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

First Computer in Boise City

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, June 27, 2023

1. First Computer in Boise City Marker

Inscription.
The first computer in Boise City was installed in this building in July, 1957.

The computer was a Remington-Rand UNIVAC 120, owned by the Idaho Highway Department, who occupied this building until August, 1960. The computer contained 800 vacuum tubes, could store 438 digits of information and weighed 3,230 pounds.

Erected 2010 by Association of Information Technology Prosfessionals.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1957.

Location. 43° 36.866′ N, 116° 12.082′ W. Marker is in Boise, Idaho, in Ada County. It is at the intersection of Main St and N 6th St, on the right when traveling east on Main St. Touch for map. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Idaho’s 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: Boise Turnverein Building (Crescent Building) (within shouting distance of this marker);

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The Chico Club (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Grove Street Warehouse (about 300 feet away); Perrault–Fritchman Building (1879) (about 300 feet away); The Basque Center (about 300 feet away); Cyrus Jacobs/Uberuaga House (about 300 feet away); Heath Building (about 400 feet away); Basque Museum and Cultural Center (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Boise.

Also see . . . The first computer in Boise. An informative news article highlighting the history of Boise's first computer in the Statesman Building, along with an interview with a gentleman who operated the UNIVAC 120 computer in 1957 and made a return to Boise to see the plaque in person after being away from the city since 1975. (Submitted on February 26, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, June 27, 2023

2. First Computer in Boise City Marker

Statesman Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, June 27, 2023

3. Statesman Building

Credits. This page was last revised on July 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 25, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 277 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 25, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. 3. submitted on February 26, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.