5 Libraries in Idaho That You Shouldn't Miss

January 14, 2022 Joeann Galban

A mixture of forested mountains, alpine peaks, wildflower meadows, deep river canyons, and high plains deserts, Idaho is a paradise for golf, skiing, fly fishing, and river rafting. Boise, the capital, is the state's largest city and airline hub. North of Boise are golf, lake, and ski resorts from McCall in the south to Sandpoint and Coeur D'Alene in the north. East of Boise are the ski slopes of Ketchum and Sun Valley. East of Sun Valley are Craters of the Moon National Monument, Pocatello, Idaho Falls, and the small town of Island Park just across the border from Yellowstone National Park. Boise's Basque Museum and Cultural Center reflects having the largest Basque population in the U.S. Reflecting Idaho's diverse heritage, near the Idaho Historical Museum in Boise's Julia Davis Park is the Idaho Black History Museum's chronicle of the slave York who served the Lewis & Clark Expedition. After a family visit to the Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey and an outdoor performance at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, the next stop after Boise is likely to be Payette Lake in McCall or Sun Valley and Ketchum. About 100 miles north of Boise, past Cascade Lake, McCall takes you to the shores of Payette Lake. Go golfing, fishing, hiking, biking, waterskiing, sailing, boating, or whitewater river rafting. Ski or snowshoe Brundage Mountain or Tamarack Resorts, as well as Ponderosa State Park in winter. Ice skate year-round at Manchester Ice & Event Centre. About 450 miles north of Boise, there are resort lakes near skiing and golf at Coeur d'Alene, Hayden Lake, and Sandpoint. Golf, tennis, mountain biking, hiking, fishing, rafting, and hunting are popular in Sun Valley and Ketchum. Sockeye salmon may no longer do much spawning in Redfish Lake, but the boating and mountain scenery in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area make the short trip north to Stanley worthwhile. When the snows come the whole family will head for the slopes of Soldier Mountain, Bald Mountain, Dollar Mountain, or the Sun Valley Resort. A tiny forested town of about 250 people, Island Park has a large reservoir with fishing and boating, as well as Henry's Fork of the Snake River for fly fishing. It's only 15 miles from Yellowstone as well.
Restaurants in Idaho

1. Boise Public Library

715 S Capitol Blvd, Boise, ID 83702-7123 +1 208-384-4076 http://www.boisepubliclibrary.org
Excellent
75%
Good
18%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 67 reviews

Boise Public Library

2. Coeur d'Alene Public Library

702 East Front Street, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814-4012 +1 208-769-2315 http://www.cdalibrary.org
Excellent
73%
Good
20%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
3%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 30 reviews

Coeur d'Alene Public Library

3. Idaho State Archives

2205 E Old Penitentiary Rd, Boise, ID 83712-8250 +1 208-334-2620 [email protected] http://history.idaho.gov/idaho-state-archives
Excellent
67%
Good
33%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 3 reviews

Idaho State Archives

Abraham Lincoln: His Legacy in Idaho is a permanent exhibit within the Idaho State Archives. Over 200 artifacts reveal connections between the story of Idaho and the life of Abraham Lincoln. Explore a re-creation of Lincoln's cabinet room, artifacts from his early years, campaign, battlefield artifacts from the Civil War, and role in making Idaho a territory. The Lincoln Exhibition is housed at The Idaho State Archives, which preserves and provides access to a large collection of photographs, genealogy, books, maps, and manuscripts that relate to the history of Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. This is a great spot for anyone looking to research Idaho history.

4. Lewiston Library

411 D St, Lewiston, ID 83501-5399 +1 208-798-2525 http://www.lewistonlibrary.org/
Excellent
44%
Good
44%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
11%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 9 reviews

Lewiston Library

5. Weippe Discovery Center

204 Wood St, Weippe, ID 83553-5004 +1 208-435-4058 [email protected] https://www.facebook.com/weippelibrary/
Excellent
33%
Good
33%
Satisfactory
33%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 3 reviews

Reviewed By CareyS979

Being related to Meriweather Lewis, I enjoy visiting sites related to his expedition. I stumbled upon this well-done exhibit in Weippe, Idaho (about 1 1/2 hours east of Lewiston, Idaho via Hwy 12). The Discovery Center is located in the same building as the library. For a small site, it is packed with information about Lewis and Clark's travel through this location. It includes details of the Expedition meeting and being greatly assisted by the Nez Perce Indians who came to the expedition's rescue after their harsh winter in the Rocky Mountains. Besides providing route finding on the Lolo Trail through the densely forested and steep Bitterroot Mountains, the Nez Perce taught them how to make dugout canoes and identify food sources. Native artifacts, including a dugout canoe, full-size mountings of a mountain lion and golden eagle, documents, and Nez Perce artistry are well-displayed. Lewis and Clark devotees will find taking this side trip well worth the effort.

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