Idaho City Simply Fun Historic Walking Tours

05/01/2026

Meet at City Hall on Saturday, May 2nd before 10:15am for another E Vitus Clampus dedication at City Hall, Main/School st.

05/01/2026

Tour season is in full swing with field trips. Schedule your tour through fall asap at 208-807-6434.

12/27/2025

#5- Idaho City! Jump in the postcard next year. Plan now.

Explore Idaho's most photogenic small townsAdd to Conversation

08/22/2025

Don’t miss this video tour of Idaho City, then schedule your own walking tour!

Exploring Idaho City, a historic gold rush town tucked in the heart of the Boise National Forest. Once the largest town in the Northwest, its now a small hid...

08/02/2025

Happy Gold Discovery Day, August 2, 1862! Schedule your Walking tour today!

03/28/2025

This is going to be a short walking tour season because of a month in Italy and 3 surgeries on one foot. Schedule ASAP for May 1st-June 11th and August-November.

02/12/2025

I am trying to cram all walking tours and field trips into the first two weeks in May and after July 4th. Three foot surgeries…again. Schedule ASAP!

01/30/2025

Read about it from Half-Truth Bob, then on a weekday tour Idaho City Simply Fun Historic Walking Tours. No tours are being scheduled in April. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1A2rpGAqX3/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Half-Truth Bob: The history of Idaho City

Once upon a time, in the rugged heartlands of Idaho, there lay a small city with a big name: Idaho City. This isn't just any city, mind you; it's a place where the streets are paved with history, and if you listen closely, the wind whispers tales of the wild, wild west.

In the beginning, Idaho City was a twinkle in the eye of the Boise Basin, a land untouched and ripe for discovery. Then came 1862, a year that would forever change its destiny. Gold was discovered, and not just any gold, but the kind that makes men leave their beds at the break of dawn with dreams of wealth. Suddenly, Idaho City was on the map, a beacon for prospectors, adventurers, and anyone who thought bathing was optional if it meant striking it rich.

The population boomed faster than a cannonball at a duel. At its peak, Idaho City was the largest city in the Northwest, even giving San Francisco a run for its money. Imagine that, a city where the main forms of transportation were horses and your own two feet, out-populating a metropolis!

Life in Idaho City was as wild as a bucking bronco. Saloons outnumbered the homes, whiskey flowed like the Boise River, and law and order were more of a suggestion than a rule. The town had a unique way of solving disputes - a good old-fashioned duel at high noon. It was like the social media beefs of today, but with more immediate, and certainly more lethal, consequences.

But it wasn't all gold and gunfights. Idaho City had a softer side. It was home to the first theater in the Pacific Northwest. Imagine the scene: grizzled gold miners and hardened cowboys sitting side by side, tears streaming down their dirty faces as they watch Shakespeare performed on a makeshift stage. The arts, it seems, have a way of touching even the toughest souls.

As the gold rush faded, so did Idaho City's bustling population. But like a seasoned cowboy, it refused to ride off into the sunset. Today, Idaho City stands as a testament to its vibrant past, a place where history is not just remembered, but felt. Visitors can stroll down the wooden sidewalks, tip their hats to the spirits of prospectors past, and perhaps find a little gold dust of their own.

So, there you have it, the history of Idaho City: a place where fortunes were made and lost, where the wild west was not just a period in history, but a way of life. It's a city that reminds us that sometimes, the most valuable gold isn't found in the ground, but in the stories we keep alive for generations to come. And they all lived historically ever after. The end.

12/29/2024

Cool! The Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway. I made it into this reel, as well as a cool drone shot of Idaho City. Check it out and drive the PPS Byway! https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DjqeZxqwL/?mibextid=wwXIfr

12/15/2024

I can still do walking tours because there is very little snow on the ground. Schedule your family walking tours today at 208-807-6434. Remember, it is better to schedule during the week, Tuesday-Friday, because you can get into the best historic buildings. It no longer has to be at 10:00am, because I retired from toy store business. You name your best day and time. All ages are welcomed.

10/05/2024

Sunday at 11:00am starting at the Visitor Center Idaho City Days. I’ve got 2 people signed up. Do I have 2 more? Going once…going twice! Can I get a total of 10?!