lists, Boise defies classification. Its humble homesteading beginnings continue to be seen in the friendly approach its residents take to visitors. Regardless of its future, Boise will always offer visitors historic and modern neighborhoods that brush up against spectacular scenery.
