Type of Culminating Activity

Graduate Student Project

Graduation Date

5-2020

Degree Title

Master of Applied Historical Research

Department

History

Major Advisor

Dr. Bob Reinhardt

Abstract

This survey is part of a larger Historic Kootenai Study, which comprises a reconnaissance-level survey of historic homes along W Kootenai St, a National Register proof of concept document for a house near the survey area, and a public meeting. The project seeks to study the developmental history of the neighborhood through the lenses of architectural history and historic preservation. It illustrates how a rural farming community evolved into one of Boise’s suburban neighborhoods and sheds light on local attitudes toward historic preservation, namely how it was a conscious choice made by middle-class homeowners, rather than simply a hobby of the elite.

The survey primarily contains original fieldwork but also includes basic historical research such as original construction and remodel dates for each of the 69 properties surveyed. In some cases, the attached site forms include a more in-depth history of a notable homeowner, which I drafted during an internship with Preservation Idaho last fall. The ten homes I conducted additional research on represent the notable styles within the neighborhood, in particularly Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Spanish Revival, and Minimal Traditional style homes. During my fieldwork I discovered that the neighborhood would be an excellent candidate for historic district designation, especially since many of its historic Eclectic styles are so well preserved.

The project contributes to both the academic and public sides of the historical discipline given its reliance upon the historical method and original research as well as stakeholder engagement. It also contributes to the history of Boise since it illustrates how the area became incorporated into the city and it sheds light on how middle-class Boiseans quietly and faithfully preserved their homes over the course of nearly a century.

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