Idaho State Day, Motto, and Nickname

STATE DAY July 3 STATUS Unofficial DATE OF ADMISSION TO UNITED STATES July 3, 1890 RANKING IN STATE ADMISSION 43rd FORMER DESIGNATIONS Oregon Territory Washington Territory Dakota Territories Idaho Territory HISTORY Non-native settlement in what is now Idaho was scarce until the mid-19th century. Although the Oregon Trail passed through Idaho, it was not until 1860, some six years after the Oregon Treaty had been signed ceding the area to the United States, that pioneers established the first settlement, the town of Franklin. Formally considered part of Oregon Territory, the area saw a rapid increase in settlement, and three years later, Idaho Territory was formed. The period following the formation of the territory was rife with upheaval. Increased population and a boom in gold and silver mining resulted in several battles with native tribes. Violent disputes plagued several of the mining districts, and ideological and political differences dominated Boise, Idaho’s new capital. The strife did not seem to dampen population growth or the move toward statehood, however. On July 3, 1890, with more than 88,000 residents, Idaho was admitted into the Union as the 43rd state. MOTTO "Esto perpetua" (Let it be perpetual) NICKNAMES "Gem State," "Gem of the Mountains," "The Spud State," "Vacation Wonderland" "Gem State" or "Gem of the Mountains" has its roots in Idaho's state name. Eccentric mining lobbyist George M. Willing first suggested the name Idaho in the early 1860s, claiming it was a Shoshone word meaning "Gem of the Mountains." It was later discovered that Willing made up the word, but it had gained such popularity that "The Gem State" endured as a nickname. Idaho gained the nickname "The Spud State" from its agricultural prosperity: famously, one of Idaho’s main crops is the potato. Idaho has also been known as the "Vacation Wonderland," largely because of its popularity as an outdoor recreation destination. -World Trade Press