Julia Davis Park, Boise

Julia Davis Park, Boise (must see)

In 1862, Thomas and Frank Davis, two orphans who traveled west, became the Romulus and Remus of Boise, Idaho. They came from Cincinnati, Ohio, looking for gold. They didn't find much but they staked a claim and built a cabin on Cottonwood Creek. As Fate would have it, the cabin was located in what later became Julia Davis Park.

On the Fourth of July in 1863, the Davis boys were followed by the U.S. Army. The soldiers built a fort and called it Fort Boise. That got the Davis boys to thinking. They met in the cabin with some friends and founded the City of Boise. Yep, there's gold in a dream if not in the ground.

Gold never did pan out, but there was always real estate. Thomas Davis was a key player in Boise. He had bought hundreds of acres on the river by 1868. In 1871 he married Julia McCrumb, who had traveled to Boise from Ontario. Dreams were coming true.

The Davises were generous. They offered land to the city for a public use as a park. The offer was not accepted until 1907 after Julia Davis had died. Thomas deeded 40 acres of land to the city in memory of his wife. He insisted that the park would be "always and forever" called Julia Davis Park. Thomas died in 1908.

Many additions and improvements were added to the park by the city. Union Pacific's engine, "Big Mike". Zoo Boise, the Boise Gallery of Art, The Bob Gibb Friendship Bridge, The Idaho Historical Museum, and the Idaho Black History Museum.

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Julia Davis Park on Map

Sight Name: Julia Davis Park
Sight Location: Boise, USA (See walking tours in Boise)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Boise, Idaho

Create Your Own Walk in Boise

Create Your Own Walk in Boise

Creating your own self-guided walk in Boise is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Fort Street Historic District Walking Tour

Fort Street Historic District Walking Tour

The Fort Street Historic District roughly comprises 47 blocks, situated primarily within the 1867 plat of Boise City original townsite, and forms part of a larger area known locally as Boise's North End Preservation District. Upon its nomination, in 1982, for the National Register of Historic Places, the Fort Street district contained 318 buildings.

Over the years, this neighborhood has...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Boise Introduction Walking Tour

Boise Introduction Walking Tour

For thousands of years the tree lined Boise River valley was home to the Shoshone people. They would meet here to trade with other tribes. The valley was congenial and the river full of salmon. It was a holy place for indigenous people.

The name "Boise" originated in the 1820s. The valley was thick with cottonwood trees. French Canadian trappers called it "La riviere boisee"...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles