Posted
on July 3, 2016
On
this date in 1890, Idaho became the 43rd state of the
United States of America.
Idaho
is in the West, so (like all Western states) it is larger than many
of the eastern states. As a matter of fact, the area of Idaho is
larger than all of New England put together!
Yet
Idaho is also one of the least densely populated states.
I
always think of potatoes when I think of Idaho, because that crop is
grown pretty widely there. Indeed, some people call Idaho the “Potato
State.” About one-fifth of the U.S. potato crop is grown in Idaho,
including about half of all potatoes used by McDonalds for French
fries!
 |
| I loved finding peacock ore in Idaho!! |
But
another Idaho nickname is the “Gem State.” Almost every known
gemstone has been found there!! (We're talking 72 different precious
and semi-precious stones!)
And Idaho is one of only two places in the
entire world where there is a quantity of star garnets (the other
source of star garnets is India).
 |
| Star garnets |
Even
though star garnets are super rare, apparently they aren't
terribly expensive. Tourists can pay $10 (adult; only $5 for kids)
for a permit and borrowed equipment to wash and screen gravel,
looking for these stones. You're allowed to take up to five pounds of
garnets for that price!
 |
| Three kinds of opals found in Idaho: Above, harlequin opal Below, pinfire opal Far below, the very rare star opal |
Energy
and jumps
- Arco, Idaho, became the first city lit by atomic energy in 1955.
- Idaho's statehouse in capital Boise is heated by geothermal energy; the underground hot springs provide the heat!
- Famous daredevil Evil Knievel tried – but failed to jump over the Snake River Canyon, in Idaho, in 1974. It was a mile-wide chasm, and Knievel was trying to make the enormous jump in a specially-built “rocket motorcycle.”
- A high-jump technique called the Fosbury Flop was invented by an athlete from Idaho. His name was Dick Fosbury (why are you not surprised?), and he not only won an Olympic gold medal, he revolutionized the high-jump event and is considered one of the most influential athletes in the entire history of track and field!
 |
| Before Fosbury, this is how high jumpers jumped (above). But Fosbury was innovative -- and successful! -- with a back-first move (below). |
Here
are some other “gems” of Idaho:
Coeur
d'Alene:
Craters
of the Moon National Monument – a “vast ocean” of hardened
lava:
Idaho
Mountain:
Shoshone Falls:
1000
Springs:
Sawtooth
National Recreation Area:
The
boat tour at Hell's Canyon:
...which is a
great spot to spot bald eagles and other wildlife!
Also
on this date:
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Plan ahead:
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out my Pinterest boards for:
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