Boise in Ada County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)

Cyrus Jacobs/Uberuaga House

607 Grove Street

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 2, 2018

1. Cyrus Jacobs/Uberuaga House Marker

Captions: (upper center) Jacobs Family, ca. 1880; (bottom left) Mealtime at the Boarding House; (bottom right) Uberuaga Family, ca. 1920.

Inscription.
The Cyrus Jacobs home, built in 1864, is the oldest surviving brick dwelling in Boise. Jacobs, a prominent merchant and mayor of Boise, lived here for almost 40 years. Beginning in 1910, it became the residence of Basque families - first, the Galdos, then the Bicandis, and finally, in 1917, Jose and Hermenegilda Uberuaga. Here, these families provided a "home away from home" for sheepherders and other boarders.

In 1983, Adelia Garro Simplot purchased the property from the Uberuagas to preserve the rich tapestry of Idaho Euskaldunak history. This dream became a reality in 1985 when the Basque Museum and Cultural Center acquired the house. It stands as a tribute to Basque boarding house life in America.

This property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Erected by Basque Museum and Cultural Center.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Hispanic Americans • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1864.

Location. 43° 36.828′ N, 116° 12.14′ W.

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Marker is in Boise, Idaho, in Ada County. It 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: 607 Grove Street, Boise ID 83702, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Snake River Plain.

It is also in the American Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Basque Arborglyphs (a few steps from this marker); Grove Street Warehouse (a few steps from this marker); The Basque Center (a few steps from this marker); Basque Museum and Cultural Center (a few steps from this marker); The Chico Club (within shouting distance of this marker); Adelia Garro Simplot (within shouting distance of this marker); Anduiza Hotel and Fronton (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Anduiza Hotel and Fronton (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Boise.

Also see . . . National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form, 1972.

Cyrus Jacobs/Uberuaga House and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, June 2, 2018

2. Cyrus Jacobs/Uberuaga House and Marker

Statement of Significance:

Cyrus Jacobs, one of Boise's 1863 settlers, opened a general merchandise business as soon as the town was established. By 1864 he had built a new brick store building at the corner of 7th and Main, and this house on Grove Street, one of Boise's first brick dwellings. In 1878 a dining room and kitchen were added to the first floor and two bedrooms upstairs.

Jacobs was an enterprising merchant who had a meat packing plant and flour mill in addition to his Main Street store. His first advertisement in the Idaho Statesman appeared in August, 1864, in an issue which described battles of the Civil War and promoted the candidacy of Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson for President and Vice President of the United States. Before coming to Boise, Jacobs had already established himself as a leading merchant of Walla Walla. He carried goods by pack train to the gold fields of Boise Basin during the 1862 gold rush, and helped survey the townsite of Boise a year later.

While hardly a mansion, this modest house represents a typical Boise dwelling of the '60's, with more than typical historic associations. William
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, July 4, 2026

3. Cyrus Jacobs/Uberuaga House Marker
(top plaque)
Cyrus Jacobs House
1864
National Register of Historic Places
Boise Bicentennial Commission
1976

(bottom plaque)
Basque Boarding House
c. 1910-1969
Home of Hermenegilda and Jose Ubereruaga
c. 1917-1969
E. Borah and Mamie McConnell, daughter of Governor McConnell,

were married there on April 21, 1895. The governor was a close friend of the Boise merchant and was often in the Jacobs home. In 1879, while living in this house, Cyrus Jacobs was elected major of Boise.

(Submitted on September 22, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)

Additional keywords. Basque

Cyrus Jacobs/Uberuaga House image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Unknown

4. Cyrus Jacobs/Uberuaga House

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, July 4, 2026

5. Cyrus Jacobs/Uberuaga House Marker

Historic Landmark
Designated by the
Historic Preservation Commission
City of Boise, 2010
Funded through a Preserve America Grant

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, July 4, 2026

6. Cyrus Jacobs/Uberuaga House

Credits. This page was last revised on October 6, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 24, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,143 times since then and 80 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 24, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 3. submitted on September 22, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. 4. submitted on June 24, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 5, 6. submitted on September 22, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.