Take A 50 Year Leap Back In Time To A Somber Unrecognizable Boise

There is no question that Boise is a beautiful city. But what we see today is a far cry from what you'd see had you been in Boise just 50 years ago. In fact, even just the last decade has seen a tremendous amount of change. And with the recent boom in population, it's safe to say the changes will keep on coming.

Downtown Boise in particular is wildly different than it was half a century ago. Buildings we consider landmarks now were not even a twinkle in a builder's eye. The 1970's marked a turning point in Boise, but not without various challenges making change quite a task. This video details the difficult transition into the Boise we know and love today, including a fascinating story that lead an 84 year old man to curse land in Downtown Boise.

Did you know there were plans to create a huge mall that would encompass 8 blocks downtown? What ever happened to those plans? I certainly don't see a big ol' mall anywhere. I hate to admit I would love that so much. But fate had other plans and what actually happened was pretty dismal.

Eventually things worked out and some of our most beloved buildings and spaces came to be. The Grove Hotel is now an iconic and unmistakable piece of architecture that would leave quite the hole in Boise's landscape, as well as our Capitol Building. Guess which one I care about more. The Idanha Hotel has survived it all though, even if its purpose has changed over the years.