As America turns 250 years old this year and many are reflecting on our country’s past, we wanted to take a closer look at Idaho’s history, which reflects the breadth of the American experience. Discovering more about the places we see and touch in our daily lives can create deeper connections with our home and our community. So we’re taking a deep dive into the history of Boise, one small piece at a time with our America 250: Short Histories of Boise Project. Each Monday on Idaho Matters, we’ll bring you a snapshot of a small corner of our Capital City and its unique past.
Today we’ll explore the Alaska Building.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about 1980? The Iran hostage crisis? Reagan’s landslide victory over Carter? Or maybe the release of The Empire Strikes Back, or the eruption of Mount St. Helens? But if you’ve ever walked down a small-town main street and delighted in the fact that it still looks much as it did a hundred years ago, you might think instead of the Main Street America program, which sparked a nationwide movement to preserve and revitalize historic main streets across the United States…