Fort Street Historic District Walking Tour (Self Guided), Boise

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 been a home to influential politicians, successful businessmen, and white- and blue collar workers. It is therefore made up mostly of residential properties coexisting harmoniously side-by-side with a number of churches, schools and other public and semi-private institutions.

The vast majority of these structures were designed by Tourtellotte & Co. (later known as Tourtellotte & Hummel). Among them are such prominent landmarks as Idaho Capitol Building – closely resembling the Capitol in Washington DC, with a great emphasis placed on the use of natural light to illuminate the interior; Carnegie Public Library – a Neoclassical building, constructed in 1904–1905; and The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, dedicated in 1870. The architectural firm was also responsible for creating residential properties like Minnie Priest Dunton House, Alva Fleharty House, John Haines House and more.

The predominant residential style in the district is late Queen Anne with the influence of Colonial Revival. The Romanesque Revival, Neoclassical Revival, and Art Deco are also present. This variety of styles illustrates the evolutionary change in architectural tastes that occurred from 1890 to 1940, when Boise maturated into a modern city from its modest frontier origins.

The appearance of the district hasn't changed much ever since and maintains its visual and historic cohesiveness. If you wish to acquaint with the local architectural jewels more closely, take this self-guided walk.