The Bown House was built in 1879 and it’s one of the oldest remaining houses left in southwest Idaho. It’s now a museum and it provides a fun field trip for students in elementary school.
Around 2,500 students get to take a two-hour tour every school year where they get to learn about Joseph and Temperance Bown, the 240-acre farm they lived on and what daily life was like in the late 1890s.
“I think it would be fun, interesting and probably tiring because of all the chores,” said Maggie, a fourth-grader at Whittier Elementary. “Probably my favorite part was the school house because I kind of like learning.”
The Bown House was the first house pioneers would discover when they got to Boise along the Oregon Trail. It was also one of the fanciest homes from the period and volunteers from the Assistance League enjoy sharing this history with students.
“You know we have fun,” said Juno Vanocker. “We like to dress up, we like to pretend and we still like to be associated with youngsters. It keeps us young.”