J. H. Gakey House, Boise

The J.H. Gakey House, built in 1910 and designed by the noted Boise firm Tourtellotte & Hummel, blends elements of Colonial and Bungalow architecture in a two-story brick design. Constructed by Lemon & Doolittle, the house sits on a rusticated sandstone foundation and features a hip roof with attic dormers, exposed rafters, and a mix of shallow-gabled and overhanging eaves.

These details, combined with buff-colored brickwork and rough-cut stone accents on lintels, sills, and the exterior chimney, contribute to its distinctive character. The broad, cross-facade porch is supported by squared posts with geometric ornamentation-early signs of modern design influences in Boise's residential architecture.

Praised by the Idaho Statesman in 1910 as "one of the first of its kind in the city," the Gakey House was noted for its thoughtful adaptation to climate, including eaves that shield upper windows from sun and air pockets behind the brick veneer for insulation. Built-in furnishings and decorative features like a curved stone sill beneath the bowed dining room window and beveled glass in a polygonal bay add to its refined craftsmanship. Though minor changes have occurred-such as new front steps with wrought-iron rails-the house remains largely intact.