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Despite Boise's small population, it occupies a large area, 165.7 km² (64.0 mi²) according to the United States Census Bureau. Like most major metropolitan areas it is divided into several named parts. These include the Bench, the North End and Downtown among others.
Downtown Boise
Downtown Boise is Boise's cultural center and home to many small businesses and a few sky scrapers. Downtown Boise has a wide array of shopping and dining opportunities. Centrally, 8th street contains a fairly large pedestrian zone which with its street side cafes and restaurants lends Boise a slightly European feel.
A new development, called BODO (Boise Downtown)was developed to revamp the 8th Street Marketplace, with new residental and business buildings, and a more central shopping area. It is slated to be complete around 2006, but with a new theater complex, popular restaurant chains such as P. F. Changs and new high end boutiques and retail stores already in place, this area of downtown is becoming the newest hotspot in Boise.
Downtown Boise's economy has been threatened by extensive growth around the Boise Towne Square Mall and an increasing number of shopping centers which have sprung up around new housing developments. Events such as Alive-after-Five and First Thursday have been created to combat this trend.
The North End
The North End contains many of Boise's older homes and is known for its tree-lined drives such as Harrison Boulevard. Here you can find many quiet neighborhoods right in the center of Boise. From Camel's Back Park one can afford a view of Downtown Boise and the sea of trees that is the North End. On 13th Street Hyde Park is home to many small restaurants and businesses and is a favorite place among natives for an evening outing.
The North End is also known for its artistic community. Politically it is considerably more liberal than the rest of Boise, and as such is noted as a Democratic Party enclave in otherwise very Republican Idaho.
Southwest Boise
Southwest Boise has traditionally been known for its more country-like aesthetics. It has traditionally been known for its sparsely populated neighborhoods built anywhere from the 1960's to the early 1980's. Many of these sport larger acre sized plots and even pastures. You will find the occasional farmhouse and agricultural fields in the area of Boise as well. Since the 1980's much of this area did not have much growth due to a moratorium on new construction to prevent urban sprawl. However, since this has been lifted their has been enormous growth of new homes and neighborhoods in the area with fields being cleared almost overnight to accommodate the new construction. Nevertheless, a short drive brings you to plenty of shopping and it fairly close to Interstate 84, theatres, shopping, the airport, and the Boise Bench area. Also close by on country roads are Kuna, Meridian, and Nampa.
Northwest Boise
Much of Northwest Boise lies blanketed against the Boise Foothills to the north, the major throughfare State Street to the South, the City of Eagle to the West, and Downtown Boise to the East. It contains an eccentric mix of old and new neighborhoods the further West one travels. It still strives to contain much of the 'North-End' charm and community feeling, yet is more affordable. Downtown is just minutes away, while Veteran's Memorial Park affords an escape from the hustle and bustle of daily city life as well as easy access to the Boise Greenbelt. Across the river sits the Boise Bench and to the west is fast access to the blanket communities of Eagle, Star and Middleton.
Warm Springs
Warm Springs is centered around the tree-lined drive Warm Springs Avenue and contains many of Boise's largest and most expensive homes (many of which were erected by wealthy miners and businessmen around the turn of the century; hence the Victorian style). The area gets its name from the natural hot springs that flow from Boise's fault line and warm many of the homes in this area.
East End
The far east end of Warm Springs is home to residents of Harris Ranch, a turn of the century ranch and lumber mill driven by river water power. Dallas and Alta Harris purchased the large acreage of land spanning from the Mesa to Lucky Peak. The orignal development in this area was called Barber Town, featuring a hotel with hot springs nestled into the foothills. The new development, Harris Ranch is the largest development in Idaho, featuring craftsman style homes for families and seniors seeking the active lifestyle that riverside convenience offers.
The Boise Bench
The Boise Bench is south of Downtown Boise and is raised in elevation approximately 60 feet. The bench is named such because the sudden rise in elevation gives the prominent appearance of a step, or bench. The Bench is home to the old Boise Train Depot, Vista Village shopping center, and extensive residential neighborhoods. The Boise Towne Square Mall is on the bench to the southwest of downtown. Due south of the Boise Bench is the Boise Airport, raised up on another "bench".
About The Name "Boise"
Origin of Name
The name Boise comes from the French word boisé, which means "wooded". Many people assume that it means "tree", but the French word for "tree" is arbre, whereas the word bois means "wood". One legend claims that French-Canadian fur trappers of the early 1800s came over the mountains looked down upon the Boise River Valley and exclaimed "Le Bois!" (the trees!). This is also how Boise gained its nickname 'The City of Trees'. In actuality, the name was apparently a translation of an earlier English name for the Boise River, the Wood River.
Pronunciation
There is an on going controversy about the pronunciation of Boise. Most natives of Boise pronounce the city Boise, (Boy-see) and not (Boy-zee). Those who do pronounce the city Boise (Boy-zee) are quickly picked up by natives as new or as recent transplants to the city.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boise |
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