Statehood 1890

Idaho

The area that became Idaho was part of the jointly occupied Oregon Country under the Treaty of 1818, with both Britain (through the Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department) and the United States sharing claims. British and French Canadian fur traders had entered the region prior to 1810, while American settlers began arriving from the mid-1830s. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 resolved the dispute, placing present-day Idaho south of the 49th parallel within U.S. jurisdiction as part of Oregon Territory. Idaho was formally organized as its own territory on March 3, 1863, and admitted to the Union as a state on July 3, 1890.

Statehood
1890
Historic sites
1,090
Military engagements
229

Pre-contact era

Throughout the period of European colonization, the Oregon Country (which includes present-day Idaho) was inhabited by numerous independent American Indian peoples who received no recognition by the British or American governments in the eventual disposition of the territory. Indian traders played a critical role in the ongoing fur trade, and the Chinook jargon formed the lingua franca between Indians and the small European population. This was the last period in which the Oregon Country's Indian nations retained a sizeable majority in their land and were able to maintain relative economic independence thanks to the necessity of their hunting skills in the fur trade.

Colonial history

Oregon Country was subject to joint occupancy with the United States under the Treaty of 1818. The British referred to the region as the Columbia District. The Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department comprised most of the Oregon Country and managed British interests. Control was disputed rather than exclusive.

Oregon Country was the American name for the jointly occupied region. The dispute became an election issue in the 1844 U.S. presidential election before being resolved by the Oregon Treaty of 1846.

The area that made up Oregon Country now lies within the present-day borders of Idaho, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and parts of Montana and Wyoming.

The Territory of Idaho existed from March 3, 1863, until July 3, 1890.

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Native Heritage
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Explore Idaho records

1,090
National Register historic sites
National Register listings ›
229
Military engagements
Military history records ›
10
Indigenous groups
Heritage records ›
3
Notable figures
Born in Idaho
30
Colonial-era events
1492 to early statehood ›
Idaho counties
Census population history ›
Sources

State history content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Historic sites data: National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

About Idaho

When did Idaho become a state?
Idaho was admitted to the Union in 1890.
What European powers colonized Idaho?
The territory that became Idaho passed through several colonial periods. Oregon Country was subject to joint occupancy with the United States under the Treaty of 1818. The British referred to the region as the Columbia District. The Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department comprised most of the Oregon Country and managed British interests. Control was disputed rather than exclusive. Oregon Country was the American name for the jointly occupied region. The dispute bec
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