Drawing From The Well: The Life Of A Founding Family, Boise, Idaho, 1864-1907

Summary

In 2012, an abandoned well was discovered beneath the porch at the Cyrus Jacobs-Uberuaga House in Boise, Idaho. The house, now a part of the Basque Museum and Cultural Center, is already a cultural and historical landmark, both for its importance to Boise’s early history and its Basque population. The nearly 16,000 artifacts recovered in 2012 shed light on the house’s earliest occupation by the Jacobs family, from 1864-1907. The Jacobs were one of the founding families of Boise and helped shape it economically, politically, and socially. The material culture of the Jacobs family reflects how they were positioned socially in early Boise, and how they replicated prevalent middle class values related to class and gender roles. Combined with archival research, this data provides important clues about life in Boise and the West in the late 19th century. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Unearthing the Gem State: Historical Archaeology in Idaho   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2015

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 557