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

Treasure to Timber: A Site in Transition

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, July 4, 2026

1. Treasure to Timber: A Site in Transition Marker

Inscription. Mining was boom or bust. By the 1900s, a long decline in regional mining activity reduced the work of the Assay Office. Meanwhile, increased timber production resulted in the expansion of the US Forest Service (USFS). In 1932, the US Treasury Department moved out to a smaller space, and the building became the Boise National Forest Headquarters.

The USFS altered the building significantly. Inside, the agency changed the layout stairs, fixtures, and finishes. It converted the second-floor apartment to offices. On the outside, it enlarged second-story windows, removed chimneys, and added windows to the back of the building.

Inset
President Theodore Roosevelt created the USFS in 1905 to manage the nation’s forests and grasslands. Today, the agency manages 38% of Idaho lands, the largest percentage of any state.

Timeline
From Time Immemorial - Indigenous People
1869 - 1932 - US Treasury Department
1932 - 1972 - US Forest Service
1972 - present - Idaho State Historical Society

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1932.

Location. 43° 36.751′ N,

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116° 11.775′ W. Marker is in Boise, Idaho, in Ada County. It is in Downtown. It is on North 2nd Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 210 W Main Street, Boise ID 83702, United States of America. 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: “Lovely Lawns Carefully Kept” (within shouting distance of this marker); A Close Call (within shouting distance of this marker); A Lasting Legacy (within shouting distance of this marker); Working from Home (within shouting distance of this marker); U.S. Assay Office (within shouting distance of this marker); Assay Office (within shouting distance of this marker); “Silver & Gold in the Sunlight Blaze” (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); “The Finest in the Territory” (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, July 4, 2026

2. Treasure to Timber: A Site in Transition Marker

in Boise.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 10, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 4 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 10, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.