Learning is all about asking questions, and no one asks questions better than children. Boise State is home to more than 1,400 faculty members and researchers who are eager to answer these amazing questions.
Today, Emily Fritchman a lecturer in the history department, is answering a child’s question: “What’s the oldest house in Boise?”
Fritchman is a fifth-generation Idahoan who loves and researches Idaho history and architecture. In her classes at Boise State, she shares this passion and the intrigues of the state’s history through courses such as “Idaho Myths and Legends” and her University Foundations 200 course, where students select, research and present a history of one unique, historic site in Idaho.
Question: What’s the oldest house in Boise?
You will come across dozens of historic buildings as you walk through Downtown Boise, said Fritchman. From stylish bungalows to dramatic Queen Annes, the City of Trees is home to a variety of old buildings. But which among these claims the title of the oldest family residence in Boise?
That distinction goes to the O’Farrell Cabin: a small log structure nestled at the base of the Boise Foothills.
Built in 1863 by John A. O’Farrell, the cabin is among the oldest of Boise’s early pioneer buildings. Born in Ireland, O’Farrell found his way out west before beginning work as a successful farmer in Boise. He constructed this one-room cabin for his family of six near 4th and Fort Streets.
In addition to housing the O’Farrell family, the cabin also served as one of the first sites to host Catholic religious services in Boise. Local Catholics worshipped in the small building from 1863 to 1870. The O’Farrell family later moved into a new home before the cabin was donated to the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1911.
Shortly after the O’Farrell’s donated the cabin, it was moved to its current location on the 400th block of Fort Street to avoid demolition – only 100 yards to the west of its original spot.
For the next two years, the Daughters of the American Revolution received donations from the community and were highly involved in both the preservation and restoration of the cabin.
From filling the home with antique furnishings to restoring worn pieces of the exterior, Boiseans gathered to celebrate the rich history of this pioneer cabin. Its legacy continues to this day.
Submit a question
Have a question for a Boise State researcher to answer?