Idaho’s 10 Oldest Cities

Unlike other cities that began as a Mormon settlement, Basque camp, or mining center, Firth was established as a Swedish settlement.

Home of the first road to cross the Rockies from Washington to Montana, Mullan Road.

Named after the gathering and festivals of local Native Americans, mostly to steer clear of white settlers in the Boise area.

The only city in Camas County used to be a bustling education center!

Believed to be named after a landmark near the city, Weiser River, which was believed to be named after a member in the Lewis & Clark expedition!

Montpelier was the site of a bank robbery made infamous by Butch Cassidy, it was also a milestone on thee Oregon Trail!

It was known by two other names (Clover Creek and Belmont) but was renamed by Brigham Young himself.

Established as Fort Boise in 1863, Boise actually didn't become the capitol of Idaho until 1864.

This old town was originally named "Bannock," and actually burned to the ground four times!

It was also home of the first Catholic church in the state AND at the time, had a bigger population than Portland...whaaa?

Idaho's oldest mining town AND is home to the oldest public building, the Pierce Courthouse.

For ten years, Franklin was believed to be a city in Utah, but after a survey in 1872 found that it was within the Idaho border by one mile - making it Idaho's OLDEST city!