Cultural Resources

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Archaeology in Idaho is as diverse as the people who live here.  Thousands of years ago, Idaho was inhabited solely by native peoples who traveled long distances across the landscape in search of wild game and edible plants.

Almost 200 years ago, Lewis & Clark made their historic trip through Idaho with a Shoshone woman, Sacajawea, as their guide.  About 130 years ago, hundreds of immigrants traveled through Idaho on their way to the west coast on rugged, dusty trails that would later come to be known as the Oregon and California Trails.

With the new settlers came railroads, ranching and mining. Many Chinese came to Idaho to work on railroads and mines in the 1880's. The Basque also came to graze sheep in the vast deserts of Idaho. During the Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corp built numerous projects in idaho. During World War II, Idaho was the site of a Japanese internment camp.

The remains of these events are often still visible today.  Preserving these remains reminds us of our common heritage, which shapes who we are today and what we will be tomorrow.

Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Homestead Act

The cry was FREE LAND! The Homestead Act of 1862 was one of the most significant and enduring events in the westward expansion of the United States. By granting free land it allowed nearly any man or woman a chance to live the American dream.

2012 marks the 150th anniversary of one of America's most influential pieces of legislation, the Homestead Act of 1862.