Boise in Ada County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)
Basque Museum and Cultural Center
611 Grove Street
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, June 2, 2018
1. Basque Museum and Cultural Center Marker
Captions: (upper right) Map of the Basque homeland; (bottom left) Ikastola Preshool; (bottom center) Collections and Archives; (bottom right) Exhibits and Educational Programs.
Inscription.
Basque Museum and Cultural Center. 611 Grove Street. Far from their homeland, the temperate, verdant, Euskadi, away from their lively communal life of feast days and dancing, of pelota games and good wind, Basques in Idaho found themselves in an arid land where few spoke the native tongue. Many worked as sheepherders, isolated from their immigrant countrymen for much of the year. Boarding houses, such as the ones along this block, were more than places to eat and sleep for Basques; they became a magnet for a culture, where, for a few weeks or months, their native country may not have seemed so far away. In 1988, this property was purchased by the Basque Museum and Cultural Center to help preserve and perpetuate the Basque culture through education and cultural events. The Museum houses exhibits, classrooms, a library, archives, and hosts special events that celebrate Basque culture.
Far from their homeland, the temperate, verdant, Euskadi, away from their lively communal life of feast days and dancing, of pelota games and good wind, Basques in Idaho found themselves in an arid land where few spoke the native tongue. Many worked as sheepherders, isolated from their immigrant countrymen for much of the year. Boarding houses, such as the ones along this block, were more than places to eat and sleep for Basques; they became a magnet for a culture, where, for a few weeks or months, their native country may not have seemed so far away. In 1988, this property was purchased by the Basque Museum and Cultural Center to help preserve and perpetuate the Basque culture through education and cultural events. The Museum houses exhibits, classrooms, a library, archives, and hosts special events that celebrate Basque culture.
Location. 43° 36.834′ N, 116° 12.155′ W. Marker is in Boise, Idaho, in Ada County. Marker is on Grove Street near South 6th Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 611 Grove Street, Boise ID 83702, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 24, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 23, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 247 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 23, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
